While many of us like to tune into must-see TV shows for an engrossing binge-watch or much-needed comfort viewing, for some, part of the fun of watching TV is seeing the fashion on display on our screens. Like iconic fashion movies and the memorable, stylish characters from cinema history, dozens of characters on the small screen have delivered incredible looks. Some characters are entwined with their style—like Sex and the City's Carrie Bradshaw and her beloved Manolos—and some have even influenced trends (remember "the Rachel" haircut from Friends?).
Because costume designers have been helping craft well-dressed characters since the dawn of television, we're rounding up the most fashionable names TV has ever had to offer. Below, find icons whose style we're still emulating to this day.
Edina "Eddie" Monsoon and Patricia "Patsy" Stone from 'Absolutely Fabulous'
If you have never watched Absolutely Fabulous (i.e., Ab Fab), we highly encourage it. The series follows two women in fashion whose outfits are equal parts high fashion and utter ridiculousness. Their over-the-top looks are riveting in the best and worst ways.
Blossom Russo from 'Blossom'
If there was a show that defined fun, funky '90s fashion, it's Blossom. While her style is often described as "eclectic," the character's diverse array of patterns, colors, and textures (usually with a floppy hat) is joyful in a way that still resonates.
Everyone on 'Bridgerton'
This is a period drama that leans in on its lavish costumes—but many of the Regency-era looks have inspired contemporary trends in recent years. The costume designers on the romance series take an artistic approach to the wardrobe, blending authenticity with modernity—and the result is stunning, especially for our main characters Penelope, Kate, and Daphne.
The original angels from 'Charlie's Angels'
Charlie's Angels had a massive impact on '70s fashion. A big part of that came from Farrah Fawcett, whose fringed hair and bell bottoms charmed a generation (even though she was only on the show for a season!). What made their costumes so great, in part, was that they ushered in a casual and comfortable style that let the ladies be charming and kick butt in the same breath.
Denise Huxtable from 'The Cosby Show'
Lisa Bonet inherently had an alternative style, so it makes sense that her innate coolness would rub off on The Cosby Show character she played. Denise Huxtable was an icon, rebel, and absolute layering queen.
Cybill Sheridan and Maryann Thorpe from 'Cybil'
The two characters on Cybill could not dress more differently: Cybill (Cybill Shepherd) dresses for casual but chic comfort, and Maryann (Christine Baranski) is dressed to the nines in Christian Lacroix and Thierry Mugler. Both are completely iconic.
Daria from 'Daria'
There was perhaps no better show to define growing up in the '90s (and being angsty about it) than Daria. You could choose any of the characters for their style sensibilities, but our hearts go to the utilitarian-lite looks of Daria and BFF Jane.
Gabrielle Solis from 'Desperate Housewives'
For those of you who don't remember Desperate Housewives, it was the show for domestic drama in the '00s. The characters were all stylish, but Gabrielle Solis (Eva Longoria) was the clear winner with her couture closet and her unabashed Y2K outfits (hello blue tracksuit!).
Alexis Colby from 'Dynasty'
Has there ever been a better personification of the '80s than Alexis on Dynasty? With big hats, bigger hair, and a ton of sparkle and shoulder pads, the character was over-the-top in a way that made sense for the series. It helped that actor Joan Collins dressed in the same way as her character.
Cookie Lyon from 'Empire'
Every single second Cookie Lyon (Taraji P. Henson) appears on screen in Empire, she's pulling focus. Part of that is the sheer force of her character, but a lot of it is the clothes: Cookie shows skin, dresses in all sparkles, gives us a glam coat, and is generally sartorially fearless in every way.
Hilary Banks from 'The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air'
Hilary Banks from The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air was the definition of '90s chic. Unlike some of her counterparts in this decade (Sabrina the Teenage Witch, Blossom, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and others), she was classy and polished and the power woman she knew she was.
Monica, Phoebe, and Rachel from 'Friends'
Were you a Monica, a Rachel, or a Phoebe? No question was more important in the '90s. Each Friends character had a unique aesthetic, and the ubiquity and longevity of the show meant we got a lot of inspo throughout its run.
Mary Ann Summers from 'Gilligan's Island'
Mary Ann Summers from Gilligan's Island was a style icon for many young women at the time—including with her trademark short shorts, marking the first time a person on television had worn the style. Her style was a little daring yet still modest, but always fashionable.
Blanche Devereaux from 'Golden Girls'
The Golden Girls was peak '80s fashion in an accessible way, from the soft layers to the vivid colors. Blanche was by far the most fun: She never met a sparkle or a pattern she didn't like, in both clothes and accessories. Her aesthetic was joyful—plain and simple.
Diane Lockhart from 'The Good Wife' and 'The Good Fight'
Arguably the star of The Good Wife (and definitely the star of The Good Fight), Diane Lockhart's power suits are the stuff of legend in the courtroom. Christine Baranski has made a career of playing fashionable women, and Diane might be the apotheosis.
