Why does Havers always look…mussed?
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Archived from the IMDb Discussion Forums — The Inspector Lynley Mysteries
acaciajules — 14 years ago(May 15, 2011 10:52 PM)
Why does she always look so horrible? So poorly put together. She's supposed to be a professional, in a setting where she's constantly basically representing the police, in serious crimes, with chances of being caught by reporters, looking like she's been lounging around her house on a weekend.
I'm not saying she's ugly or anything, but her clothes are quite casual, her hair unflattering and often mussed (barely looking as though she's bothered to even brush it). I just don't get this.
Am I missing something? Do English detectives often go around looking like it's their day off when investigating?
Chase: Wow. Yeah, I get it. House is adorable. I just want to hold him and never let go. -
nixxnutz — 14 years ago(July 14, 2011 10:51 PM)
I'm with you. Havers' messy hair was a constant distraction to me. In some shots of the back of her head, you could actually see a pattern that might have been left from her head's position on her pillow the night before. Is that supposed to be sexy? I think it's revolting. I won't even go out my front door without brushing my hair, and their hair is the first thing I notice about other people, male and female.
Havers didn't even bother brushing her hair for Helen's funeral. What a skank! -
deforest-1 — 13 years ago(September 16, 2012 12:46 PM)
She's a professional detective if you noticed, not a professional model or police station receptionist. She often shows up the immaculately well-kempt, aristocratic Lynley for sheer ability. Maybe the writer was trying to make a point about a central theme which obviously escapes you.
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JaneBingley — 13 years ago(September 17, 2012 03:13 AM)
Why are you replying this to me? I have not complained ablout how she looks, just stated facts about the books and the movie.
Havers is perfect the way she is, and a thousand times better than that sourpuss Helen. -
Julie-30 — 13 years ago(March 07, 2013 07:32 AM)
She also has an incredibly stressful life. In addition to her stressful job, she has her parents to deal with.
I don't know how many police officers/detectives you know, but the ones I know don't always care about their appearance when they are up to their ankles in someone else's blood.
http://currentscene.wordpress.com -
SkiesAreBlue — 12 years ago(May 31, 2013 11:11 PM)
If you read the last two books, The Body of Death and Believing the Lie, in mentions her character and the way she dresses. Some people just don't have that gene in them to worry about appearances. I like her and she is obviously good at her job but is also lacking in confidence. I've yet to see the series (will do on DVD or whatever) but the description in the books says it all.
BlueSkies -
tiburonbirdred — 12 years ago(August 02, 2013 11:47 PM)
I've read the books and seen the series. Haver's dress is described worse in the book than the series she's an unattractive woman and she doesn't help herself by dressing rather disheveled. I would never think she worked at Scotland Yard based on her unprofessional appearance (high top sneakers, drawstring pants, etc). But I think it's meant to be a sharp contrast to Lynley's more polished, aristocratic look. Especially in the books where he wears custom made suits.
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FearlessOneDay — 10 years ago(May 30, 2015 12:02 PM)
I always thought the way the Havers character is dressed and groomed has to do with creating a "contrast" with the upper crust Lynley. Havers is smart, but she looks working class. Works for me, but I know people who don't like Havers based on how she dresses, etc.
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betsywetsy — 10 years ago(February 02, 2016 01:46 PM)
Havers grew up poor, doesn't really know how to dress or cut her hair and either doesn't care or doesn't have the resources to figure it out or fake it. She's got a chip on her shoulder the size of Australia at the start of the partnership. She knows she doesn't fit in, especially with polar opposite Lynley, feels it acutely and blames him. She's meant to be unappealing and unpleasant. She's on the edge of losing her job when she's assigned to Lynley due to arguing with all her senior officers, and we can see that she also has determination but little finesse in her work, especially interviews. She's worn ragged taking care of failing parents who she hates for how they treated her little brother during his fatal illness.
Havers makes an interesting counter to PD James' Kate Miskin, Adam Dalgliesh's DI. Miskin also grew up poor and is also a caregiver at the start of that partnership, or is dodging taking care of someone who really needs her. She detests her roots and is determined to escape, forget, hide it, and be the perfect polished professional. -
lawson14 — 10 years ago(February 24, 2016 07:59 PM)
They seem to make a stab at making her look mussed. Her hairdo is the type that always looks mussed whether or not she has just fixed her hair. Her outfits don't really look that bad. Not designer but what a working girl who sometimes has to visit crime scenes would wear. But for someone who is supposed to look lower class, she doesn't really look lower class enough. If they wanted to make her look really lower class, they should have hit the charity shops for her wardrobe.