10 Iconic Looks From The Most Fashion-Forward TV Shows Ever
If you need some fashion inspiration, leave it to these TV icons.
From Rachel Green’s undying devotion to slip dresses on Friends to Carrie Bradshaw’s enviable closet full of Manolo Blahniks on Sex and the City, the small screen has gifted us with some truly unforgettable fashion moments over the years. Television has long been a source of sartorial inspiration, with costume designers expertly curating wardrobes that encapsulate our favorite characters’ personalities and the spirit of their respective eras. In this roundup, we’re taking a nostalgic trip down memory lane to revisit ten of the most iconic, trendsetting looks that left an indelible mark on the fashion world and solidified their status as TV’s most stylish.
I Love Lucy (1951)
I Love Lucy quietly shattered the glass ceiling as one of the first TV shows to feature a woman in pants. The hilarious duo of Lucille Ball and Vivian Vance–who played BFFs Lucy Ricardo and Ethel Mertz–sported sleek slacks and smart button-down tops in several episodes of the 1950s comedy. Their fashion choices defied gender norms in an era where women were expected to wear poofy skirts and frilly dresses. Lucy and Ethel’s fashion-forward wardrobe dared to ask why a woman couldn’t be feminine and fashionable while playing by her own rules.
The Mary Tyler Moore Show (1970)
The Mary Tyler Moore Show could easily be one of the most stylish TV shows of the ’70s. Series’ star Mary Tyler Moore portrayed news producer Mary Richards, a fashion-forward working woman who donned swoon-worthy looks with each confident strut through the WJM-TV newsroom. With her impeccably tailored blazers and sleek turtlenecks, Mary shattered expectations of how a single, self-made woman “should” look. And in an era where women were finally breaking free from rigid societal molds, her wardrobe felt like a fashion anthem for the liberated sisterhood.
The Cosby Show (1984)
Lisa Bonet broke ’80s fashion boundaries as Denise Huxtable on The Cosby Show. She often merged genres, incorporating boho and modern style elements to create a truly one-of-a-kind aesthetic that was equal parts free-spirited and trendsetting. Even something as simple as a hat or strategically draped head wrap became an artistic statement piece when styled by the infinitely cool Denise. Her layered looks featured funky patterns, vibrant colors, and unexpected pairings of floral skirts with oversized sweaters, and double collars.
Sex and the City (1998)
No TV show screams fashion like Sex and the City. As Carrie Bradshaw, Sarah Jessica Parker brought the runway to the streets of Manhattan with effortless grace. Her outfits were truly fashion-forward, enough so that her iconic tulle skirt and blazer look is still seen on fashionistas today.
Friends (1994)
Rachel Green’s slip-dress-over t-shirt look on Friends was an iconic ‘90s fashion moment that still influences trends today. Jennifer Aniston’s character would layer a cute spaghetti-strap slip dress over a fitted ribbed tank or tee. The high-low mix of slinky and sporty, boudoir and baddie made the silhouette feel effortlessly cool and appropriate for every day. With a slim choker necklace and Rachel’s signature hairstyle, she exuded both grunge underpinnings and bombshell glamour. The easy confidence of the layered separates captivated viewers and still influences fashion over two decades later.
Gossip Girl (2007)
Blake Lively’s Serena van der Woodsen wore dozens of beautiful looks on Gossip Girl. But some of the most iconic (and wearable) were her necktie styles. She elevated the everyday menswear staple into a trend-defining statement piece. Whether knotted loosely over a popped-collar button-down or layered over a slinky camisole, Serena’s silk tie moments epitomized easy style. Her ability to make the preppy accessory feel polished and slightly undone embodied the blasé privilege and rebellious spirit of the Upper East Side dreamgirl. With tousled beach waves and smoky eye makeup, that skinny necktie served as the perfect final insouciant flourish, simultaneously nodding to schoolboy style while radiating an unmistakable too-cool-for-school sultriness.
High Fidelity (2020)
Zoe Kravitz made vintage revivals effortlessly cool as High Fidelity‘s Rob. Her plaid mini skirt and oversized Dickies tee combo radiated the DGAF attitude of a true style renegade. The ensemble paired with scuffed lace-ups spun the basics into certified Brooklyn cool-girl gold. With that skater-inspired plaid mini as the deceptively prim anchor, the whole look epitomized the show’s elevated take on downtown grit and understated sophistication.
Insecure (2016)
When it came to serving up envy-inducing looks on Insecure, Yvonne Orji’s Molly was in a league of her own. But one outfit that sparked an immediate fashion frenzy was her chain link halter top moment. The leather and gold hardware top paired with matching leather high-waisted pants radiated an understated yet undeniably glamorous vibe.
Emily in Paris (2020)
Lily Collins brought a kaleidoscope of colors and patterns to Parisian streets as the fashionably audacious Emily Cooper in Emily in Paris. One of her most iconic styles masterfully paired a canary yellow longline blazer, with a graphic black-and-white checkered knit sweater and an eye-catching abstract print mini skirt in jewel tones. What could have been a clashing catastrophe instead emerged as a celebration of confident, unabashedly punchy personal style. From the unexpected pattern layering to the color-blocking, the whole getup encapsulated Emily’s flair for making sartorial statements.
And Just Like That… (2021)
Leave it to the inimitable Carrie Bradshaw to make even the most whimsical clothing combinations look impossibly chic. In And Just Like That…, Sarah Jessica Parker’s fashion maverick served up an unforgettable look pairing a dramatically full white tulle skirt with a rainbow-striped knit top. The contrasting separates should have clashed. But the wispy ethereal maxi skirt juxtaposed against the laid-back stripes melded into an effortless style. Equal parts avant-garde and timelessly chic, the whole ensemble epitomized the essence of the iconic trendsetter.
