Page 3 | Rachel from Friends fashion

AKissAndASmile · 2020-08-25T17:45:30+00:00

Watching Friends reruns on Comedy Central and I'm struck by how Rachel's clothes look really nice even by today's standards. Everybody else looks proper 90s in the show. For those that watched Friends in the 90s, how were her clothes seen at that time?

Original poster

AKissAndASmile · 25/08/2020 21:17

I don't think it's fair blasting
notheragain4 for language from the 90s, especially as s/he has said s/he doesn't know any teenage boys.

OP posts:

ShirleyPhallus · 25/08/2020 21:32

[quote notheragain4]@Lilybet1980 I see what you're saying but there is a running joke if the male characters are are effeminate or might be gay, like that's a bad thing. Although Carol was gay it wasn't really something that was celebrated, Ross was mocked consistently for it, lesbians were often sexualised in the show. As I say I don't think it was in malice but I think there were a lot of jokes around being gay that wouldn't be written today, remember it was the era when "gay" was a word we used as an insult "that is so gay!" Just feels reminiscent of that era. It's widely written about the homophobia that was present (although I appreciate that sounds a bit strong for what it was) it's not a niche opinion.

Just to add...still bloody love the show, but some parts do make me wince (the Freddie Prinze Jr nanny programme most notably!)[/quote]
To be fair, the whole point of that episode was set up to show that it was Ross who was uncomfortable with a male nanny as a result of the Uber masculine way his dad brought him up

notheragain4 · 25/08/2020 21:35

@ShirleyPhallus yeah but Ross won...he didn't learn anything, Rachel pandered to the "Uber" masculinity and fired Sandy. But the hot lesbian nanny was allowed to stick around....

eatsleepread · 25/08/2020 22:01

Rachel had sex appeal in spades. Monica was classically more beautiful, but lacked sexiness.

Lilybet1980 · 25/08/2020 22:46

Not every thing has to have BAME representation. I say that as a 'BAME' and as someone who hates that term

Apologies, that was lazy language on my part. I’m not a fan either but my work place uses it constantly so I’m so used to it.

I just don’t think an all white group is a fair representation of most groups of 20 something friends in NY. And I say that as someone who lived in NYC for four years. My “American” groups of friends (as opposed to my expat friends) were far more diverse than my friendship groups back home in the UK, and were far more diverse than the expat groups I used to hang out in (which were mainly UK, Irish and Canadian and predominantly white). I worked in a large office full of young professionals and I remember being struck at the time at how much more diverse it was then my workplace in the Uk.

UnagiSalmonSkinRoll · 25/08/2020 22:55

I loved her outfit when she's going to the airport to meet Ross, it's a black tee shirt with a black skirt with the flowy skirt pinned behind it.

ulanbatorismynextstop · 25/08/2020 22:58

Rachel always has her nipples on show. No one else on telly or IRL apart from Rachel and that red haired gardening woman had their nips on show all the time. Not a great look.

EarringsandLipstick · 25/08/2020 23:18

[quote WorkinWomansBlues]@EdwardCullensBiteOnTheSide

You just mean stylistically right!!?

I love friends, and I’m fairly laid back about most stuff as a “product of the time” but I cringe at the misogyny, fat phobia, homophobia, lack of representation and diversity...[/quote]
Absolutely.

I loved it back in the day. Now, I'm totally cringing at it. It can still be funny in parts, but so much is wrong...my kids now love to watch it & I really find it unsuitable - my kids are 13, 11 & 9 & I'm easy-going enough but in particular the misogynistic attitudes put me off & I often stop them watching it.

Or watch with them but drive them mad with mini-lectures throughout.

ilikebooksandplants · 26/08/2020 11:42

Christ, if JA isn’t ‘beautiful’ what hope is there for the rest of us?

All three women were absolute stunners. Although I’ve rewatched it all recently on Netflix and thought that poor Phoebe was made to wear a lot of clothing that didn’t really suit her skin tone (particularly when she’s wearing paler items of clothing - she looks a bit washed out but it’s 100% the clothes).

Monica is an absolute babe throughout most of it, but there’s one season where CC is so thin and her character feels really manic too. Not ideal.

TableFlowerss · 26/08/2020 23:15

@ilikebooksandplants

Christ, if JA isn’t ‘beautiful’ what hope is there for the rest of us?

