Pretty Little Liars Fashion Recap – Season 4, Episode 1 “A is Alive”

The liars are back for season 4, and that means I’m back to offer insight on the fashion we’ll be seeing all season. The premiere episode aired on ABC Family last night, so I hope you didn’t miss it.

Look how Hanna’s funeral dress commands attention.

ASHLEY BENSON – HANNA MARIN

Her funeral dress was probably the most inappropriate, but also the most fun to stare at! It was like she wanted to be Donatella Versace, if Donatella was hoping to compete against McKayla Maroney at a moment’s notice. Forget that it’s not something you should wear to a funeral, let’s just talk about how fun it must have been for Amber Benson to wear. It’s pretending to be modest, but really it shows everything. The long tulle must have made her feel like she was in Downton Abbey, or maybe more like Ginger Roberts. And those peeptoe pumps say “I rock good style, even for the dead people who harassed me and took sexual advantage of my MIA Mother.” I admire that in a person.

We have a couple other notes that must be made on Hanna in this episode. In some school scenes, she wore an unusual black headband that looked like it would have rather been a turban… I didn’t like it at all. Part of me wonders if they had to cover up something with Benson’s hair. The only good point is that I like that the show isn’t afraid to show is tons of DIFFERNT looks, even if some end up being wacky.

And we got more good news when we saw Hanna in a black beret. I like to imagine she was mentally preparing to be a CIA-style spy on Mona by getting into character. But she needn’t have telegraphed her motives with fashion, because she’s not a very good actress (Hanna, not Ashley)… because Mona could tell something was wrong.

SHAY MITCHELL – EMILY FIELDS

She’s gotta be the most uninspiring character for me…because she’s all about being sporty… but I give kudos to the short jean shorts and simple jersey top she wore in this episode. We all know that her best accessory is her hair, of course. And it looked a amazing as ever. And we’ll talk about her funeral dress, briefly…

Her simple black dress was very appropriate for church, and even a funeral. I love how her hair was thrown over just one shoulder, like a more relaxed version of Veronica Lake. I also enjoyed that she had a long chain strap purse, mostly because I just bought one that is similar and keep wondering if it was too hasty of a purchase to make when I already own a bazillion purses… shhh! (If I ever have to attend a funeral of a police creep then I’ll know exactly which purse to wear, duh.)

TROIAN BELLISARIO – SPENCER HASTINGS

She brought the trend of peplum to the funeral! And that’s a trend I’m fully behind. This was an appropriate funeral dress, although the polka dots gave it a bit of whimsy… I really like this dress and, if anything, just wonder if I will ever be serious enough to pull something like that off. You KNOW that Hanna just wanted to get a hold of that hem and chop off like, 7 inches, though. Haha!

I’m putting this picture here so you don’t forget there’s a new guy in town. Played by Sea Faris, a former model.

LUCY HALE – ARIA MONTGOMERY

Oh, oh! We should mention those young girls and their dolls we saw. Because the young Aria had the coolest outfit on!

I don’t have much to say about the funeral dress, other than it’s nice and I like the dark red heels.

One more picture of Sean Faris as Gabriel Holbrook. He’s new in town and probably after the liars. And, of course, he will be good as someone’s love interest…maybe Aria’s? That’d be new!

JANEL PARRISH – MONA VANDERWAAL

Mona seems to be getting in the in-crowd with our liars, and I like it. First off, can you get over how freaking gorgeous Janel Parrish is? Because I never can. Secondly, her funeral dress with the cap sleeves was adorable! And thirdly, what about that gray-ish sweater she wore during a lot of school scenes? With the neon necklace? I LOVED that look, probably as my favorite from this entire episode. Seriously!

That does it for this installment of Pretty Little Liars fashion for season 4! I hope to see you again on Small Screen Scoop…be it tomorrow, later today, or next Tuesday.

As always we thank ABC Family and Ron Thom for the photos, and Mandi Line for being such a talented costume designer for the series!