Written By Kaitlyn Patton

Photography By Rishita Nannapaneni

Modeled By Alexis Loftis, Betty Sue Wiles, Ella Orlando, & Kaitlyn Patton

Graphic Embellishments By Kaitlyn Patton

If you’ve been on TikTok recently, you’ve likely seen people poking fun at the incredibly misogynistic, albeit very catchy song, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World Ruined a Whole Generation of Women by Negative XP. In this song, the artist complains about the “manic pixie dream girl” archetype that was pushed into the mainstream by the Scott Pilgrim graphic novels and movie. Despite complaints from people like Negative XP, there is no denying that Scott Pilgrim has had an enormous cultural impact since its initial release nearly 20 years ago, with pieces of Scott Pilgrim media continuing to be released today. The most recent Scott Pilgrim release comes in the form of an anime, titled Scott Pilgrim Takes Off. With the release of the anime, no time is better than the present to reflect on the fashion trends that Scott Pilgrim and his friends have had an influence on since the initial release of the graphic novels in 2004.

Bryan Lee O’Malley’s Scott Pilgrim series is the product of the time he spent in the Toronto underground band scene as an early 20-something and the types of people he met there. The cast of characters ranges from people with styles as simple as Scott, who is often seen sporting a band tee and jeans, to Ramona Flowers, who changes her hair color to a different neon hue every two and a half weeks. Despite the diversity in style, the reader picks up on a lot of recurring themes in fashion choices.

A few of these recurring styles displayed throughout the various pieces of Scott Pilgrim media include bold haircuts and colors, as seen on Ramona, Knives, and Envy, statement accessories, like Ramona’s bag and Envy’s chunky jewelry and shoes, graphic tees, which we see Scott wearing in almost every scene he is featured in, and pops of color, like the tights we often see Kim and Ramona wearing. The characters shown throughout the series are extremely quirky and colorful, and boast an array of unconventional outfits as the series goes on. Upon Scott Pilgrim’s initial release, many were quick to praise and mimic the styles seen on its beloved characters. However, not everyone was a fan, and quickly, terms mocking these characters began to surface.

Before 2007, there was no official title for characters like Ramona Flowers or Envy Adams and their style. This all changed when film critic Nathan Rabin coined the term “manic pixie dream girl” in his book “My Year of Flops.” And thus, the modern day manic pixie dream girl was born! “Manic pixie dream girl,” or “MPDG,” as we often see it abbreviated today, describes unconventional characters, namely women, who sport eccentric styles like dyed hair, piercings, and quirky accessories. Since its first use, the term has been used to paint the people who fit under this alternative umbrella in a negative light. However, Gen-Z has seen a shift in this anti-manic pixie dream girl rhetoric.

We as a generation have come to embrace the brightly dyed hair and alternative styles seen on people featured in media like Scott Pilgrim. The once seemingly outlandish fashion choices featured in these pieces of media have become somewhat timeless, with the same outfits shown in the original 2004 graphic novel Scott Pilgrim’s Precious Little Life being featured in the 2023 animated series Scott Pilgrim Takes Off, and managing to fit in rather seamlessly with today’s style. These outfits, seen as somewhat “out there” or “alternative” in most circles at the time, have stood the test of time, and even become somewhat mainstream in today’s fashion world.

Today, when we go out, we are bound to see more than one person sporting dyed hair or Dr. Marten boots. While alternative style has existed for centuries, the success of Scott Pilgrim has helped immensely in pushing this style into mainstream pop culture and inspiring other pieces of art and media to do the same. The radical self-expression that Scott Pilgrim has inspired and Gen-Z has perpetuated is a trend that is rapidly growing, and that many hope to see continue for generations to come. Next time you contemplate whether or not to dye your hair a fun color or buy those platform boots, go for it! It’s 2023, Scott Pilgrim is back, and it is high time to free your inner manic pixie dream girl!