The Art of the Matter Salutes: The Quirky Girl

I'm back with a vengeance! I'm not going to waste any time, so let's get down to business. I want to give a shoutout to a character that is making her presence known in TV this season. To say she's an individual would be an understatement. She is unique, eccentric and a bit strange. She breaks hearts, collects weird stuff and always seems to have perfect hair. I am of course talking about the quirky girl. Maybe she's the girl you love to hate, maybe she's the girl you want to grab a (soy) latte with (let's be honest...she's usually vegan). Or maybe you just want to steal her wardrobe and her man (I'm looking at you Summer from 500 Days of Summer). Whatever your feelings on the quirky girl, she's here to stay, and there's one for every taste. Here are some of my favorite quirky girls from TV, film and real life.

1. Dynamic Duo Quirky: Lorelai and Rory Gilmore of Gilmore Girls

How'd you know I'd write about them? No shocker, the Gilmore gals find their way it into almost every list I make because they're just plain awesome. They eats tons of takeout, have a knowledge of pop culture to rival anyone and favor clothes with animal prints and rhinestones, especially from Anthropologie. They drink gallons of coffee, talk a mile a minute, and are cooler than any mother daughter team out there (except me and my mama, obviously!).

2. Neurotic Quirky: Felicity Porter of Felicity

Maybe she's not the most likeable of quirky girls. Personally, I find her a bit irritating. Who follows a boy to college, especially one you've never spoken to except on graduation day?? Yes, she's got her quirks, but Felicity is lovable in her own way. She corresponds with one of her best friends via recorded cassette tapes, has the most enviable hair around and exudes a sort of grating, honest charm. I think she'd be a great study buddy, but only in small doses and the quiet part of the library.

3. Funky Quirky: Natalie Portman of Garden State
Natalie's character Sam helps get Zac Braff out of his funk with a vespa ride a few silly moves. She's got personality for days, and I dare anyone to watch this movie and not love her.

4. Glamourous Quirky: Zooey Deshchanel of 500 Days of Summer, New Girl, and She & Him

Zooey is the quintessential quirky girl. Charming and cute, it gets difficult to separate Zooey from her characters. Anyone else think that Jess from New Girl is headlining  indie rock duo She & Him? Zooey's talent is undeniable, and, in my humble opinion, she's got the best style in Hollywood. Cardigans and ballet flats never looked so good! While some may quibble with the extent of quirk on New Girl ---she never says the right thing yet her hair is constantly perfect?---, I love Zooey in all of her incarnations. New Girl is my favorite new show this fall; it makes hearing your own drummer aspirational and inspirational!

So, here's the quirky gals with patterned socks and coffee jitters. They may be awkward, but they're always endearing. I think that there's a quirky lady in all of us, and, truth be told, isn't the world more interesting for it?


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