Young Adult Literature

Jessica Wakefield: Literary Fashion Icon

Becky Stone

Staff Writer

Becky Stone loves to read stories about princesses who save themselves and firmly believes that a mug of hot chocolate paired with the right novel can solve almost any problem. Becky recently did that thing where you leave your safe, easy job to try to make money doing what you love, and is now a professional jewelry lover and freelance writer. You can find more of Becky at her blog, Diamonds in the Library, where she writes about both jewelry and books. Twitter: @DiamondsintheLi

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svh7Is it a stretch to use the word “literary” in reference to one of the Sweet Valley twins? Those two blonde, blue-eyed, perfect size sixes might not have a place in the classic cannon, but they certainly parked the jeep of their love firmly in the hearts of more than a few women who are now my age.

Thanks to a used book sale and the truly excellent taste of my friends, I recently had the chance to reread some of these sisters’ glorious adventures. I have learned three things:

1. Elizabeth is annoying.

2. Jessica is probably a sociopath; however,

3. Her sartorial pizazz makes me forgive her every single time she does something horrible.

She may not always be trustworthy, kind, intelligent, dependable, or compassionate, but she is always dressed to the nines. Let’s take a moment to pay tribute to the most dazzling duplicitous Wakefield twin who’s ever shaken her golden hair out of her sea blue eyes.

Sweet Valley Twins, Jessica Wakefield, outfit, Sweet Valley University

“Jessica was wearing a long, filmy pink dress half-buttoned down the front, and under it a charcoal gray bodysuit. She had a pink silk scarf in her hair. The effect was so stunning that Elizabeth wasn’t the only one watching Jessica come into the lunchroom.” (Page 147, What your parents don’t know…)

Sweet Valley Twins, Jessica Wakefield, outfit, Sweet Valley University

“”Oh, geez. Where’s my blue underwear?” Jessica asked aloud. She had to have blue underwear to go with her blue-and-white flowered leggings and blue sleeveless shirt. … She pulled out a sky-blue pair of bikini underwear and a matching bra, grabbed her shower stuff from the top of the box, and hurried from the room–leaving Elizabeth’s top drawer open, like a hole in the perfection of Elizabethland.” (Page 58, College Girls.)

Sweet Valley Twins, Jessica Wakefield, outfit, Sweet Valley University

“Jessica wore a cropped peach shirt and matching shorts and carried her sandals in her hands. Suddenly she broke into a run and flew lightly over the sand, her feet easily skimming the ground.” (Page 183, His Secret Past.)

Sweet Valley Twins, Jessica Wakefield, outfit, Sweet Valley University

 “Jessica was wearing a chartreuse cat suit and Mike’s old motorcycle jacket. Her hair was blowing in the wind. She laughed.” (Page 166, Love, Lies, and Jessica Wakefield.)

Never change, Jessica. Unless it’s into a fantastic new outfit – especially if it’s better than Lila Fowler’s.