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The 10 Most Fashionable TV Shows of All Time

Whether we watched these shows when we were just ten-years-old or just ten minutes ago, it doesn't matter how much time passes - from the shoulder pads to the plaids, these shows will always go down in fashion history.

By Liana Satenstein

Mar 13, 2012

Fotos International/Archive Photos

Ally McBeal

Meet Ally McBeal, the eccentric, young, and waif-like attorney that introduced us to the unconventional workplace — unisex bathroom anyone? — with a sexually charged atmosphere. As hemlines were raised, so were eyebrows. When McBeal’s micro-minis became "too business casual," critics claimed that the very minimalist wardrobe was degrading to women at the workplace. But hey, a little leg never hurt anyone.

Mark Seliger/Disney ABC Television Group

My-So-Called Life

While we were watching Angela deal with the heartbreaks of teenage love, or her best-friend Rayanne party through her adolescence, we also could not get enough of their grungy '90s wardrobes. This realistic portrayal of teen life had us lacing up our Doc Marten’s and running to the nearest drugstore for a bottle of red hair dye. With scrunchie overdoses, mismatched plastic earrings, a barrage of flannel shirts, and the brooding stare of a young Jordan Catalano — sorry, we meant Jared Leto — this coming-of-age drama was a show we will never grow out of.

Fox Broadcasting/Archive Photos

Beverly Hills 90210

In the utopian town of Beverly Hills, it seemed that every clothing choice was a good one. From Brenda's mom jeans that "lifted" to Donna’s long-sleeve crop tops that always revealed a flat stomach to Dylan McKay’s hair that never moved, it was impossible to have a style mishap in this zipcode. Well, except when Kelly and Brenda showed up to the prom wearing the same dress. Now that was a fashion faux pas.

Getty Images/Getty Images Entertainment

Sex and the City

It was the show that captured the lives and styles of four New York women: The Upper East Side primness of Charlotte, Miranda's power-suit prowess, Samantha's sexy hip-hugging dresses and, of course, the first columnist to wear a tutu on the streets of Manhattan, Carrie. From her infamous naked dress that locked in Mr. Big, to the nameplate necklace, to her panache for midriff-baring tops, Carrie's killer closet quickly made her into a fashion icon. And the shoes — who could forget the fabulous footwear addiction that caused Carrie to max-out several credit cards and even got her held up at gunpoint?

Fotos International/Archive Photos

Designing Women

This show was based on four interior designers who had Southern sass that seamlessly translated into big sleeves, big belts, and big shoulder pads. These women tackled important political, relationship, and gender roles issues — usually in a bright blazer, a string of pearls and a pair of clip-on earrings.

CBS Photo Archive/CBS

Dallas

The fashion of this primetime Texas-based soap opera was just as dramatic as the plot lines. The hemlines were long, the waists were high, the hair was big and the colors were always bright. If we were still keeping up with the Ewings, we'd be wearing tiered prairie skirts, bolo ties and most likely on a high-speed car chase.

John Clifford/Disney ABC Television Group

Ugly Betty

Those glasses, those braces, the incessant head-to-toe matching and zany pattern clashes. The determined and kind-hearted Betty Suarez of Queens definitely made an impression at her fictional fashion magazine, Mode. Even in a red poncho, Betty still managed to inspire us, just not with her clothing choices.

Warner Bros./Warner Bros. Entertainment

The OC

Marissa Cooper was our favorite combination of legs, privileged teenage angst, and a quilted Chanel shoulder bag. Whether she was popping polo collars or using a Marc Jacobs purse to carry her books, Marissa was synonymous with that trendy So-Cal style that had girls lining up at their closest Kitson outlet. Her best friend, the adorable Summer Roberts, also helped the show's style score to go way up.

AMC

Mad Men

Between the pillbox hats, empire waist A-Line skirts and Bar jacket sets that showed the right amount of curve, these timeless closet staples put this '60s based drama on the fashion map. The show's costume design was so popular that it influenced trends on the runway as well as two collections at Banana Republic.

Arnaldo Magnani/Getty Images Entertainment

Gossip Girl

From Blair’s strict adherence to the uptown codes of tailored modesty — she never leaves home without a skirt, tights or a headband — to Serena’s bohemian-infused school uniform — hiking up her plaid skirt and pairing it with a leather jacket — their clothes always have the town talking. This upper-east side drama still has the fashion world buzzing with "who wore what?"

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