Ross’ leather pants and Rachel’s tight tops – Friends’ portraits showcase a ’90s style that is still very much relevant today. Let’s see together how the style in Friends has shaped the image of an entire decade.
Rachel Green
At the very beginning of the series, we see that Rachel, spoiled by wealthy parents since childhood, is trying to become independent. Having cut her credit cards, she gets a job as a waitress in a coffee shop – and therefore, in the first seasons, she is rarely seen in luxurious suits.
At home, Rachel prefers a relaxed style – denim overalls, oversized sweatshirts, T-shirts over long sleeves, and shirts from a man’s shoulder. More feminine looks include miniskirts and crop tops, the latter resonating with audiences. In addition, Jennifer Aniston’s iconic hairstyle in the early seasons of Friends sparked a boom among American women looking for the same lush hair.
As she progresses in her career, Rachel’s style changes, becoming more businesslike and elegant: positions at Bloomingdale’s and Ralph Lauren are taking their toll on this. Younger looks are being replaced by more formal suits, blouses, and boots with comfortable heels. The bob gives way to neatly styled straight hair. And instead of the palette of blues and greens that Debra McGuire chose for the heroine in the first seasons, black, brown, and gray tones are increasingly used.
Monica Geller
Monica’s style in Friends is never flashy: as a professional chef, she appreciates simple, practical clothes that look neat and elegant. Businesslike, hardworking, and a bit obsessed with cleanliness, Monica Geller values functionality and convenience. With a timeless American touch, her signature look is her white starched blouse, high-waisted jeans, and red lipstick.
Interestingly enough, Monica’s wardrobe is now considered the iconic style of the 90s. Monica herself is committed not only to the casual looks of the 90s but also to the fashion of the 70s that returned to the trends at that time. So the heroine often appears in the frame in floral dresses and skirts, striped tops, and warm turtlenecks with a high neck.
Phoebe Buffay
Phoebe is the very embodiment of the free spirit. Whimsical, fun, and mysterious, she is the strangest friend in the group, and this is clearly evident in her clothes. Phoebe’s style combines elements of boho and hippie aesthetics, always making her stand out from the rest, more modestly dressed people. Her creative nature and love for nature are evident in unusual textures, vintage costumes, colorful patterns, and multiple jewelry. The looks are complemented by no less interesting hairstyles, ranging from careless curls to bumps, braids, and styling with hairpins. She was also the main lover of chokers – the very phenomenon of the 90s that briefly returned to youth fashion in 2018.
Ross Geller
Each friend group has its own nerd, and in the case of Friends, it’s Ross Geller. A dedicated paleontologist and bookworm, Ross dresses appropriately, with professorial blazers and oversized shirts dominating his wardrobe. What was considered too loose jeans or trousers in those days is now in vogue, and Ross, with his normcore style, can even be considered as a trendsetter to some extent.
And since Ross is a professor, he dressed appropriately – patches on his elbows, a lot of tweeds, corduroy. In most cases, his images correspond to the typical idea of the “father’s” style – which is not surprising because, in our hero’s life, the son really plays a big role. Not inferior to his sister in neatness, Geller always wears neat and ironed clothes and styles his hair.
Joey Tribbiani
Joey is a true ladies’ man, and it is often reflected in his clothing choices. On a daily basis, he wears leather jackets, under which tucked-in tees and tight-fitting tees hide.
In addition to designer clothing in disguise, Joey’s signature style is also defined by textures. He wore a lot of chenille sweaters and flannel shirts.
Joey’s unemployment contrasted well against the backdrop of the “office plankton” of Chandler and Professor Ross. In general, Joey’s wardrobe can be divided into the clothes of an aspiring actor (large woolen sweaters) and “jock from high school” (sweatshirts and hoodies). Both styles complement each other, forming Joey Tribbiani’s good-natured and eternally youthful character.
Chandler Bing
Chandler is undeniably the main joker on Friends. Sarcastic and ironic, he often uses wit as a defense mechanism against self-doubt. Moreover, he is the most responsible and wealthy among friends.
Numerous preppy-style costumes portray an intelligent person in Chandler, and casual, home-style looks speak of his “unsportsmanlike” character. Chandler likes to pair shirts with cozy 40s vests, wears turtlenecks, printed tees over sweatshirts, and prefers loose bowling shirts alongside classic jeans. Its color palette is deliberately vintage-inspired, so it can blend in with the background, allowing jokes to come to the fore.
