Unfug It Up: Vera Farmiga

Put her in Lauren Ambrose's dress, but with black heels instead of Washout Beige.

Definitely shorten the skirt to the knee. I would argue that the cardigan may not be the issue here ... I mean it is COLD in New York right now. Perhaps if she had a more form fitting, lower cut blouse under the cardigan it would look less frumptastic.

From the bottom:
shoes=keep
skirt=tailor, hem
blouse=tailor to become fitted to abdomen but leave peplum-effect at hips and let remain blousy through bust
cardigan=lose
makeup=keep
hair=untuck, tousle a bit across forehead.
Add=cat's eye glasses?
voila. May not be red carpet worthy, but at least unfugged...

First, lose the cardigan (who wears a cardigan to a red carpet event?) The blouse needs to be a button-up, so it can be buttoned DOWN (wink wink nudge nudge say no more) and the skirt definitely needs to be hoiked up above her knees. I think a sexy little loose bun and some serious eyewear drawn down her nose a bit in a slightly disapproving fashion (as in, "This is a library. Shhh! Don't speak! Just follow me to the Classics section where I will show you something in my "card catalog"). Voila - sexy librarian! Keep the ruler at home, though. You might want to smack something other than our knuckles and that would KILL the mood.

I can't believe I'm saying this, but yep, I'd hike up the skirt too. Maybe slightly above or below the knee. She could keep the cardigan but needs to trade in that top for one that doesn't turn her girls into a big slab of breast pancake dribbling down her front. Pouchy shirts never do anyone any good. I'd even let her keep the silly poet ruffle thing on top, so long as the big sack part vacated the premises. And I'd need to see the shoes from the side first, but I suspect they're fine. Maybe some cute fake glasses. Remember K. Dunst and her naughty librarian look? Worked out rather well.

I would like to see the blouse made into a full dress, above the knee!, and lose the black skirt all together.

Farmiga is a marvelous actress. This could be a good outfit if she made just one change: the blouse needs to something tight, lowcut and a different color and/or material. Sparkly? Sure! I don't mind the skirt length or the cardigan (don't love them but whatever). She could just nip on down to the nearest mall near this event and pick something out. It'd be fine! quick! easy!

fitted, non-wrinkly pencil skirt; sexier shoes with a complementing clutch purse; glossy red lipstick OR neutral lips (not NOT this petal-pink atrocity) with played up smoky eyes.

Oh, dear.

I am, by the way of explanation, all about the cardigan; I work from home and am trying to keep the heating bills down, and wear one most of the time from fall to spring for comfort's sake. One does not, if one wishes not to look like Miss Dove or an evil governess in a Shirley Temple movie (or perhaps like a desperate helium balloon mule), wear a tight cardigan over a blouson top. Especially not over a *shiny* blouson top: that's just wrong all around. Either a tailored and properly fitting jacket over the blouson, or a body-skimming top under the cardigan; I'd go with the latter, for sleekness sake, although a nice Roslind Russell-ish suit jacket would put the outfit in old movie chic territory.

Now, the skirt: it isn't so much the length, for me, as it is the distinct impression that her slip/skirt lining has crawled up and is padding her hips and bottom with folds of nylon tricot hell. If it were that length and fit more smoothly to the knee and then had a flared kick-pleat, well, then, again: old movie retro chic. No length is good with the existing fit, although just over the knee and the slip pulled down might be much better than the current look.

Isn't October time to put the peep-toes away?

The skirt is too long, and the blouse gives her a Vicki Lawrence-playing-Mama uniboob. A form-fitting blouse would do wonders with a shorter skirt.

Hem the skirt to knee length, and give it an iron. Replace the blouse with something with frills/ruffles, not such a high neckline, and some gorgeous jewel-toned colour. Swap the cardi for a cropped jacket.

Definitely whack the skirt off about 2 inches so it hits just below the knee (librarians, sexy or otherwise, never show their knees). Lose the cardigan. Just... lose it. Can't see what the top is like but maybe make it a halter and carry a pretty wrap instead of grandpa's cardigan. Add a belt- maybe yellow, red or burgundy? The shoes seem fine but would be better in a color. She also seems to need something to do with her hands so a really nice clutch seems in order.

