I think that the disjunction between Plath's outward appearance and all of the myths about her life and work can be a real source of cognitive dissonance for some. I mean, novels have always taught us that we can tell something about a person's nature just from their outward appearance. How can she look so composed, so pulled together, and so all-American, and yet have so much desperation and intensity within her? It sounds callous and absurd to say it, but it can feel just a little hard to believe that those shoes and that hair could belong to the poet behind Ariel.
Her style is very of its time, I think; a classic example of that 1950s, early 1960s look which has been popularized by the Mad Men phenomenon. It's very high-maintenance and a little too 'done' for my contemporary eye, but I do love her full skirts, and the way that she uses her double-buckled belt in the last two photos.
Really, though, Plath's look speaks of both the power and the limits of style. By dressing in a certain way, she is able to project an image of competence, contentment, and togetherness. Clothes can help us all to perform a particular persona; they can help to change the way that we hold ourselves, the signs we give off to others, and even the way that we feel; and yet how much can an outfit really shape the terrain of our mental landscapes? Ultimately, our personal style may be linked to our mindset and to elements deep within our character, but an outfit can ultimately still function as little more than a costume to conceal and protect that within ourselves which we feel we cannot expose.
I'm aware that I'm being very glib and un-rigorous here, but it's just something to consider.
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