Growing up, there were a lot of fictional characters I looked up to--and in retrospect, their sense of style inspired me too. Most of these come from shows I watched as a kid, but quite a few of them are also shows and movies I've seen in recent years . . . . So here are 15 of them!
Veronica Sawyer from Heathers
Before Winona Ryder was a super-cool eighties mom on Stranger Things, she was a super-cool teenager in the actual eighties. What I love most about her style in Heathers is HER HAIR. I love everything. The length. The volume. The whooshy curls. The bangs. This makes me miss my short hair. If I ever cut it again, I'm styling it like this every day.
Muffy Crosswire from Arthur
Muffy's a little queen, and she knows it. Purple is the color of royalty, after all. Her braids tie the outfit together, too. I definitely had a double-braids phase when I was eighteen because you're never too old!
The best part is that I have a dress kinda like hers! I found it at a thrift store last summer and those pockets are bottomless.
Elaine from Seinfeld
Not only do I love Elaine for her sass, energy, and witty humor--I love her in all her perm-denim-floral dresses-and-shoulder-padded glory. Her outfits always looked at least two sizes too big, yet she pulled it off effortlessly.
If there's anyone who inspired my love for floral dresses and skirts, it's Elaine.
Rachel Green from Friends
This one's pretty obvious. I think Rachel's on every girl's list, and it's easy to understand why. Even when she's slumming around in a t-shirt and jeans, her outfits are simple yet chic. Her hair is always super-cute too.
Dorothy from The Golden Girls
Bet you didn't see this one coming. I didn't grow up watching The Golden Girls, but always knew about it. In recent weeks, though, I've been watching a few episodes here and there on weekday mornings, nibbling on toast and drinking black coffee.
While all the girls have some pretty ratchet, middle-aged women clothes that scream eighties, Dorothy graces her outfits with an air of pride. This actress (Bea Arthur) is 5'10, so draping herself in layers of colorful, thick clothing brings a bold presence to the screen.
Jackie from That 70's Show
If anyone can make the seventies look good, it's Jackie. And that is no small feat. She somehow knew how to take the best parts of the decade and discard the rest.
Caroline from ZOOM!
Okay. I'll admit this is extremely random. You probably don't even know who this is. Looking back, Caroline is the one cast member I remember from the show, probably because of her cute little bob and THAT SCRUNCHIE. When I had my major haircut a few years ago, this is exactly how I wore my hair (my hair is long now but I still wear it like this. Pretty much every day.) And that denim-on-denim combo with the pink shirt? To die for.
Mia Thermopolis from The Princess Diaries
Love the hair. Love the makeup. A few of those ball gowns wouldn't be so bad either. Need I say more?
Princess Leia
Leia is another one of those braid queens. Of course you have to have really long hair to actually do any of her hairstyles--not to mention help from at least three of your servants. Space buns and crown braids aside, even her outfits rock. They're practical yet feminine. Unassuming yet impeccably designed. She needs killer outfits, after all, if she's going to save the galaxy.
Denise Huxtable from The Cosby Show
When I was a kid, I would come home from Karate class with my brothers and watch The Cosby Show at three o'clock every Tuesday (actually, we probably watched it on days we didn't have Karate, too). I've seen the whole thing at least two or three times through. Fairly recently, I watched an episode for the first time in years. Every time Denise came on the screen I'd say, "I love her outfit!" Seriously, Denise can pull anything off. Long and wavy hair, waist-length dreads, poofy bangs, a pixie. . . . She. Looks. Good. In. Everything. Don't even get me started on her clothes. If only a Denise Huxtable-themed thrift stores existed. If it did, I'd shop there every day.
I couldn't pick a single Denise gif to emanate her style, so she gets four instead.
Kaylee from Big Fat Liar
If you're a 2000s kid like I am, you probably also thought Big Fat Liar was the coolest movie around (right up there with Spy Kids and Max Keeble's Big Move). Kaylee's pink sunglasses and the matching feather boa-sleeved sweater? Absolutely ridiculous. This is never something I would wear today, but 2002 me was all over this.
Reggie from Rocket Power
I only watched Rocket Power a couple times growing up (I was more of a Weekenders fan), but check out how cool Reggie is. The purple hair/magenta-t-shirt combination is perfection. And so edgy. It's the side eye, though, that takes the cake.
Marty McFly . . . and his girlfriend from Back to the Future
This one's good because it's so easy to recreate. Anyone can throw on some white sneakers, a pair of jeans, a jean jacket, a life-preserver vest, and show up at a Halloween party as Marty McFly. Heavy stuff, doc, heavy stuff.
Shoutout to Marty's girlfriend, What's-her-name, for rocking some equally rad outfits. Not everyone can pull off flower-patterned, pink, high-waisted pants. And doesn't the silver shoulder-strap purse just tie it all together?
Jeanie Bueller from Ferris Bueller's Day Off
Here's another underrated candidate. The pastel pink sweater with the white button-up and suspenders is so cute. I can't quite tell what the print on her shirt is, but I love it. I also love that she layered the button-up with the gray shirt underneath. You can't tell here, but she matched the outfit with little white sneakers and leg warmers. Oh, and again with the shoulder-strap purse! She and Marty's girlfriend probably would have been friends if they were in the same movie.
Cliff Huxtable from The Cosby Show
Those chunky sweaters are everything.