Blair Waldorf from 'Gossip Girl'
Gossip Girl used fashion in a much more obvious way than viewers were used to: The whole point of the covetable wardrobes was that you should seek to replicate it yourself. Blair Waldorf (Leighton Meester) was preppy-chic, from her headbands to her Chanel purses, and it was extremely enjoyable to bear witness to the glam.
Serena van der Woodsen from 'Gossip Girl'
Serena from Gossip Girl (played by Blake Lively) was a bit edgier and more mischievous than her buttoned-up classmates. She didn't mind a more daring pattern or a studded jacket, and her bohemian-chic aesthetic is still deeply iconic today.
Halston from 'Halston'
Who says women have to have all the fun? Legendary designer Halston, whose historic rise and fall was part of a Netflix series starring Ewan McGregor, was as chic as the women he dressed. The Studio 54 regular was known for his sharp, impeccable graphic style.
Lucy Ricardo from 'I Love Lucy'
As the prototypical '50s housewife, Lucy Ricardo (Lucille Ball) on I Love Lucy had some exceptional costumes. Her A-line dresses, casual loungewear, and gowns: Everything was perfectly tailored and stylish but with that dose of quirky personality befitting the character.
Betty Draper from 'Mad Men'
You could tell a lot about the Mad Men characters from their outfits (supported by the enormous work of the costume designers, who strove for intense authenticity). Betty Draper (January Jones) is firmly in the '50s, with its conservative but classic aesthetic, and she doesn't change much even with the changing of the times.
Joan Holloway from 'Mad Men'
Joan Holloway (Christina Hendricks), the resident bombshell of Mad Men, had an "if it's not broken, don't fix it" attitude to her outfits. She was the queen of the fitted office dress, the better to show off her curves without ever showing too much skin. It was a delicate balance, and she nailed it.
Megan Draper from 'Mad Men'
Megan (Jessica Paré) was a much-needed youthful presence in Mad Men as Don Draper's second wife, and she brought forth a new era of fashion (the '60s) for the show. From her minis to her beehive to her full-on hippie transformation, she had some of the best looks on the show.
Mary Tyler Moore from 'The Mary Tyler Moore Show'
Mary Tyler Moore had more than just an incredible fashion sense on her show: She changed how women dressed and approached work style in the '70s. Her character made a single woman with a mind towards her career relatable, stylish, and glam.
Mindy Lahiri from 'The Mindy Project'
The real Mindy Kaling has exceptional style, so it makes sense that her character Mindy Lahiri in The Mindy Project would also be defined by her colorful, vivacious style. While we love her glam gowns, let's be honest: Her workwear is just as memorable.
Fran Fine from 'The Nanny'
The Nanny just simply wouldn't be as fun without Fran Fine's wardrobe. From the ridiculous (that candy bar wrapper dress) to the best (head-to-toe animal print and a lot of LBDs) she was the epitome of dressing to impress herself—and looking like an absolute icon.
Jessica Day from 'New Girl'
There was a very specific aesthetic that Jess (Zooey Deschanel) was rocking in New Girl, and it felt down-to-earth and easy to replicate. Cardigan, A-line dress or skirt, big glasses, headband, flats, and bangs—and voila. You've just nailed preppy-cute in the '10s.
Sabrina Spellman from 'Sabrina the Teenage Witch'
The titular Sabrina from Sabrina the Teenage Witch was a '90s teen girl's dream. She must have placed a spell on her wardrobe because her wardrobe was straight out of a Delia's catalog. Graphic tees, crop tops, floral minis, and a whole lot of spaghetti straps—yes, please.
Kelly Kapowski from 'Saved by the Bell'
If you were a teen growing up in the '90s, your whole personality (including your style) was defined by which Saved by the Bell character you related to the most. Kelly Kapowski (Tiffani Thiessen) was everyone's favorite, from her florals to her crop tops (and her floral crop tops!).
Olivia Pope from 'Scandal'
Scandal had some of the best work fashion of its day. It also popularized the idea of the "wine cardigan" (so named because Olivia Pope, played by Kerry Washington, spent a lot of this show dramatically drinking wine in a cozy knit), which was part of the larger show idea that a smart career woman could have a lot going on in her personal life.
Carrie Bradshaw from 'Sex and the City'
This one's a no-brainer: Carrie Bradshaw was the dream for career-minded women in the '00s, particularly those who wanted to be a writer and live in New York. Her outfits perfectly straddled the line between polished and chaotic, and her shoes were to die for.
Samantha Jones from 'Sex and the City'
Even though this character could sometimes be unfairly maligned at the time (Samantha was the sexually liberated one who was often depicted as flighty and unwise), her wardrobe on Sex and the City was a perfect mix of power boss and sexy siren.
Wednesday Addams from 'Wednesday'
All things considered, this is a relatively recent show to be added to the list of fashionable TV characters. But Wednesday has had an important impact on our style trends: The latest adaptation of the beloved Addam's Family teen (played now by Jenna Ortega) is the perfect mix between goth and the TikTok-coined dark academia.
