Sitcome Style: Fashion as a Character

By | Renee Ellis

For many people, sitcoms were the hallmark of their childhood and teenage years. Funny characters, fun-filled plots, and creative spinoffs raised many of us. Arguably, when sitcoms were the main sources of entertainment, television was much more enjoyable. Now, with the rise of social media, more modern television shows don’t have nearly as much viewership and interest as they would have in the past. However, older sitcoms are still being referenced and rewatched to this day. Apart from the hilarious writing, I believe the style and culture that these shows brought into society is the main reason for their longevity! The costumes and styling that we saw on television are still trendy today. Characters from shows like The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Martin, F R I E N D S, In Living Color, and more grace many people’s “fit inspiration” Pinterest boards (including mine!). Looking at characters from The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, BLACK-ish, and The Golden Girls, let’s dive into the incomparable styles of some of culture’s most beloved characters! 

01.Hillary Banks

Hillary is the beloved cousin of Will from The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, and her closet is one to rival! Throughout the entire run of the show, Hillary served look after look, with the next one beating out the one that came before it. Even in the spin-off show Bel-Air, Hillary still has a remarkable style. As a daddy's girl, she's known to be quite spoiled, and in the original show, she was portrayed as a bit of an airhead. She cared more about clothes and looking stylish than school and her books. However, her style always gave a classy academia. All her clothes had a very refined and elegant style. Personally, the suits she wore stood out to me the most. They were always perfectly suited for whatever activity she was getting into that episode, and they were always perfectly matched and accessorized. Sometimes she would even wear a hat that tied the entire look together. Another outstanding moment from the fashions of Hillary Banks was her little black dress. She wore a little black dress with sheer black stockings and a beautiful silver necklace. As simplistic as this outfit sounds, it was a gorgeous look worn by Hillary. She was many girls’ '90s inspiration, and even today, I believe her styles are still sought after. 

02.Rainbow Johnson

A modern-day TV mom, Rainbow Johnson from BLACK-ish is such a lovely character. She has a hippie background, so her outfits were always a little bit more stylistic than most. However, her outfits were still gorgeous. Not only is she a TV mom, but she's also a doctor in the show. Often, the viewer would see her in scrubs or hospital wear; however, in the moments where she was able to wear her own clothes, we, the viewers, were not disappointed. She had a very sophisticated look to her. Also, remarkably, her outfits were often quite conservative. Rarely was she wearing anything risky or too revealing; however, everything was always stylish and on point. She was not afraid of bold colors and always stood firm in the face of a print. A graphic never scared her either. A few outfits that stood out to me were her gingham-checkered blazer and pants that she wore on an episode of BLACK-ish. This suit was a red, black, and white gingham-checkered suit, and I thought it was so stylized yet perfect for her character. Many professional women stray away from bold colors and patterns, yet Rainbow always had a love for patterns, which I deeply appreciate. Another look that stood out to me was her black turtleneck, underneath a brown blazer, paired with blue jeans and beautiful golden hoops. She also wore cornrows with this look that really tied it all together. As sophisticated and refined as Rainbow tends to be, this look was one of her streetwear outfits, which I loved because it showed a variety in her style choices. 

03.Blanche Devereaux 

From The Golden Girls, Blanche Devereaux never disappointed with her outfits or her one-liners. She was a confident, headstrong southern belle who kept the show and the house very lively. Known to be very concerned with her looks, she never lacked confidence or a beautiful set of earrings. Much like Rainbow Johnson, Blanche Devereaux never shied away from boldness. She also loved good fabric. You often see her in silk or in lace. Her hair would also always be done in her signature updo as well. Throughout the show, she would often reference her show-stopping jewelry collection and her pearls from the South. She really knew how to accessorize, and she always had the perfect piece to tie everything together. I personally love any of her looks that have very bright colors. She once wore a shocking pink shirt underneath a beautiful bright blue sweater, with a pearl necklace. This look was so iconic for her because I believe it perfectly encapsulated her personality within an outfit. She's bold yet balanced - experimental yet intentional. All the women from The Golden Girls have signature looks and even better personalities, but Blanche never failed to stand out from the crowd as a true lady of fashion.

There are many more examples of “sitcom style” and of fictional characters leaving their mark on the world of fashion. Throughout the 70s, 80s, 90s, and even into modern times, sitcom characters have continued to inspire us all. As we start to see a revival of television with shows like Abbott Elementary, I'm excited to see all the new styles of fashion that will come. Hopefully, the culture of sitcom fashion will continue to be just as popular and influential as it was with the shows of the past.