Television can have a strong influence over its viewers ranging from communicating life lessons to highlighting real problems. Many shows also have characters that viewers aspire to be. Audience members want not only their favorite character’s attributes but also their fashion. Despite some shows having some questionable clothing choices that we would consider bad, do not forget the tireless efforts that some put into copying these styles.
1. “Friends” (1994-2004)
Instead of kids wanting to dress like their idols, adults wanted to recreate the styles worn by the 20-something-year-old characters of this sitcom. Each decade has a distinct fashion with shows of that decade encapsulating them. So not only did “Friends” capture the styles of the 1990s but it allowed younger generations to copy those styles as well. For instance, the TikTok user @_aileenamelia uploaded a video with them wearing outfits inspired by the six characters of the show. Another TikTok video sees the user @_misschanandlerbong_0 go through their favorite outfits worn by Rachel (Jennifer Aniston), the fashionista of the group. One of Rachel’s iconic outfits seen in the video is a white turtleneck and red, black and white plaid skirt.
You can stream “Friends” on HBO Max.
2. “Hannah Montana” (2006-2011)
Disney and Miley Cyrus, the star of “Hannah Montana,” teamed up to create a clothing line inspired by the titular character. The show follows Miley Stewart (Cyrus) who is a high school student by day and a pop star by night. Viewers that wanted to be like Miley or Hannah could copy her fashion. Hannah’s jackets and pops of color were amazing to viewers. Miley’s unique skirts, bright tops and multiple layers caught the attention of viewers as well. And just like Alex, Miley’s style matured over the show with her opting for casual yet stylish jeans, tops and sweaters.
You can stream “Hannah Montana” on Disney Plus.
3. “Wizards of Waverly Place” (2007-2012)
D-Signed also released the Alex Russo collection, which is a clothing line inspired by “Wizards of Waverly Place’s” wizard protagonist Alex (Selena Gomez). Viewers wanting to be just like the sarcastic and cool Alex were able to do so by either purchasing clothes from the collection or recreating the outfits on their own. Alex’s style started with her wearing lots of pinks, purples and blues, dark ripped or messy jeans and a beanie or scarf. She kept the scarf in the third season, even with a mute-colored tank top. In the fourth season, Alex began to wear more simple and casual styles. One thing that never changed with Alex was her wearing boots to hide her wand.
You can stream “Wizards of Waverly Place” on Disney Plus.
4. “Shake it Up” (2010-2013)
Starting off with a show that outlined how unique yet weird fashion was in the early 2010s, “Shake it Up” encapsulated that time with its characters’ clothing choices. Rocky (Zendaya) and Cece (Bella Thorne), dancers on their favorite show “Shake it Up: Chicago,” showcased not only dance moves for viewers to copy but also their fashion. Both Rocky and Cece wore bright clothes and multiple layers of shirts and pants. Disney Consumer Products partnered with Target to release the Cece and Rocky Collection, part of D-Signed back in 2011. Some of the styles being sold included “uber-trendy pieces mixing pattern and fabric, creating a fun and fearless look. Ultra-cool, rebel blacks are punched up with electric green, fuchsia and deep purple.”
You can stream “Shake it Up” on Disney Plus.
This list outlined just a couple of shows that had an impact on our sense of style. Television shows throughout time not only captured the biggest fashion trends of their era but also influenced their audience’s style as well. Maybe looking at this list will give you flashbacks to the popular and possibly cringy clothing we all wanted to wear.