How to Dress Like Norma Bates from “Bates Motel”
*Bates Motel spoilers ahead*
Last week, I showed you how to dress like Emma Decody, one of the badass ladies of my favorite show, Bates Motel. This week, the spotlight is on the show’s matriarch, Ms. Norma Louise Bates. She may not still be alive, but thankfully we still get to see Vera Farmiga give her unbelievable performance every week as the version of Norma inside Norman’s head.
Norma’s style is a far cry from how most college girls dress, much more mature and classic. But that doesn’t mean that we can’t take a cue from her. I ooh and ahh over her fierce coats, feminine dresses, and menswear-inspired ensembles in every episode. Plus, her pattern-mixing skills and the way she dresses up every day are definitely things worth emulating.
Most of Norma’s clothes are custom made by the show’s costume designers, but her wardrobe also consists of pieces from accessible brands like J. Crew, Banana Republic, and Lindy Bop. One of the reasons I find Norma to be such a fantastic female character is how she and her style are so feminine but also so tough, sassy, and strong. It shows that all of those things can go together. As Vera Farmiga was once quoted saying of her character and her wardrobe, “it’s a real hoot to fight demons in glass slippers.”
Below, I’ve put together three Norma-inspired looks with a slight college girl twist. Wear them to an internship, to a family dinner, or heck, even class (after all, Norma wears heels just to make breakfast). Wear them whenever you want to feel strong and feminine.
Get ready to look fly as a mother.
Table of Contents
Mixed Prints
Products: Dress – Modcloth, Shirt – Abercrombie, Heels – New Look, Earrings – Kohl’s.
The look above is my attempt to recreate an ensemble from season four that is my favorite Norma outfit of all time. I love plaid and florals together, so I find a sleeveless plaid sheath belted over one of Norma’s classic floral button-ups to be a genius combo.