Out of the box...
And onto the catwalk
Television shows have always influenced style; let's face it, who didn't have a Blossom-inspired flower hat circa 1992? But increasingly, TV shows are bringing high fashion labels into our living rooms and making them household names. Cosmo takes a look at some of the top TV-inspired trends and the labels our favourite characters introduced to us.
Beverly Hills 90210
When we heard that a US cable station was planning a 90210 spinoff, the Cosmo office went into overload. Finally, our cries of "Bring back Brenda!" had been heeded. Let's hope her bodysuits (or Brandon's sideburns) don't return though.
Melrose Place
Hands up if you sported peroxide blonde hair with dark roots in the early '90s? If you did, chances are you were inspired by Melrose supervixen Amanda Woodward, played by Heather Locklear. Everyone's favourite nemesis also made mini-skirt-suits the order of the decade.
Friends
If you know what the "Rachel" is, you were probably guilty of asking your hairdresser for one. Dubbed the 1990s equivalent of Farrah Fawcett's '70s flicks, Jennifer Aniston's voluminous layered 'do (worn during the first and second seasons of Friends)was voted the most influential haircut of all time in 2004.
Ally McBeal
Lovelorn lawyer Ally McBeal's (Calista Flockhart) mitten-sized micro-minis caused a feminist furore when the show debuted in 1997. The character was featured on the cover of Time magazine the following year under the heading "Is Feminism Dead?" The cover; later parodied in Sex and the City; showed just how political fashion can be.
Sex and the City
No discussion of fashion and television would be complete without mentioning Sex and the City. Patricia Field, the show's costume designer, introduced us to couture labels like Zac Posen, Roberto Cavalli and Jimmy Choo. Thanks to Field, Manolo Blahnik has become the new Madonna; that is, recognisable by one name only. It doesn't stop there. When Samantha used her connections to Lucy Liu to order a Hermes Birkin bag, worldwide sales escalated out of control. Charlotte's two designer wedding dresses, by Vera Wang and Badgley Mischka, began the couture wedding dress phenomenon.
But it wasn't just about high fashion. Carrie's unique layering style mixed designer pieces with chain store finds, the beginning of the increasingly democratic world of fashion (think designers like Stella McCartney and Karl Lagerfeld creating collections for the likes of H&M and Target). When we learnt that the pink tutu Carrie wears in the show's opening credits was bought from a thrift store, vintage suddenly became the new black. Accessories like headscarves, nameplate necklaces and flower brooches hit the big time too. We can't wait to find out what hot new trends the upcoming film will spark.
The OC
Heel-weary girls everywhere breathed a collective sigh of relief when Marissa Cooper (Mischa Barton) made flats fashionable. From her casual Keds to gorgeous Lanvin ballet flats, the trend influenced girls all over the globe. With a little help from her signature Lacoste polos and quilted Chanel bag, Cooper's style transformed campus cool.
Gossip Girl
We expected big things from GG, which was created by OC executive producer Josh Schwartz. We weren't disappointed. But the Gossip look is a far cry from The OC. These kids, led by Queen Bee Serena van der Woodsen (Blake Lively) and her best friend Blair Waldorf (Leighton Meester), are the best-dressed high schoolers we've ever seen. They carry structured Coach totes and wear Calvin Klein shifts and Jimmy Choo pumps. It's an updated adaptation of the Clueless characters' wardrobes: plaid miniskirts, blazers, knee-high boots and socks, berets and headbands galore. Undeniably and understatedly sexy, this look is influencing winter collections the world over.