Orange is the New Pink: Emily Cooper's Style Transformation in Season 3
- Lisa Cronin
- Jan 23, 2023
- 4 min read
Updated: Aug 3
Au revoir au rose! 💕 We bid adieu to one of Emily’s signature colors in Season 3. Plus, where to shop her most iconic orange-hued styles!
Season 3 opens with an enchanting vision: Lily Collins standing atop the Eiffel Tower, gazing out into the open night sky as the lights of Paris twinkle below. The pink feathers adorning her red jacket (a custom creation by the show’s Costume Designer, Marylin Fitoussi) gently dance in the evening breeze.
It's the first time this outfit has graced our screen yet its personality was something we’ve come to expect from her character: bold, textured, and not entirely practical. It's also - somewhat predictably for Emily Cooper - pink. This has become something of a signature color over the years. Yet in a moment of foreshadowing for the season (and fashion) to come, what happens next was much less predictable: Emily falls to her death.
She wakes up startled, but as the episode unfolds we realize this dream sequence was much more than fear and anxiety; it was a clue of what's to come for her character. While Emily remains physically intact, she does experience a death (of sorts). As foretold in her dream, she ends up at dinner atop the Eiffel Tower in the same pink dress & pink feathered coat from the opening scene. But once her professional lives accidentally cross at the restaurant and expose her double (work) life, both Madeleine and Sylvie fire her from their respective agencies.
To complicate matters, her boyfriend's going away party was taking place at the same time as the dinner. Having sacrificed being with Alfie for the sake of professional obligation, she raced across town so as not to lose the one thing she had left. Unfortunately, she was too late and their misaligned priorities leads Alfie to break up with her upon arrival. So many of her personal journeys came to an end that night...
...and it also happens to be the last scene we see Emily in her signature bright pink.
Over the next few episodes, Emily is officially unemployed ("fun"-employed?) and ready for reinvention. This is where things get interesting - both from a narrative AND fashion perspective.
Episode 4 opens with an instantly iconic, colorful, and bold outfit. The interesting part? Not a pinch of pink in sight. Emily is wearing a bright orange tunic from the Iris Apfel x H&M collection, metallic blue Maison Skorpios boots, and a funky tropical print bag from La DoubleJ. In fact, the only pink we see all episode is courtesy of a bottle of rosé that Emily chugs around town.
After completing the season in it’s entirely, I’ve come to believe the dream sequence AND outfit choice were more intertwined than we realized. It wasn’t just Emily falling to her death - representing the loss of her identify in her marketing role - it was death to the color pink as well. To the old signature color. To the old Emily Cooper. Beyond Episode 1, we don’t see Emily in pink again all season.
This stylistic change marks the beginning of a newer, bolder, and more confident version of Emily Cooper. One who is figuring out her identity and not relying on old fashion impulses. From the bodycon silhouettes, tailored suits, and incorporation of wide leg pants (hello Sylvie influence!) we are watching the reinvention of Emily Cooper through fashion.
Fashion Moments in Season 3
We could write about Emily Cooper's fashion for the rest of the year! But we want to pay tribute to our favorite style development of Season 3: the introduction of orange as her new standout color. Bold, fearless, and confident enough to match Emily's new outlook on life. Take a look at some of our favorite orange-hued styles from Season 3.
Season 3, Episode 4: "Live From Paris its Emily Cooper"
Lily is seen filming content at the steps of Sacré Couer in a printed tunic from the Iris Apfel x H&M collection. (Updated listing available on Poshmark).
Season 3, Episode 3: "Coo D'état"
Lily's character walks to work wearing a vintage jacket from French fashion house Courrèges.
The original vintage version is hard to come by, but we found some other cropped styles that will certainly brighten your day! (Click the images to shop).
Farfetch 
Harrods
Season 3, Episode 6: "Ex-en-Provence"
In Provence, Lily wears an embellished furry vest from Italian high fashion brand, Miu Miu.
Season 3, Episode 6: "Ex-en-Provence"
Lily is seen in a drawstring hooded windbreaker from Tods. The outfit is completed with a two piece set from Pucci (both the top and skirt are still available!).
Season 3, Episode 5: "Ooo La La Liste"
Lily wears a dotted turtleneck top from Burberry while out at Gabriel's restaurant.
Check out some of these other fun orange turtlenecks that are still in stock (click image to shop):
Yoox 
FWRD 
Amazon 
Moda Operandi
Tell us: what do you think of Emily's new hue? Do you miss her bright pink looks or happy with her evolving style? Sound off in the comments!
Loving this content? You can find even more fashion on our mobile app! Available now on iOS, you can shop wardrobes from your favorite TV characters including Emily, Camille, Mindy and Sylvie from Emily in Paris!
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