Inspired By: The Help

We hate Bryce Dallas Howard’s character in The Help, which is no slight to Bryce, since that’s exactly how we’re supposed to feel about Hilly, the racist, small-minded ‘60s Jackson, Mississippi housewife she plays in the film.

But her flowered pink and green dress? We can work with that! Sure, it comes off a little costume-y with a bow at the belt, a bow at the neck and a bow in her period-perfect hair. Yet a more modern floral, like the one on this See by Chloe frock, easily updates the look.

And there’s plenty more inspirational fashion where that came from. Jessica Chastain’s good-hearted bombshell Celia Foote wears a series of curve-hugging ensembles, including a pink pencil skirt and saucy yellow romper. (Try Anthropologie’s take on the former and Mod-Cloth’s version of the latter.) Even the maids (Octavia Spencer as Minne and Viola Davis as Aibileen) got in on the sartorial action with darling vintage dresses and church hats.

It’s only Emma Stone (as Skeeter) who gets the short shrift when it comes to style—you know, because she plays a serious-minded journalist bent on exposing the prejudice of her day. Apparently, serious-minded young women don’t give a hoot about clothes. Whatever. We’ll overlook that stereotype since, on the whole, The Help is certainly not hurting when it comes to style.