For The Girls Who Never Went Out of Style: GG & Friends💄👗

Personally, I’m a person who can binge-watch an entire series in a time of a day or two, but watching movies is a TASK for me. I know that differs for everyone, but one thing that keeps drawing me back to these shows of the late 90’s and early 00’s is the sensational sense of fashion the ladies had in the shows. When I started watching Gossip Girl (2007-2012) and Friends (1994-2004), the fashion and wardrobes these ladies had were what made me the most jealous. God, if only we could really go back in time. Their wardrobes weren't simply just dresses put on without any thought; their fashion became their personalities. Be it Rachel’s impeccable blend of the 90’s and Y2K and her minimalist color palette that showed her driven personality to prove herself; Monica’s quintessential blueprint of outfits that drove us crazy with how she managed to make turtlenecks so effortlessly elegant, making her the queen of the normcore fad; or Phoebe’s signature statement with her exquisite taste and the bohemian aesthetic. While Gossip Girl itself was about teenagers involved with fashion, schemes, and parties, Serena Van Der Woodsen rightly established her IT girl title with her choice of styles, extremely similar to that of her mother, Lily Rhodes, both displaying the glamour and lavishness of the Upper East Side with their boho-chic and quiet luxury styles, respectively. To perfectly contrast with that, Jenny Humphrey’s metamorphosis from a sweet little J from Brooklyn to a grunge rebel who wanted to establish her worth to fit in the world of the elites of Manhattan was intricately reflected with her paradigm shift from pastels to her edgy poise with her talent for fashion. What I particularly noticed is the immaculate way in which the silhouettes of these ladies evolved with their change in character. In this article, we will be going down memory lane, as fashion trends may come and go, but certain wardrobes remain cemented into contemporary culture. Even now, we’re still creating Pinterest boards for Rachel Green’s office looks (those outfits were to die for, by the way); Blair Waldorf making headbands the most coveted accessory of the 2000s and convincing an entire generation that an outfit was incomplete without them; and Serena Van Der Woodsen somehow managing to be the most in-style damsel in distress. So, here is a tribute to the women who never got out of style.

1. Rachel Karen Green of Friends (1994-2004)

When she barged into Central Perk with her drenched wedding dress, it was the moment we all knew that she was going to be the fashion statement of the centuries. It was her world, and we continue to live in it. Since then, we've seen her wardrobe of denim vests, boyfriend jeans, minis, suits, and, oh, and how could we ever forget her green column dress in S3, E2? In the later seasons, as she carved a path for herself, working at Bloomingdale's and finally at Ralph Lauren, her outfits also followed along that path of transition. Even having a haircut named after her, she made the standards of 90s dressings, and we still follow her word.

2. Serena Van Der Woodsen of Gossip Girl (2007-2012)

For her too, the moment we saw her, we knew she was the IT girl for a reason. With her carefree glamour and giving off the California beach-wave vibe, it is almost startling that she convinced all of us (+ me) that ties as skinny scarves or the schoolgirl style could be the epitome of style, and a blazer casually thrown over a sequined dress somehow made sense for her, because she's Serena Van Der Woodsen. The most refreshing thing about her is the way of her spontaneous dressing. She never followed the rules of fashion, making her even more classy. Her gray, long-sleeved lace dress in S4, E8 is to die for, literally. Serena’s dresses in the entirety of GG have impressed me the most. She had the ability to make every dress look like it was made just for her. Whether it be the bridesmaid dress she wore at her mother’s wedding to Bart Bass or the Cavalli long black dress she wore in S2, EP 9, she donned glamour. With her bringing back plunging necklines, flowy dresses, and rich jewel tones, she proved that elegance and effortlessness are not complex to coexist, and making the combination of the two felt timeless, again proving that whatever sounded chaotic, on Serena, it became iconic.

3. Monica Geller of Friends (1994-2004)

Friends is truly a show of comfort and fashion that is cushy. And Monica Geller lived up to that. I remember being so in awe of her red dress in S1, EP10, that I was literally scouring every site just looking for that dress. She was known as the poster girl for 90’s normcore. Her style is just so cozy and realistic. She isn't fashionable with an intent; she just is, effortlessly. Be it the cardigans, turtlenecks, long dresses, or blouses, she always managed to look like she had just stepped off a runway while being dressed in the kind of clothes you’d actually want to wear every day. Even today, her wardrobe still serves as the imprint for elegance and minimalism because she proved that fashion doesn't always have to be loud to leave an impression. She made 90’s fashion everything that I always thought about. (She pulled off red so welllll. Red was always her color.)

4. Lily Rhodes of Gossip Girl (2007-2012)

Although her surnames changed throughout the season, she had the most congruous style of all. Her penthouse, her wardrobe, her paintings; oh, she knew who she was. And we did too. You say quiet luxury; I say Lily Rhodes. And nobody could’ve been more Upper East Side with their aesthetic, like Lily Rhodes. She loves wearing an oversized coat with jeans, with a blouse underneath. Her wardrobe was a mix of gala-worthy dresses that we loved to see so much, making her an epitome of Upper East Side mystique. She loved making her mark through her jewelry. She would often pair her poise with a Hermès or Birkin tote. What amazes me the most is that Kelly Rutherford, playing Lily Rhodes, used her wardrobe for most of the time on set. She managed to embody Lily Rhodes so well because she is the Lily Rhodes of our generation.

5. Phoebe Buffay of Friends (1994-2004)

Nobody can or ever will pull off the vintage and bohemian aesthetic like Phoebe Buffay did. I have always loved her style the most. She’s lively and excited, and her dressing exactly goes with that somehow. Her jewelry is chunky, and dear god, what would we all not give up to get her collection of rings? Her style was quirky and on the maximal side, and we love it. Quite luxury fears for itself when Phoebe is there. Her maxi skirts, in all colors and designs, and her sweaters. She managed to bring her personality into her outfits, and that is the most endearing thing about her. Velvet dresses were made for her. She was the fashion ambassador for leggings, especially the polka dot ones, and nobody could’ve done it better than her. She always reminded me of my art teacher I had in 4th grade; her dressings replicated that of Phoebe so much. And when she wore dresses, she made sure that we’d remember it for the rest of our lives. So, when you are too scared of maximalism, remember Phoebe Buffay and her legacy.

6. Jenny Humphrey of Gossip Girl (2007-2012)

Our Little J was this sweet little girl from Brooklyn, dressing in simple uniforms, knit cardigans, plaid skirts, and accessories that reflected her simplicity in the earlier seasons. She wanted to fit into a world that wasn't her own. She climbed the social ladder and became the ‘Queen of Constance’ after Blair Waldorf, and her rebellious side had started to spur on even before that. Leather jackets replaced cardigans, smokey eyes were her new favorite now, hemlines grew shorter, and she embraced the grunge aesthetic. It was not a mere fashion shift; it was a representation of her internal conflict, ambition to make her name in the fashion world and the Upper East Side, and growing defiance against the people around her. Keeping all the questionable things she did aside, we will never question her taste for fashion, as she remains one of the best examples of clothing revolving alongside her ever-changing character.

Years have passed since these shows first ran, and yet the wardrobes of these women continue to feel remarkably relevant. I guess that is the beauty of fashion; it isn't confined to a particular timeline. It grows with us, stays with us, and sways us. Trends will come and go, but Rachel, Monica, Phoebe, Serena, Lily, and Jenny will be remembered, for they earned something far more enduring: a permanent place in fashion history and our hearts, as these were the women we grew up watching who taught us: it isn't what we wear, but who we are.

July 2026

Subhadra Gouri Dash

Just a Girl Blog