For sure, shorten the skirt to just above the knee. Make the blouse more form-fitting and not a neutral color and ditch the cardigan altogether. And I think she needs more makeup: a smoky eye with the pale lips she has now, or darker lips. And a cute clutch, maybe something satin. This is too daytime.

I AM a librarian and I wouldn't wear that outfit. The blouse makes her look like she weighs about 50 pounds more than she does. A color wouldn't hurt either. The skirt is just awkward and we don't wear our cardigans out in the world. They're just for at work when the air conditioning is set at Polar Sub-Zero in the summer time.

We will, however, echo your mama and say "stand up straight!"

So, to fix this, go back to the closet and start over.

Excuse me, but the skirt is fine, though I agree with someone who said maybe the lining is bunched up someplace. Close the toes on the shoes. The blouse is wrong--something form-fitting would work nicely. Drape the cardigan over the shoulders rather than wear it, an add some nice half-glasses on a chain.

I suspect the issue here is the jacket/cardigan thing, and that once she takes it off, the outfit becomes Sexy Librarian. Ok, I'd shorten the skirt JUST A SMIDGE.

Truth be told, I kinda appreciate her conservative, wall-flower-ish-ness. I think it makes her more sexy, and a little mysterious.

Needs colour!! berry, wine, plum would suit her
Shoes are okay
Skirt length a little shorter, but not above the knee (suede or leather are sexier options)
Blouse - okay, but a little too loose.
Cardi - either crop it, switch it out for a chunky knit or a cropped blazer.
If she was looking to be trendy a cropped leather bomber could work.

how bout go absolutely different direction and leave the skirt as it is,but make it a black dress with the top part about the same shape as what we see from the white blouse?? drop the cardigan,make it a classy black dress,leave the shoes and we're good!!

Well, let's see. If one replaced that Edwardian blouse with the peplum, and gave her some kind of shirt that had simple lines and fitted her properly, then that outfit would be okay. For DAY. And for an informal situation like taking the dog for a walk (change the shoes, though).

But this is an evening event, is it not? In that case I would change everything from the skin out. Take off the cardigan, the blouse, the skirt, the black tights and the little-bo-peep-toe shoes. How about a nice classic LBD with one LARGE piece of costume jewelry? Maybe two -- a brooch and a bracelet, say -- no more than that. I'm channeling my inner Chanel here. And black pumps with a little decoration, or none. And Jenny is right about the skirt just below the knee. Kneecaps are ugly.

Keep her makeup. Give everything else, including the hairstyle, to the ladies at the American Legion Auxilliary, and put her in a slinky red halter dress, or that purple animal print Paris was sporting a while ago.

The only thing "wrong" with this outfit is that it's modest. What's wrong with that? Too many women think they can only be beautiful if they put everything on display. It's time for a return to modesty. Vera looks lovely just the way she is.

The only thing "wrong" with this outfit is that it's modest. What's wrong with that? Too many women think they can only be beautiful if they put everything on display. It's time for a return to modesty. Vera looks lovely just the way she is.

SHE IS ALSO THE PSYCHIATRIST IN THE DEPARTED. GREAT MOVIE AND SHE IS GORGEOUS!!!!

This outfit is beyond repair.

I would, like you said, take off the cardigan, and make the skirt a good 4-5 inches shorter. Just above or below the knee. Then, i would tuck in the top, give her some big bold earings, change the hair completely, and give her higher heels.

Rip her clothes off and take her shopping. That's the ugliest thing I've seen in a long time. - A librarian

Lose the cardigan, shorten the skirt to at or just above the knee, and throw a belt on.

Yes, shorten skirt to just above knee, button-down fitted white blouse unbuttoned just so, loseeeeeeeee the cardigan, hair out of the eyes. From ZZZZzzzzzzzzzzz to VA VOOM!

I have nothing useful to say about this outfit (I am currently wearing Dearfoams slippers, pink and gray plaid flannel pants, and a T-shirt from a college football team with a losing record), but I did want to second the opinion that Orphan is awesome.

And if I absolutely had to unfug the outfit, I would say replace the skirt with a knee-length A-line and wear a tighter top. Her hair looks fantastic, BTW.

