Whether you loved science or the promise of wacky field trips, everyone wanted a Ms. Frizzle in their lives. The popular fictional teacher from The Magic School Bus wasn’t just beloved because she knew how to make learning fun. She imbued each lesson with a sense of warmth and excitement—largely thanks to an eclectic wardrobe that redefined what it meant to “dress for the job.” (And, let’s be honest: a very cute sidekick in the form of a lizard.)
From 1994-1997, we were lucky enough to have the chance to escape into our own magical school bus. We followed Ms. Frizzle’s adventures in the animated television series, which included everything from traveling inside the human body to exploring the ocean floor. And we obsessed over her ornately patterned dresses (always on theme with whatever the focus of the lesson was), matching shoes, and epic accessories.
Scholastic
Now, thanks to a new piece of art (which we discovered via JRobbinsLeon on Twitter), we can display our love for the eccentric teacher’s outfits in the form of a beautifully detailed tribute. Biology student Laura Ulrich is one of the many individuals who was inspired by Ms. Frizzle to pursue a career in education and science. She created an art print called “Dresses of the Frizz”: a striking collection of every single dress Valerie Frizzle wore in the animated series.
Yes—every single dress.
Laura Ulrich
According to Ulrich’s blog post, the art (which took roughly a year to complete) “includes only Ms. Frizzle’s standard dresses, with minor variations, from the original TV show.” Ulrich went on to note that she “tried to remain as true to the original patterns as possible, though some interpretation had to occur as I looked at this or that blob of colour on her sleeve.”
Hoping to take her Ms. Frizzle inspirations to the next level, Ulrich plans to one day design her own dresses. She calls her project “a great step in preparing for putting those designs to cloth.” Real life Ms. Frizzle dresses with this much attention to detail? We’re already opening our wallets.
You can get your own “Dresses of the Frizz” print through Ulrich’s artist page on Society6 or Threadless.
Featured Image: Scholastic