Zoe's Tutu

[Princeton]

I've noticed that most recent clip art and merchandise of Zoe features her wearing a ballerina outfit.. Here's my questions: 1) When did this start? and 2) Why did this start? My hope is that it didn't get started to give clothes to an otherwise naked 'little girl' monster. Not that I support public nudity; it just sounds like a stupid parent concern in the same vein as the Don Music complaints.

 

[D'Snowth]

I actually thought it had something to do with the whole "naked" little girl thing as well, but apparently, they did it to show how little kids, IRL, get attached to certain things, in this case clothing, and just wear it out.

In this case, they wanted to show Zoe is really attached to her ballerina outfit, and won't stop wearing it now, and she's been in it regularly since at least Season 33 (2002). I remember in one episode around that time, there was an exchange that went like this.

ALAN: So Zoe? Have a ballet class today?
ZOE: No. Why?
ALAN: Oh, no reason.

 

[dwmckim]

This was also Fran Brill's idea that she pitched to the producers as opposed to a "from the top down" thing. Besides what was mentioned, she liked how Zoe looked in it in a sketch where they put her in a tutu for a one-time thing and she felt it would be a hook for her character she could go further with. Fran had also mentioned how she liked how anytime they added stuff to Zoe's look like the stuff in her hair and the tutu was a great addition that further allows her to stand out as a readily identifiable female Muppet.