Make cardigan leather blazer.
Tailor shirt, aiming more for "blousy" and less for "second trimester".
Hike up skirt to secretary length (a term I've just made up, haw-haw) and give it an interesting tailoring feature. Structured panels, perhaps?
Earrings. Nothing outrageous. Just a point of brightness.
Shove a firecracker up the asses of the shoes.

"And though you protest fashionable dress, I know clandestinely... you're GONNA grin and bear it, your newfound femininity!"

(Latter quote inserted on assumption that the Miss-Farmiga-you're-beautiful think was a Wicked reference..."

I can't get past her circa-1980 suburban teen girl hair do. It's like she picks up hair-style ideas from yearbookyourself.com

Otherwise, shorten the skirt and lose the cardigan. That blouse isn't my fave. Not digging the blousiness (sp?) PLUS the ruffle bib. Reminds of the teal thing that almost got Christopher and Epperson shitcanned on Project Runway's INC challenge.

I don't know, I'd just shorten the skirt and call it a day. Maybe some more interesting shoes.

Wow, I'm vague.

God help me I actually love a cardigan, even though I am no doubt staring down spinsterhood largely because of that fact.

PUFFY SHIRTS NOT SO MUCH.

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Return the cardigan to the librarian she borrowed it from, put on cute fitted dark blazer. Change the blouse's color to a jewel-tone like emerald green. Lose the stumpifying calf-length skirt, replace with sexy pencil skirt that hits just at the knees. Accessorize with a patent belt and some simple hoop earrings and she is no longer wearing my mom's perrenial funeral outfit.

Sorry guys, can someone enlighten me as to WHY anyone would want to dress like a librarian for a red carpet event???
Am I missing something here?

I agree with Sandra and Ann - scrap this and start over. If you want to support Save The Children, at least dress up for the event!

Also, I don't know this woman at all, but her eye makeup makes her look like she's been crying. I'm guessing that wasn't the effect that she was aiming for.

that can't really be what the movie is about...can it?

I like the leather blazer idea! I think the blouse is actually quite pretty, but it is not photographing well (see uniboob comment). If we get rid of the peplum, I think the uniboob problem goes away. I like the idea of having the whole dress out of the grey fabric, but then it needs a belt to define the waist.

I'm not sure her bronzer/blusher is working for her--a wee bit red, which is why she looks like she's been crying.

We need different shoes, and a clutch. I've been obsessed with those Sang A clutches ever since I saw them, but maybe the grey blouse with the silver clutch is not a great idea. Nanette Lepore has a pump out this season that is a deep burgundy with flowers on the side that could be pretty with this.

Ladyliberry nailed it (see above). But just for kicks, let's try an alternate approach: hem up the skirt six inches, swap out the blouse for a muted gold silk camisole with a slight blouson, give her a cashmere stole in a muted blush, strappy sandals in a muted dark gold, and a very delicate gold necklace sprinkled with tiny points of peridot. Auto trans, no clutch

I rather like the outfit (walks away sheepishly)

She looks like she got lost on the way to the PTA meeting. If her Rice Krispies Treats are still in the car and she shares them with me, I'm OK with giving her directions and sending her on her way.

she is really gorgeous and it is like she has no idea! what gives laday?

Michelle: YES. I did NOT make up that plot twist. CAN YOU BELIEVE IT? It's....hilarious.

I'm a librarian and I totally want that outfit. To wear to the library that is, not the red carpet. I would even change into a different jacket if I were going to out of drinks after work, and tipsy librarians should not be dressing better than celebrities.

Her eyes are this amazing blue color. I'd get rid of the shirt and cardigan and find a soft blouse....something shiny and subtly sexy in a blue that plays up her eyes. It might not be the most kick-ass combo you've seen on the red carpet, but it would work for her in this instance.

The worst thing about this outfit is the grey blouse. Drab color, and if it wasn't baggy enough, a huge jabot. An instant fix with one change is get rid of the blouse and button the cardigan (it looks slightly small so that it would be more figure flattering. Voila!

I agree with Jody: the blue of her eyes is intense and great. She needs a dazzling little blouse in that color to give this outfit some punch. I don't mind the longer length skirt and shoes. It just needs to be offset with a little shot of glamour above.

