The Dress Retta Wore To The ‘Parks And Recreation’ Reunion Pays Tribute To One Of Her Most Famous Lines
On Friday, the cast of hit comedy Parks and Recreation came together for a reunion at Paley Fest in Los Angeles. The event was in honor of the show’s 10-year anniversary. The comedy’s first episode aired in 2009 and concluded with its finale episode in February of 2015. Nearly all the original cast members were in attendance, including Adam Scott, Aubrey Plaza, Aziz Ansari, Chris Pratt, Rob Lowe, Nick Offerman, Rashida Jones, Amy Poehler, and Retta. If the cast coming together again after years apart wasn’t news enough, the event got special buzz after the discussion of a possible reboot show in the works. To top things off, the iconic pink gown Retta wore had a special hidden message only true fans would catch, according to BuzzFeed.
Retta played the glamorous and straightforward office manager, Donna, that kept things sane in the infamous Pawnee Parks Department office. Donna loved the finer things in life and birthed the now popular phrase “treat yo’ self.” On the show, Donna and co-worker Tom Haverford, played by Aziz Ansari, dedicated one day out of each year called “Treat Yo’ Self Day.” On this day they would live as extravagantly as they pleased and splurge by spending money on whatever luxurious items they wanted. The name stuck and continues to be used by fans today, according to Entertainment Cheat Sheet.
Retta From "Parks And Rec" Had A Secret Message On Her Dress At The Cast Reunion And I'm Obsessed https://t.co/Q8jbF38WGi pic.twitter.com/owEIJsqSEj
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If you look closely at Retta’s gown for Friday evening’s event, you will see that the phrase “treat yo’ self” is stitched all over the skirt. It’s a detail that can easily be missed if you’re not looking for it, but eagle-eyed fans were quick to point it out. It was Retta’s way of paying tribute to her Parks and Recreation character.
Retta took to Instagram to thank her designer, Jaime Elyse, for putting the entire ensemble together to perfection at the last minute.
“When you have less than a week to put 2 looks together and you ask @jaimeelyseofficial for this that and the other and then add ‘oh and can the underskirt say Treat Yo’ Self?’ She always answers ‘Sure.'”
In a second post, Retta was sure to thank the Paley Center as well as all the loyal fans who continue to support the show and its cast, even after its conclusion.
“Thanks to the @PaleyCenter for this epic reunion and thanks to the fans who came, those of you who streamed and all who continue to watch our sweet li’l show about friendship.”
