Dress like Glee's Emma Pillsbury: 5 Essential Clothing Items

Emma Pillsbury, the school guidance councilor and resident germaphobe from the Fox TV show Glee, has a very feminine and vintage-inspired wardrobe that's turning heads in the fashion world. Each week, Glee fans tune in to see what kind of outfits Emma Pillsbury, played by actress Jayma Mays, will be wearing. How do you dress like Emma? Here are the essential items you'll need to start dressing like Emma Pillsbury.

Most of Emma's clothing, shoes and jewelry come from J. Crew and Anthropologie. You can often find the exact sweater, skirt or jewelry item on the website itself. However, clothing from these stores isn't in the budget for many folks-but don't worry-you can find cheaper, similar options at a Target store or even at Forever 21. The idea is to get the "look" right; you don't have to copy her outfits down to the exact piece.

Cardigans:
Emma Pillsbury has a penchant for colorful cardigans. She typically wears plain colored cardigans with a decorative pin or brooch (sometimes the brooch comes with the cardigan and other times, it's a separate piece). Her cardigans are usually unbuttoned to reveal a white dress shirt or shell underneath. The shirt or shell typically has a large bow that ties near the neck and is always tucked in.

White dress shirt:
Wear this under your cardigan. Tuck it in to your skirt. Bonus points if the dress shirt has a bow tie.

Brooches and sweater clips:
Every cardigan Emma wears is decorated with an enamel flower brooch and/or sweater clip. This is a very vintage and classic look that was very popular during the '50s that adds both color and texture to an otherwise plain-looking sweater and skirt combination. The jewelry on the show is typically from J. Crew, Betsey Johnson or Anthropologie. Or, try searching Etsy for sweater clips and brooches. For a true vintage look, ask your grandmother if you can raid her costume jewelry-she probably has a few pieces you can have or borrow!

Skirts:
Emma typically wears a pencil skirt to go with her cardigans. Tuck in the white shell or dress shirt into the skirt.

Shoes:
Any variation on t-strap stacked heels or Mary Janes work for Emma.

Final touches:
Keep it bright! Emma works color into her wardrobe-don't dress in a black cardigan with a black skirt and heels-don't be afraid to try yellows, pinks and greens. If you can't find a brooch or sweater clip, add a long necklace to your outfit. If you're still having trouble coming up with outfit ideas, visit any J. Crew store-you'll find plenty of Emma Pillsbury-approved jewelry and cardigans!