She has a long, slender neck. Something with a high neckline--maybe one of those high mandarin collar blouses, very satiny, form fitting, with a deep narrow V from the high collar down to the first buttons. Or a sheer, fluttery, silk organza blouse in a jewel tone, with a high, sheer, banded collar, and the peek of a little camisole underneath?

Or a retro-style sleeveless, close-fitting, early 60's shirt with a costume jewelry pin at the throat? In royal blue.

Can't be helped. Sorry, but it's so boring!

Whack 5" off the skirt, and throw the cardigan over her arm (in case it gets cold later WHEN DID I TURN INTO MY MOM OH MAN!!!). If that pirate shirt is sleeveless, or at MOST has some cute short or cap sleeves, we're good. If it has long sleeves though, cut them off and feed them to Lindsay Lohan. I have no idea what that last part of the sentence meant. Sleep deprivation? What sleep deprivation???

I'd show more skin on top, ditch the cardigan, and make it red. Some hot heels would be the stiletto knife in the Boring.

Start over. And I LOVE the librarian look. =S

I'd show more skin on top, ditch the cardigan, and make it red. Some hot heels would be the stiletto knife in the Boring.

Jesus Christ, people, she looks FINE. Get a life.

Ditch the cardigan, tighten the shirt, make it a halter.

As it is, doesn't look too terrible.

I know I would prefer it if she went back to this:
http://www.tvacres.com/images/roar_caitlin2.jpg

Frankly, I'm too tired to even think about alternatives. But yes, hoiking up, plunging the neck line, sexyfying the shoes and maybe a dash of colour. But perhaps she's pursuing this particular look. The linked hands and pursed lips are crying out for some heavily framed spectacles to be added...... Maybe Peter Saaaaarrrrrrsssssgggggaaaaarrrrrddddd is lurking behind the backdrop, ready to add some interest to an otherwise dull photo.

Three steps. First, lose the cardigan. Why is it a different color black than the skirt? Second, tailor the skirt so that it's a true pencil skirt and hike it up to knee-length. Third, get some fabulous stilettos instead of those chunky heels. Then again, I never met an outfit I didn't think could be improved with some fabulous stilettos.

Make the shirt fit and shorten the hem and you look exactly what I look like when I go to the grocery store... Come on, that's so boring outfit for going out! That seems to be some kind of occasion so dress up, dammit. ;)

I like the skirt and I don't think it needs shortening. The blouse isn't my particular taste but it's not nasty, it's a nice colour with her fair skin.

I think this lady (whoever she may be) just needed to take a few minutes more to prepare for having her picture taken. Stand up straight, smooth down skirt, throw warm but ugly cardi (too small? Can't meet around her hips?) into a corner and she's ready!

Oh, and take a few minutes before leaving home to select a nice clutch bag and paint her toenails - seriously, it doesn't take a minute, at a pinch you could put your shoes on first and then just paint what shows!

Coming to her defense...She's not really a player. She lives on a farm upstate NY and maybe she doesn't get to Madison Avenue often.

All I know is Orphan kicked ass.

http://bitternessblog.wordpress.com/

Actually, I think the only thing that needs to be changed is the shirt. The skirt length and the cardigan would be fine with something more fitted and figure-skimming ... she'd look a zillion times sexier w/cleaner lines. Trust me, I AM a sexy librarian. I know these things.

Ditch the granny cardie, get some subtle dangly earrings on the go, tuck that blouse in to a shorter, more luxe-looking pencil skirt and make it pop with a red patent clutch. Bang.

The only thing in this get up that works are the shoes. Keep them, then start over from scratch. I don't care how cold it is, one can be warm without looking like a school marm. If she wants to keep this same look...shorter skirt, fitted blouse and a blazer.

above-the-knee tailored pencil skirt, cropped leather jacket in place of the cardigan. And maybe shoes that have something biker-ish on them, like chains (Demi Moore wore some great pumps at the Freedom Awards in LA recently). Done and done.

totally agree her outfit is motronly; a sexier (i.e., not reminiscent of a cravat) top & shorten the skirt a few inches & i think it's spot on. on a side note, wow, i've gone my entire life thinking she was Claire Folani. This now explains why her acting improved so much post-Meet-Joe-Black. huh.

The younger nuns at my Catholic school wore outfits just like this. No to all of it.

