ABC Conducting Ugly Betty Focus Groups
July 30, 2009 by Tom
It’s been no secret that Ugly Betty is planning to give its lead character, Betty Suarez, an updated look in the upcoming season four. Both executive producer Silvio Horta and costume designer Patricia Field have stated or hinted, for example, that Betty’s braces are going to come off. They’ve also hinted that her "getting there but not quite there" fashion sense was going to evolve.
According to Ausiello, how much that look evolves is going to depend on focus groups being conducted by ABC.
The executives are "showing test audiences two scenes from early in the season, both featuring a newly glamorized Betty working at her new job as Mode’s associate features editor. In one, she’s rocking a Chanel-esque pastel pink suit; in the other, she’s sporting a short-sleeved black dress with a ruffled V-neck."
According to one participant, “She looks a lot classier, but she’s still far from perfect.”
Hmmm.
The executives are worried that audiences might not think the transformation appropriate, or might not accept a new "awkwardly glam" (my words) Betty. Can Betty still be Betty if she becomes less "ugly"? (not my word).
They’re also asking for opinions about Betty’s new hair, styled eyebrows, and makeup.
This should get quite interesting. They could have asked me, I would have told them that they can’t win. The comments I’ve seen run about 50-50 about whether Betty should change and become more attractive.
One line of thinking says yes, because after Betty has worked for a fashion magazine all these years, it is very unrealistic for her not to learn a few things about superficial beauty. And of course, we’ve discussed the realism of her extremely long-term braces treatment.
The other line says that changing Betty would completely change the nature of the show, and would take away the loveable underdog appeal of her character. And if you want realism, why the heck are you watching Ugly Betty? 
I used to be in the latter camp, but I’m starting to come around. I don’t think it should be overnight, but I don’t think the change automatically means Betty isn’t the underdog (the beautiful Anne Hathaway pulled it off, at least).
It’ll be fun to watch early in the season, and try to guess which way the focus groups steered ABC executives.
Image: Bauer-Griffin
They could glamify her… but make her normal. Make her the down to earth girl from Queens that cares what everyone thinks & Wants everyone to like her. The sweet girl who doesn’t quite fit in and is sometimes shy. A normal person. If they glamify her and give her the attitude…it just won’t work. And believe me… ANY clothes are better than the wacky crap she’s been wearing. Simple her out a little bit gah dang
I definitely agree with UB on the fact that Betty’s wardrobe should be simplified. I think a more simplified look will allow Betty to return to the sensible character that she was in Season 1. I LOVE how UB referred to her wardrobe as “wacky crap” because that is really what it has been in season 3 and UB is also right in saying that anything, really, would be better than what we have been seeing in season 3. Most women today dress very simply and they are still beautiful, respected and admired. Thus, Betty doesn’t necessarily need to glam up in order to be those things. Some of the best fashions out there, I believe, are simple looks made by people who realize that less accessories and fabrics are actually the way to go. Thus, a more simple look for Betty will also highlight the fact that she is probably coming to understand clothes better. I just really want Betty to go back to being a sensible young woman (NOT GIRL as the producers have been portraying her!) who we all can relate to.
I think that it is great that the producers of the show are holding focus groups since it shows that are serious enough about her appearance to want a second opinion of what they are doing. Lately, a lot of their decisions have seem to be rash and so I was really surprised to hear that they were holding focus groups and considering things carefully. Hopefully this considerate-ness will extend to other issues in season 4 and we will end up with a season that is much better than season 3. The show will need this if they are to stay on the air.
I also agree with Tom on the fact that changing her appearance doesn’t necessarily mean that she is no longer an underdog. Everyone goes through changes in their appearance throughout their life and so if Betty is to be a realistic character, I would go as far as to say that she MUST change.
I agree with the comment listed above – a simpler Betty is a better Betty. In fact, I thought the wardrobe used last year was very contradictory. Not only was Betty’s wardrobe crazy, but, as I heard many others say on the forums, it looked like those wacky outfits were really put together by Betty. None of those looked like something a girl would just throw on; it looked like she actually thought about what she was doing. She was too accessorized with those insane looking hats and crazy layers for me to just think she shurgged and threw on whatever. That made it even less in Betty’s character; if she’s truly some underdog who cares more about making it in the business world than she does about fashion, why would she put forth such tremendous effort into looking like the clown on acid that she resembled last season?
To simplify her look, I think, would make her appear even less superficial than she appeared last season, and far more sensible. That would enable the viewers to focus less attention on Betty being “Betty the clueless nut”, and more on her being “Betty – the aspiring business woman”. She can wear simple clothes and still have that bit of naive, positive enthusiasm that’s so lacking from the environment around her.