The *one* rule everyone on the set of Gilmore Girls had to follow

Or else...

Words -Rachel Paige

If you think Gilmore Girls, and rules that MUST be followed while filming Gilmore Girls, you probably assume they’re rules along the lines of, ‘no swearing,’ or, ‘don’t take the coffee out of Lorelai’s hand. Ever.’ But those aren’t even close to the one rule everyone had to follow in Stars Hollow. And if this rule wasn’t followed… well, let’s just say that showrunner Amy Sherman-Palladino made sure it was.

Ahead of the Gilmore Girls revival, at the Gilmore Girls Fan Festival in the IRL Stars Hollow, Washington Depot, Connecticut, long-time Gilmore Girls costume supervisor Valerie Campbell shared some behind-the-scenes tidbits about dressing Lorelai and Rory. When it came time to figure out what they were wearing, they could really wear whatever they wanted to (and often, they did). However no matter how preppy, or outlandish, or sparkly, there was one rule, and one rule alone:

No one was allowed to show their bare midriff.

‘That’s what the style was, and at the time we started Gilmore, it was right when the waistlines went from your belly button down to the lower part of your [pants]. Amy did not like the fact that the tops were going up and all you saw was skin. Because if you were in Connecticut, in winter, you’d be freezing! You’d have a coat on, you wouldn’t show that.’

‘So she made it so we would have to watch the monitors [during] every take to make sure we didn’t [show any midriffs]. So you’ll see Alexis [Bledel] and Lauren [Graham] tucking down their shirts. The reason they’re tucking down their shirts is because if you saw the midriff, we would cut. And if we did these big long [shots, it was hard because the editors] wouldn’t be able to cut out of it… and the editors wouldn’t be able to edit [out the midriffs].’

Campbell continued that after a while, Alexis and Lauren just got so used to pulling down their shirts she, ‘wouldn’t have to say anything, they would just do it.’

So next time you’re binging Gilmore Girls (for, like the 17th time) and you see Lorelai and Rory fidgeting with their shirt, now you know what’s really going on.

From the editors of Hello Giggles