Keep almost everything. Whack off about 2/3 of the skirt. And go sexy-librarian on the hair -- something more severe to balance all that no-doubt gorgeous leg. Seriously, she almost nailed this; all the elements are there.

Sugarkat: I know it's cold, dear, but, here, why don't you let me take this (removes cardigan) and...

Vera Farmiga: But it's chilly, and Michelle Obama wore a black cardigan over her dress on election night last year, and–

SK: Yes, dear, and we all know how much everyone HATED that, don't we?

VF: Uh....

SK: Now, this blouse,... No. (forcibly spins VF about) No, no, no. (snaps fingers) MAGICAL ELVES!

Magical Elves: (appear MAGICALLY) YES, MISTRESS!

VF: WHA–

SK: (points at blouse) FIX! SCHNELL!

ME: YES, MISTRESS! (remove blouse MAGICALLY)

VF: (screams)

ME: (snip! sew! MAGICALLY)

SK: (places edited blouse upon VF) See how much less sad librarian you are now without the silly bib and the bagginess?

VF: Um, well....

SK: (points to hem) FIX! SCHNELL!

VF: (screams, as)

ME: (snip! sew! MAGICALLY)

SK: There now. You've legs! Are they lovely legs. Nice knees, nice calves, lovely.

VF: I'm terrified and freezing.

SK: And so lovely, too.

VF: FREEZING.

SK: (huff) Fine, wimp.

ME: (somethingorother MAGICALLY)

SK: There. (tosses jacket at VF) A pretty little black jacket for the thin-blooded wusstastic prima donna. IF YOU ACTUALLY PUT THAT ON, I SHALL SIC MINE ELVES UPON THEE.

VF: (sad eyes)

SK: Oh, FINE. (mumbles) Wuss.

I would immediately hire this young lady to be a governess in my home. As soon as I find the man of my dreams, marry him (depending upon which state I am living in) and adopt a brood of teutonic, musically-inclined children.

I say she should throw on a nice pair of jeans and a nice sweater. She'd look great. Casual but classy. Forget this entire outfit, it's not working one bit.

I AM a librarian, and I wouldn't be caught dead in that outfit!

Whack off the skirt at slightly above knee-length. Give her a crisp, sexy white shirt with some cleavage showing. And some cute cat-eye glasses would set the whole thing off nicely. (She can't borrow mine, they're actual 50's vintage, but I hear Claire's has some.)

Take off the sweater to reveal a sleeveless top and shorten the hem to the knees. A nice polished coif for the hair, I'm thinking flapper waves (what is that called?).

the way to unfug this, is to never have worn it at all.

burn it all, she is a very attractive woman and that outfit is for somebody older, uglier and stuffier.

sidebar, did anybody see Quid pro Quo with her? It was all kinda of nuts but she's great in it.

I just wish everyone would stop picking on us librarians. Some of us are quite stylish, and we love shoes!

I don't have a problem with the length of the skirt. I think she simply needs to ditch the cardigan.

And for real on that spoiler? I gotta go see this! It'll be more fun knowing it and watching my husband watch it. (That's the only way I got to enjoy "Sixth Sense", too - a friend blurted out that one.)

If I could change only one thing it would be the blouse: a snug rayon t-shirt would even go a long way to unfugging it. But honestly, the cardigan has to go, too. And the hair. I think the Hair Cuttery is pushing that style on everyone over 45 these days.

If we're going for the sexy librarian look, how about a form-fitting v-neck cardigan with nothing underneath (not that you can tell, we are UNfugging this up, after all) and a pencil skirt? With some of those yummy stilettos that are around at last now.

Cardigan + blouse = yuck. Cardigan alone? Hawt.

By the way, that is one helluva crazy reveal about "Orphan"!

Verna was awesome in The Departed, and she deserves an awesome outfit, not this sack-tastic frumpathon. This is really one of those "just take the whole lot off and try again" moments. Let's see shiny patent stilletos, a short pencil skirt, saucy stockings, any blouse except that one, and a tailored jacket instead of a cardy. Et voila! Sexy librarian; one of my all-time favourite looks.

Isn't that spoiler THE BEST? I literally laughed out loud in the theatre.

