Ugly Betty introduced us to “Betty Suarez” (played by the beautiful America Ferrera), a fashion-backward young woman from a Mexican immigrant family living in Queens who has braces, an oversized “B” necklace, and red, chunky glasses. She lucks out and gets a job in Manhattan at a fashion glossy called Mode because the publisher doesn’t’ want his editor-in-chief and notorious playboy son, Daniel (Eric Mabius), distracted by yet another sexy assistant.
Like Anne Hathaway’s “Andie” in The Devil Wears Prada, we get to watch the evolution of a which-one-is-not-like-the-others young professional from ugly duckling to swan. Eventually, she became what she beheld, at least when it came to her sartorial choices, and graduated from secretary to editor – in London, no less. Indeed, fans love Betty, who showed everyone that it’s not where you start, it’s where you finish – and you can do it in style.
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Best: Whatever Suits You
In season 4, Betty is finally ready to dress for success with new glasses that are still red, but metallic, thinner, more pointed, and more sophisticated. Wearing a Kay Unger red, white, and blue boucle suit with red accessories upped her game immeasurably. The wide belt emphasized the waist no one knew she had.
The outfit also showed off her toned figure and she’s also wearing beige heels, which make her shapely legs look longer.
Worst: The Kitchen Sink
Well, no one would say that Betty was not a risk-taker. Here, fans got to see a floral one shoulder body-con top over a lime green snakeskin patterned skirt, complemented by a black leather jacket with silver sequin trim and a gold sequin bag.
To be fair, this look came about upon the advice of Betty’s beautician sister, Hilda (Ana Ortiz), who announced: “You gotta look it to be it,” then added, “You want to fit in with these people, they’re not gonna change. You have to.” Thank goodness Betty went back to being Betty.
Best: Go Geometric
This statement coat echoes the words of Miranda Priestly: “Everybody wants to be us.” Yes, she’s still in patterns, but not the mishmashed kind. In this deliberate placement of colorful geometric shapes, you can see Betty coming from a mile away – but in a good way.
Underneath, she now knows to wear a solid sheath that matches one of the shades in the coat, so as not to clash with the outerwear. She even has new glasses – a silver metallic pair for a neutral look. Her black Chanel-like quilted bag and tan shoes blend in, as well.
Worst: Don’t Send Flowers
Season 3 was Betty’s foray into kooky couture. She had started to learn a thing or two at Mode about wearing the right high-end labels, yet she put her outfits together all wrong by taking some great pieces and throwing them all on – at once. Then there are the little girl ankle socks with heels.
The Blythe bag (center pic) became her signature Mode tote because the red-glasses girl featured on it resembled the wearer. But no. Just no. One positive here is that she finally began accentuating her waist and a sense of whimsey replaced, “What made her wear that?”
Best: Green With Envy
Betty shows off her newly unveiled pearly whites at Hilda’s wedding wearing a belted deep green, one-shoulder mini cocktail dress, copper metallic heels, and long, gold drop earrings.
With a suddenly smitten Daniel on her arm as her favored date, now that she let Henry go, Betty serves as maid of honor perhaps not stealing the spotlight from the bride, but certainly as the best-dressed guest. When they share a dance at the reception, it’s a preview of the couple they are meant to become.
Worst: Never A Skull Moment
Like so many of Betty’s ensembles, there was potential here. The British schoolboy cap is cute. The black and white Mary Jane shoes are chic. The statement coat is a standout. The black skirt with a pink pattern complemented by the pink Chanel-ish jacket is kicky. The skull T-shirt layered over a leopard one is rock ‘n’ roll cool.
Separately, they’re each hot, but put all together and it’s a hot mess. The rather cheap-looking multi-strand neon pink metallic beads, as well as the pink-tinted pantyhose, are overkill.
Best: Pretty In Fuschia
Yet another statement coat, except this one is solid and bold. The hood doubles as a very wide collar that accentuates Betty’s face and straightened hair.
The look exudes confidence, which is what she needed when runs into Daniel on a London street and he asks her out on their first real dinner date. Life has come full circle for the Queens girl – first, as the assistant Daniel would never look at romantically and who dressed like a tornado swirl of random clothes had landed on her body – to a desirable woman and fashion plate.
Worst: Seeing Red
The red, black, and white circles floating on the skirt topped with red dots on a white untucked shirt, then an assault of pink added the visual commotion via a red vest. This outfit personifies her style motto in seasons 1 and 2, which was more is more – a frenzy of clashing patterns, bright colors, and lots of layers.
You have to hand it to her though – while all the Mode-ettes, as well as her nephew Justin (Mark Indelicato), may have cringed at her “Is there no mirror in your house?” ensembles, Betty always owned her look.
Best: The LBD
At the Guggenheim Museum, Betty slipped and fell, hitting her head, which allowed for a dream sequence where she’s not only braces-free, but because of Lasik surgery, the glasses are gone as well.
Her little black peplum dress accessorized with a gold chain link belt is the most sophisticated and professional she’s ever looked. She’s also dating Derek Jeter and is the executive editor of Mode. However, as beautiful as she is on the outside, Daniel calls her “ugly” because in this alternate universe, Betty is not her sweet self, having learned the business coming up as assistant to Whilemina (Vanessa Williams).
Worst: The Poncho
Before she became a publishing honcho, there was the poncho. She not only likes it, she wears it with pride, because her dad brought it back from Guadalajara. We first heard about it at Betty’s Mode interview when she met a fellow job seeker – a vision in beige who should have been in the magazine, not working at it. “I like your poncho. I have one, too.”
Yes, this was a crime of fashion, but for some reason, the moment Betty showed the nerve/naivete to get off the elevator at Mode wearing it, fans started rooting for her.