Style Tribe: The Bridget Jones Midnight Sisterhood
Photo: Amy Lombard
Word bookstore’s midnight release party for Mad About the Boy, Helen Fielding’s third book about Bridget Jones, was a very Bridget occasion. Slightly boozy single women, highly caloric snacks, and bloody Marys? Check, check, and check. The women had gathered at the Brooklyn bookstore for a screening of the 2001 Renee Zellweger film (the fight between Mark Darcy and Daniel Cleaver drew cheers and claps), readings from Fielding’s books, and even a trivia contest (sample question: “In Bridget’s view, how many cigarettes are too many?”).
Noticeably absent from the Word party were any emotional fuckwits of the Daniel Cleaver variety. Maybe they just knew where they weren’t welcome — one of Monday’s most devoted fans even had a Bridget-inspired tattoo that read, “No Emotional Fuckwittage.”
Jenn Northington, 36, events director of Word bookstore "I have a [Bridget Jones–inspired] tattoo, 'No Emotional Fuckwittage.' Helen Fieldin...
Jenn Northington, 36, events director of Word bookstore "I have a [Bridget Jones–inspired] tattoo, 'No Emotional Fuckwittage.' Helen Fielding has seen it. It was at a dinner organized by the publisher. It took me a while to work up to telling her I had a Bridget Jones tattoo. She said, 'I'm rather taken aback.' And then she asked me if it worked! And I said, 'Yes, it does, actually.'"
Photo: Amy Lombard
Caitlin Youngquist, 23 "I don't know if Bridget Jones sparked this, or is a product of it, but single women are allowed to be em...
Caitlin Youngquist, 23 "I don't know if Bridget Jones sparked this, or is a product of it, but single women are allowed to be empowered in their singlehood, which is really important. Now you have these variations, like Sex & the City, for the younger generation."
Photo: Amy Lombard
Maddie Caldwell, 25 "I love the moment [in the movie] when Bridget sings 'All By Myself.' I've definitely gotten dumped and listened to that...
Maddie Caldwell, 25 "I love the moment [in the movie] when Bridget sings 'All By Myself.' I've definitely gotten dumped and listened to that song and got super depressed."
Photo: Amy Lombard
Maridath Wilson "It's really cliche, but [my favorite scene in Bridget Jones' Diary] is the underwear part. Invariably, there's always...
Maridath Wilson "It's really cliche, but [my favorite scene in Bridget Jones' Diary] is the underwear part. Invariably, there's always a moment, like, 'Oh, shit, why did I wear these?' on a date. We've all had the panty moment. Or the no-panty moment, which is also really funny."
Photo: Amy Lombard
Melissa Loseby, 36 "I lived in London when Bridget Jones was a phenomenon, so there was some nostalgia [with coming tonight]. I thought twic...
Melissa Loseby, 36 "I lived in London when Bridget Jones was a phenomenon, so there was some nostalgia [with coming tonight]. I thought twice about coming, but only because of the cliche of the single woman. I didn't want to turn up and, like, there's a bunch of single women to toast Bridget Jones. But at the end of the day, it's probably a fun group of single women."
Photo: Amy Lombard
Bridget Scallen, 29 "I was introduced to the books by an older woman I lived with as I was finding my first job, so there is a sentimental c...
Bridget Scallen, 29 "I was introduced to the books by an older woman I lived with as I was finding my first job, so there is a sentimental connection [to the new book]. Bridget Jones has always been an intriguing character with triumphs and tribulations that I relate to. She keeps a good sense of humor through situations that are absurd. She has a dogged sense of persistence. No matter how flaky she may seem … Most of my friends are guys, so they wouldn't be as entertained by this."
Photo: Amy Lombard
Photo: Amy Lombard
Photo: Amy Lombard
Photo: Amy Lombard
Nikkitha Bakshani, 23 "I'm really nervous to read the third book, especially because Mark Darcy [who dies] is such a character. It's h...
Nikkitha Bakshani, 23 "I'm really nervous to read the third book, especially because Mark Darcy [who dies] is such a character. It's hard to conceive of the books without him."
Photo: Amy Lombard
Danielle Pflafsky, 27 "I work in publishing at Knopf … [in the third book] Bridget's evolving. She's not the same Bridget. She's evolv...
Danielle Pflafsky, 27 "I work in publishing at Knopf … [in the third book] Bridget's evolving. She's not the same Bridget. She's evolving into her own woman still. Helen's voice is still that satirical voice everyone loves, though. She's still the master of chick lit."
Photo: Amy Lombard
Photo: Amy Lombard
Michelle Roberto "The thing that got me regarding the movies versus the books was that there are parts in the books that are super imp...
Michelle Roberto "The thing that got me regarding the movies versus the books was that there are parts in the books that are super important [that get left out of the movies] — like in the first book, [Bridget] gets to her ideal weight and her friends say she looks sick. That doesn't happen in the movie and it's kind of an important moment!"
Photo: Amy Lombard
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