Keep the shoes, shorten the skirt a TAD (still below the knees, but as it is now, I feel like it hits her at a slightly awkward length). Then ditch the cardigan, and put a skinny black belt around that weird cinched part on her top. Tell her to STAND UP STRAIGHT, and I think we have a winner.

Hair up, no sweater, above-the-knee pencil skirt, heels, bright colored clutch.

I am also a librarian (hey @Emma!), and I too am a little bit offended that you think most of us would dress like this. None of it even FITS--the skirt's too tight (and yes, too long), the blouse is too short, the cardigan is too small. ugh.

But, seriously, a foreign prostitute w/ a glandular disorder? Is that for reals? That's crazy!

She's CUTE!

1. Take the skirt up an inch or two
2. Ditch the drab cardigan
3. Saucy shoes with extremely high heel

Well, her hair is clean and shiney. +1
Her shoes are cute, if a little safe. +1
For all the rest -57
Plus -3 more for the cardigan. In public? Srlsy?

Total random frumpy score: -58. Random frumpiness doesen't get much frumpier than -58.

it's refreshing in that it's modest, but it might be more appropriate for another event, like an afternoon tea or shopping trip with the mother-in-law-to-be.

btw, hate to say, but the pop-up ads on this site are REALLY starting to annoy me. and i love this site, but hate having to close the ads just to read your witty copy.

Sometimes I'm just so grateful that they're on the verge of accidentally-on-purpose showing us their lady parts that I appreciate an outfit like this. Maybe if she just lost the sweater. Or is it a jacket... I can't tell.

Annette, you mean the Bing and intellitext ones? They're kind of an experiment; believe me, I feel you.

I'm also a librarian. And, I know that I'm going to make myself unpopular with the librarians above, but this is a lot more attractive than the clothes that I see most of my co-workers wearing on a daily basis, so, hey, less outrage with the FugGirls.

Plus, I wear cardigans all the time, and I can still make patrons drop their books (no, that is not a euphemism), so I don't think that the cardigan is the problem. The blouson, which is universally unflattering, is creating that frumptastic silhouette. Sexy librarian is about subtlety and shape. Swap the blouson for a fitted blouse, hem the skirt to below the knee, add a colourful accessory, maybe some hot glasses, and Vera, too, will make her patrons drop their books.

Only Tilda Swinton and Maggie Gyllenhaal can pull off this look without looking frumpy. STYLIST! Stat.

I think she is working this frumpy outfit, and it certainly is a nice change from the trashy chic scene we have seen sooo much of lately .

You know, I am totally stoked to see so many librarians commenting on GFY! I feel like we should start a Facebook group, or something...

hi, jessica. not sure what they are - will have to pay closer attention to them - i try to avert my eyes. they are for outside advertisers, though, not links leading me to more information about a subject. does that help?

they pop open over the copy and photos, and (because i am so impatient) i have to drag my mouse over to them to close them.

i can tell you that the houston chronicle (www.chron.com) and khou-tv (www.khou.com) web sites use similar ads. and of course, i hate them there, too.

but i hate anything that gets in the way of me reading what i want to read. love what you're doing otherwise. you always give me a laugh, and your writing is a pleasure to read.

1 charm bracelet + 1 head full of tousled curls + black eye liner + lip gloss + birth control eyeglasses - frumpy cardi - several inches of skirt + some seriously expensive, seriously chunky french heels = 1 sexy librarian

Skirt- raise to above the knee, but not above the thigh.
Lose the cardigan jacket thing. I'm sure you have an assistant- have them carry it for you.
Blouse- should be sleeveless and cut as it might look if the cardigan weren't on her in this picture. It could be a ruffled tuxedo top for some fun texture- but fitted and not so awkwardly saggy around her middle section as her current top. I might also play with a deeper shade of blue to make her eyes pop, and help her to not blend in with the background so much!
Finally, her hair needs to be swept out of her face and fanned out to make her look more confident and less bookmouse-ish! While we're at it- could someone teach her not to clutch her hands like she is a frightened child on the red carpet? She could stand to look a bit more confident overall- though in that outfit I can understand her wanting to fade into the background.

have you seen her in Quid Pro Quo? crazy, but gorgeous in a corset!!!

nice post. thanks.

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