Zooey Deschanel Outfits That Totally Missed The Mark

While TikTok was worried about the resurgence of twee in 2022, Zooey Deschanel has been rocking the style since the early days of her career. The California native is known for films like "Almost Famous" and "500 Days of Summer" as well as the hit TV series "New Girl," with many of her characters sharing her quirky sense of style. Deschanel also channels the aesthetic in her music career, serving as one-half of the folk duo She & Him.

The aesthetic, which has roots in '80s British culture, enjoyed popularity on Tumblr in the 2010s, with celebs like the stunningly transformed Deschanel, Taylor Swift, and Alexa Chung becoming twee icons. Its fashion is characterized as quirky, colorful, and feminine, with colorful tights, ballet flats, cutesy patterns, and classic silhouettes being some of its staples. Though Deschanel's steadfast devotion to quirky and retro fashion has resulted in some iconic looks, it's also lent itself to some major style misses.

Zooey Deschanel became a poster child for twee fashion in the late 2000s, but she wasn't nailing the dorky-but-cute style at the very start of her career. Deschanel, who has rejected the nepo-baby title, was still trying to establish herself in Hollywood when she was photographed in a color-cohesive but overall confusing movie premiere ensemble in 2001.

Her mid-length, pleated skirt, and red trench coat both channel the twee aesthetic in their classic silhouettes and fun coloring. While we're not fans of the checkered pattern of the skirt, especially with the popcorn bag diagonal stripes that run through it, we could definitely picture something similar but slightly toned-down on Jess Day from "New Girl." Still, the slouchy camisole top, fish-net tights, and shiny peep-toe heels confuse the outfit, which gives more indie sleaze vibes than a middle school teacher.

Deschanel also wears a floral and yellow bandana in her blonde hair, with fringe pieces framing her face. This suits the "Elf" star, giving her a girl-next-door vibe, but it doesn't really work with the remainder of the outfit. Overall, we're glad that Deschanel has evolved from this uncertain stage in both style and career.

Since cultivating the twee fashion look, Zooey Deschanel has typically passed on trends in favor of her personal style, which often gives her outfits a timeless feel. Unfortunately, this was not the case for Deschanel's 2006 Fashion Week look, which features two unabashedly 2000s style elements: the elongated shirt and the unnecessary belt.

While low-waisted bottoms and baby tees were a big part of Y2K fashion, plenty of celebrities were rocking longer-than-normal blouses in the form of going-out tops and dresses over jeans. Unnecessary belts were a common accessory, loosely worn over shirts outside of jean loops to give an outfit an extra pop. Deschanel utilized both of these trends in her Fashion Week look, wearing a slouchy, long-waisted shirt with a chunky black belt. The red and white striped blouse is layered over a dark-washed jean mini skirt and tights.

Her dark hair is messily styled over her shoulders and adorned with a red ribbon. A studded black bag and black, shiny boots make up the rest of the outfit. The intentional messiness of the look combined with its unabashedly 2000s trendiness makes this a fashion miss, especially considering it was for a high-brow fashion event.

While Zooey Deschanel is known for her sweet and feminine, but quirky and nerdy style, these attributes don't always make for the best outfits. A prime example of this is the look that Deschanel wore at the 2011 Fox All Star event, which coincided with her stint as Jess Day on the network's "New Girl."

The outfit consists of a black-and-white cocktail dress with a bubble-shaped skirt and an artfully folded shoulder strap. This shape, combined with the clunky black-and-white swirls of the bodice, really gives the dress a cake-like feel. The styling of the rest of the look doesn't add much, as Deschanel paired the dessert-invoking dress with nude-colored heels and a ponytail.

While this cake-like appearance could theoretically lean fun and kitschy, it, unfortunately, surpasses sweetness and feels more saccharine than anything else. The styling is boring overall, and the entire vibe doesn't fit with the Malibu setting of the event. Even if Deschanel sported this outfit at another event, we're not sure we could stand by it.

Zooey Deschanel's next fashion miss took place at the 2014 Emmys, where she presented the award for Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series alongside Allison Williams. The celeb wore a strapless, hot pink gown from Oscar de la Renta, styling it with a silver handbag, matching pointed heels, and diamond accessories. Deschanel wore her hair in loose curls, with her thick bangs parted in the middle to frame her face. Overall, the outfit is perfectly serviceable, with the bright color looking quite nice on the "All the Real Girls" actor.

Even so, it falls short of Deschanel's typically charming and unique outfits, which is arguably worse than going overboard on the twee aesthetic. She's had some pretty stand-out award show looks over the years, including the delicate blue tulle gown she sported at the 2012 Emmys and the breathtakingly futuristic ensemble she rocked for the 2023 Vanity Fair Oscar Party. In this way, we would've loved to see something slightly more exciting on the star.

Though Zooey Deschanel has honed her style throughout her career, that doesn't mean the "New Girl" star has become immune to fashion misses. At the 2019 Academy Awards, which Zooey attended with her sister Emily Deschanel, the celebrity sported a vintage Victor Costa dress that unfortunately missed the mark.

The gown's bodice is shaped similarly to a bandeau bra but features a halter-shaped neckline created by a rope-like strap that ends in tassels on the center of the chest. This, combined with the high waist of the dress, creates a very flowy, beach-like vibe that feels disjointed with the glamor of the Oscars. Zooey styles the look with a rectangular black handbag, dangling black earrings, and a casual-looking updo. These features, along with the orange-red color of the skirt, don't necessarily give beach day, but they're not enough to counteract the coastal feeling of the gown. While we loved seeing the Deschanel sisters supporting their famous parents at the event, we wish we could also say we love Zooey's outfit.