Abbott Elementary is one of the best comedy shows to emerge in the last decade.
The mockumentary-style workplace comedy uses all of the tropes that have worked wonders in the past, and revitalizes them with a kind of sincerity and kindness that are as rare as they are essential in the current cultural and social climate.
Each character from the uber-talented cast of Abbott Elementary stands out as their own person, with a marked personality and identity. The costume design work of Susan Michalek contributes significantly to this feat.
Janine: colorful dress and statement belt
Janine (Quinta Brunson, who doubles as Abbott Elementary’s creator) loves a dress — especially one that is bright and colorful. My favorite thing she has ever worn was Akira’s The Main Attraction Color Blocked Midi Dress in the season three finale “Party.” The blue, black, yellow, and white skirt/top combo she then wore at her end-of-school bash (that understandably functioned as the unavoidable motivator for Gregory to finally seal the deal (!!!!!)) was also a look.
If you want to channel the Abbott Elementary leading lady go for a funky, fun dress, that’s fitting or flowy (Ms Brunson makes both work). And never forget to add a maxi belt to accentuate that waist. After all, Janine’s belt is its own character on the show.
Ava: chic maxi dress, cinched at the waist
You will never catch Ava slipping in the fashion department. Abbott Elementary’s exuberant TikTok-famous principal is a self-proclaimed fashionista with a closet so expansive she often sells part of it online. Her signature look is a long dress with a modern yet classy design that shows off her curves. And, although she does love her black and greys, you will just as commonly find her rocking a pop of color — she just doesn’t mix them like Janine does (she would never do anything Janine does).
Barbara: cardigan, satin blouse, and pearls
If you’re trying to channel Queen Barbara, you need to go one of two ways: either pair a printed blouse with a simple cardigan or layer a solid color shirt with a sweater on top. And never, ever forget your pearl necklace. Magenta pink is usually Barbara’s color of choice, but she dabbles in all shades of the rainbow.
The veteran teacher might be channeling a sophisticated/elegant church-going grandma most days, but she’s got a playful streak too, like when she wore that cute heart sweater from Kate Spade New York in season two’s Valentine’s Day episode.
Melissa: leather forever
Ms. Schemmenti doesn’t go anywhere without her leather jacket, so if you truly want to channel the hearty Italian second-grade teacher you need to get some leather in there somewhere. You can choose to pair some leather pants/jeggings with an animal print top or go for some simple dark wash jeans, a solid color top, and a leather jacket to complete the look.
Melissa loves darker colors such as dark olive green, and, her favorite, black, but her bright pink sweaters are a staple of her wardrobe. Just don’t go snooping around it, she’s got cousins in dark places.
Gregory: fitted everything, muted colors, hot as hell
The fashion sense of Taylor James Williams and his Abbott character Gregory could not be more distinct. Taylor loves to push the boundaries of men’s fashions, while boundaries are probably Gregory’s favorite word in the dictionary.
The first-grade teacher isn’t much of a risk taker when it comes to his clothes, but he’s getting better at taking risks in life. He always goes for the simplest outfits you could think of, no color and absolutely no patterns. Still, we’re all thankful that the Abbott costume department decided Gregory should be a fan of fitted clothes (he’s a gym rat after all) because Taylor James William looks amazing in them.
Jacob: loves a sweater or a plaid shirt or both
Jacob’s students might have nicknamed him Mr. C (short for “Corny”), but his fashion is adorable. The facts-happy History teacher is a lot more relaxed than Gregory, but nevertheless stays in the realm of teacher-appropriate male attire. I love the striped knit sweater he wore to Mother’s Day drag queen brunch in season three.
Mr. Hill is a fan of pastel, warm colors, plaid button-down shirts (flannel and otherwise), and cozy sweaters. He usually pairs his tops with a blazer, but he’ll mix it up occasionally with a bomber jacket. Unlike Gregory, who always wears dress shoes, Jacob loves a sneaker, even after breaking up with his sneaker-obsessed boyfriend Zac.
Mr. Johnson’s uniform
If you’re going for a faithful Mr. Johnson Halloween look, you obviously have to wear his signature Willard R. Abbott Elementary teal custodian uniform. Simply pair a light teal shirt with darker work pants, add a belt loop key chain and steal-toe boots and you’ll be ready to rid Abbott, your home, or anywhere you see fit of all that annoying trash.
Mr. Johnson after hours
However, every time we get to see the school custodian off-the-clock, he’s always wearing something surprising, like his leather shirt in the season three finale. Oh, and he’s the king of hats — fedoras that would look hideous on the head of anyone else, somehow look cool and breezy when Mr. Johnson wears them. He’s my idol.
Tariq: street style influencer
Zack Fox’s Tariq is one of the funniest recurring characters in Abbott Elementary (and there are a few). Not only are his aspirations of being an anti-drug hip-hop artist for children hilarious, but Fox can deliver the most unserious of lines with a straight face, which makes for Grade A comedy.
Ever since Janine broke up with Tariq, he’s had a bit of a makeover and now every time he shows up at Abbott as the president of the PTA (not Parent Teacher Association but Parent Tariq Alliance) he has a cool outfit on. He’s definitely got street style down. Some stand-out pieces are his orange sunglasses from the season one finale and the rugby shirt he wore in season three.
Janine’s iconic season two night out look
We rarely ever get to see the Abbott crew on a night out, so when Janine, Erika, Ava, and Gregory decided to hit the town to celebrate Christmas in season two, we were treated to some especially sleek fashion moments from everyone. Janine looked stunning in her little black dress, which she paired with her signature green coat and silver jewelry. I personally will never forget that dancefloor scene with Gregory (and neither will he).
Gregory’s iconic season two night out look
We know this is just a white sweater and a gold chain, but as you’ve probably discerned by now this writer has a celebrity crush on Tyler James Williams and, therefore, she was a big fun of this look from the same season two Christmas episode of the former and following entries.
Ava’s iconic season two night out look
Ava, of course, was also at the club, witnessing her subordinates almost hooking up on the dancefloor. And, also as expected, she looked as fabulous as ever in a figure-hugging red dress, oversized super fully white faux fur coat and sequin gold purse. We definitely need to get in on her Instagram closet sales!
Janine’s district fashion
Janine’s fashion changed significantly during her stint at the District in season three. She swapped her colorful teacher attire for a more formal selection of grey skirt suits and blouses. Susan Michalek’s genius, however, was still present. The costume designer kept Janine’s warm second-grade teacher spirit alive by adding small details to her sophisticated clothes, such as playful pins of fruit and animals. I especially loved the cherry brooch she wore on more than one occasion.