The Death of the TV Fashion Icon
The Death of the TV Fashion Icon
By Sophia Primos - Wednesday, September 16
A baby tee. A pair of Manolos. A plaid skirt and a headband. Some television characters only need a few items of clothing to be instantly recognizable. Rachel Green, Carrie Bradshaw, Serena van der Woodsen and Blair Waldorf did more than inspire outfits. Their fashion became part of how entire eras are remembered.
Even decades later, Rachel’s 90’s style, Carrie’s miscellaneous early-2000s fashion, and the glamour of “Gossip Girl” still fill Pinterest boards.
The 2010’s had their own icons as well. Aria Montgomery’s edginess and Jess Day’s twee style may not have defined fashion for everyone, but their styles were memorable and distinctly their own. So who is the equivalent for the 2020’s?
Maddy Perez from “Euphoria” and Emily Cooper from "Emily in Paris" are two obvious choices. Both have recognizable wardrobes and have inspired many recreations online.
But it is hard to imagine their style defining an entire decade in the way that Rachel or Carrie did. Is the TV fashion icon disappearing, or has the way we consume fashion changed?
The most memorable TV wardrobes are never just a collection of good outfits but rather extensions of the characters wearing them.
Rachel’s style evolved throughout “Friends”, but always felt like Rachel. Carrie, like her actions, could wear something completely unexpected, and it still made sense for her. Blair’s headbands and polished dress as opposed to Serena’s more unkempt looks were as much a part of their style as their personalities.
Due to the length of these shows, these women also had time to develop their style. Audiences saw them dressed for work, sleep, dates, parties and afternoons with their friends. Their clothing became memorable through familiarity and repetition rather than just one show-stopping look. That familiarity is part of what made them iconic. A Carrie Bradshaw outfit does not need to be explained, it is just simply Carrie.
In this day and age, Maddy and Emily represent two very different types of modern TV fashion. Maddy’s wardrobe is inspired by the Y2K revival, with dark colors, bold makeup and sleek, body-hugging silhouettes that give her style a more mature feel. Emily’s style is the opposite with its maximalist, colorful outfits that almost always feature some sort of statement piece.
While both have made an impact, there is still a difference between a character having a recognizable aesthetic and that aesthetic becoming an immortal cultural reference.
Maddy’s style is very distinct, yet it is also part of a larger Y2K trend that has dominated social media. Emily’s outfits often feel like each one is trying to be a TV fashion moment rather than a realistic wardrobe people would actually build their style around.
This virality does not make either character less fashionable, but it does raise the question of whether modern TV characters are creating trends or if they are chasing preexisting trends?
With the rise of different social media platforms in the past decade, television fashion is more accessible than ever. An outfit can be viewed on screen, then be turned into a TikTok trend within a few hours. But as quickly as these looks become popular, they disappear just as fast.
Instead of looking at a handful of TV characters, audiences now can see influencers, celebrities, Pinterest, TikTok and many more sources for inspiration. A character can have a major fashion moment without necessarily becoming someone people reference years from now — especially with all these new sources of competition.
A viral outfit is something people want to recreate right now. An iconic wardrobe is something people will recognize and appreciate long after the moment has passed.
Another reason for this shift may be the structure of television. Older shows often ran for years, with over twenty episodes per season. Rachel had ten seasons to develop her style. Carrie, Serena and Blair had six.
Today, streaming platforms have led to shows having much shorter seasons, sometimes with only eight episodes. And with the long gaps of time between modern television seasons, audiences have to wait up to two years for a new season.
Because of this shift in production, wardrobes do not develop as naturally anymore. What made old, beloved characters’ outfits so personal is the everyday ones that they wear to work, class or to sit in their apartment. Without as much time with these more modern characters, it is harder for their wardrobes to become as familiar.
Characters such as Maddy and Emily are proof that television can still produce memorable fashion. The real question is whether their influence will last in the same way as the characters who preceded them.
But with the changing times, maybe the next Carrie Bradshaw will not be someone whose outfits are copied for years to come. Maybe she will be someone whose style takes over TikTok for a few months until everyone moves on to the next aesthetic.
Or maybe the 2020s are still too close to judge. No one watching “Friends” in 1995 knew that Rachel’s style would still be referenced thirty years later. For now, the same names define the idea of the “TV fashion icon:” Rachel, Carrie, Blair, and Serena. Will Maddy, Emily, or another character eventually join them — or is the era of a TV character defining fashion behind us?
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