All three women were absolute stunners. Although I’ve rewatched it all recently on Netflix and thought that poor Phoebe was made to wear a lot of clothing that didn’t really suit her skin tone (particularly when she’s wearing paler items of clothing - she looks a bit washed out but it’s 100% the clothes).

Monica is an absolute babe throughout most of it, but there’s one season where CC is so thin and her character feels really manic too. Not ideal.

Oh no way. All 3 weren’t stunners. Pheobe was ok looking but she certainly wasn’t stunning. She was pleasant enough but not stunning.

Stunning I’d the epitome of perfection, flawless etc... but most women aren’t so it’s not an insult, it’s just a term to recognise someone head and shoulders above the rest.

I think the very fact ‘Rachel’ was so adored is because she was the pretty girl next door type. She wasn’t perfect looking, but she was very attractive regardless.

DukeOfEarlGrey · 26/08/2020 23:29

Rachel’s style from the point she starts working at Ralph Lauren just gets better and better. As does her notoriously good hair. I agree she isn’t classically beautiful like CC but she a certain something that makes her much more attractive than CC.

I think she was meant to be a classical beauty though, wasn’t she? What with being super popular at high school, a cheerleader, etc?

Also agree that a lot of the jokes haven’t dated well, especially ‘fat Monica’ which was pretty tedious at the time. The thing I’m always struck by when I see that on repeat is that by today’s norms she doesn’t look that fat anymore.

clary · 26/08/2020 23:41

I think she looks great throughout - also JA is stunning IMO and would look good in just about anything to be fair.

btw people always say Friends was homophobic, but I think it was unusual in having a very positive lesbian couple who get to make fun of Ross repeatedly. What about the episode where Ben picks out a Barbie and Ross is so undermined? Tho I agree they were totally phased out and Ross never saw his son later. It's not RL tho eh.

TableFlowerss · 27/08/2020 00:22

@DukeOfEarlGrey

Rachel’s style from the point she starts working at Ralph Lauren just gets better and better. As does her notoriously good hair. I agree she isn’t classically beautiful like CC but she a certain something that makes her much more attractive than CC.

I think she was meant to be a classical beauty though, wasn’t she? What with being super popular at high school, a cheerleader, etc?

Also agree that a lot of the jokes haven’t dated well, especially ‘fat Monica’ which was pretty tedious at the time. The thing I’m always struck by when I see that on repeat is that by today’s norms she doesn’t look that fat anymore.

* I agree she isn’t classically beautiful like CC but she a certain something that makes her much more attractive than CC*

Exactly! She somehow looks more attractive than CC but on paper she shouldn’t be if that makes sense.

BashfulClam · 27/08/2020 01:10

I was 15 when it started and coveted her wardrobe. The dress she is wearing when she finds out Paulo is a scumbag stayed with me..

BashfulClam · 27/08/2020 01:14

Best picture I can find

IHaveBrilloHair · 27/08/2020 01:16

Dd is 19 and absolutely loves it, including Rachel's clothes and hair!

IHaveBrilloHair · 27/08/2020 01:22

She does point out things that wouldn't be acceptable now though.

TinkersTailor · 27/08/2020 01:22

I absolute adored (and continue to!) Rachel's style.

Effortlessly glam, no matter what. I even loved the 'Rachel' haircut when she apparently detested (her stylist did it whilst she and he was drunk I believe)

I'm a complete Friends nut and watch it daily and only her fashion tends to stick with me.

Housewife2010 · 27/08/2020 07:06

My favourite Rachel outfit was the dark cheongsam dress she wore when she was on a date and drunkenly rang Ross to tell him she loved him. She wore her hair in a chignon and looked fantastic. I was on a huge diet that year. I was a stone or so off my target and bought a very similar dress from Monsoon in a size smaller than I was. I wore it for my Christmas party and it was the final push to help me lose the last of my eight stones. - I spent the afternoon in the hairdresser's having my hair put up too.

leftovercoffeecake · 27/08/2020 08:43

I think Rachel had such amazing style. The only thing I wasn’t a fan of was her super short hair which she had after the crazy long hair extensions (didn’t really like those either).

CC is stunning, but some of Monica’s outfits were questionable.

ZaraCarmichaelshighheels · 28/08/2020 02:25

My DH has a thing for Monica, he loves her this dress in particular, it looks a lot better in the actual show she looks so beautiful, her look really improved over the years.