“She had style! She had flare! She was there…”, that’s how Fran Drescher became a style icon of the ’90s! The Nanny was an American sitcom airing on CBS in 1993 and running until 1999. It followed the story of Fran Fine, a young woman who, desperate for a job after she is fired from a cosmetic job, applies to be a nanny to the three children of a wealthy widower in New York.
Related: 10 Best Quotes From The Nanny
The Nanny became a beloved family comedy and can still be viewed in syndication today, making Fran Drescher a house-hold name and gaining the attention of several couture designers who dressed her for the show. Today, the colorful, fabulous, sophisticated and often zany fashion choices of Fran Drescher are still revered and considered iconic for the ’90s aesthetic. Here is a list of some of the most icon looks Fran Drescher wore on the show.
Bob Mackie Sequin Gown
Fran looks dazzling in this yellow and white chevron gown with a halter top. The gown appears in the episode titled: “Val’s Boyfriend” which aired in 1996. In this episode, Fran laments about single life and hows she missed spending time with her old girlfriends! After a series of struggles between the characters Fran mistakenly believes Val’s boyfriend, Paulie made a pass at her. A fun fact about this particular gown is that it can also be seen on Sharon Stone in the 1996 film Casino and was borrowed specifically for this episode.
Byblos Feather Cuff Blazer in Powder Blue
Heres a fashion trend that seems to be making its way back into stores: feather accents! Here, Fran dawns a pretty baby-blue ensemble of this blazer with puffy feather cuffs designed by Byblos… paired with a pale yellow sweater and a plaid skirt to match. This outfit appears in the episode titled “Curse of the Grandmas” airing originally in 1994. Does this outfit remind anyone of one miss Cher Horowitz from Clueless (1995)? Fran Fine stayed ahead of the curve!
Plaid & Leopard
An interesting combination that works surprisingly well! Fran wears a leopard print skirt that was designed by Gianfranco Ferre. The skirt is paired with a blazer that is accented with a leopard print lapel. Who would think of such a combination but the effortless Fran Fine? This outfit appears in the episode “Sara’s Parents” of season six; Fran tries desperately to make all of the right moves when Sara’s parents come for a visit, yet she can’t seem to impress them. At least she had a great outfit! A daring combination… The Nanny was never boring!
Sequin Zebra Dress
This show-stopping dress was designed by Lillie Rubin. Here, Fran wears a gold and black zebra-striped dress, dripping with sequins. All of her movements catch the lights in this dress! The dress appears in the episode titled “Pishke Business” where Fran must impersonate C.C. in an attempt to impress a potential investor for Maxwell’s new musical production. Worn with simple black tights and a black purse, this dress needs no further accessories as it speaks for itself and stands out in every crowd!
Pink Dress by John Murrough
In the episode “What the Butler Sang” Fran wears a hot pink body con dress. Today these types of dresses can commonly be found in most fast-fashion stores for young buyers. What made Fran Drescher such an icon is the evidence of her fashion choices being reproduced for larger and cheaper markets today. Fran pairs the dress with a black long sleeve turtleneck top, to really make the dress pop!
Lemon Print Outfit
When life gives you lemons… you can create a really cute outfit! In season four of The Nanny in the episode “The Taxman Cometh” Fran wears a bright, lemon-print outfit. The outfit, designed by Moshary consists of a dress and a matching zip-up jacket. Conveniently, Fran has a matching headband to tie the whole picture together. She makes the print pop by wearing a black turtleneck top underneath the dress with black tights.
Missoni Dress
Fran definitely has a knack for sequins as several of the dresses listed here are made entirely of sequins, including this one! This floral sequin dress is designed by Missoni. It has an abstract flowered print on it; a mini dress with a flattering halter top.
The large curly updo Fran wears makes her look feminine and playful. The dress can be seen in the episode “A Decent Proposal”. Here, Maxwell becomes jealous when he notices Chevy Chase’s attachment towards Fran however he keeps her around when he realizes she provides some good luck for his poker game.
Caché Sequin Animal Print Dress
Designed by Caché, Fran wears an animal print dress with sequins and a halter top. She looks so chic in this sexy and flattering number. May this look live on forever… here is the iconic Fran Drescher we remember and love to this day! Ironically this dress appears in the episode where Fran wears this dress to Mr. Sheffield’s play and is somehow placed on the worst dressed list. That episode is titled “Fashion Show”.
White on White
This outfit is so simple, it’s brilliant. This is the kind of effortless yet chic style sense that draws the magnetic attention that Fran attracts wherever she goes! Here, Fran wears a white crop top with white shorts and tennis shoes, giving her a sporty look.
Then, she throws a knee-length fuzz coat on over it to suddenly transform this on-the-go look into something quite glamours! Fran makes it all look so easy! This outfit appears in the episode titled: “That’s Midlife”.
60’s Mod Throwback
This next look is clean and simple, yet charming and playful. Fran pays homage to the Mod trends of the 1960s with this checkered and red look. This outfit appears in the episode titled “Val’s Boyfriend” which aired in 1996. The outfit consists of a black and white checkered skirt, designed by Moschino and a red, solid turtleneck top. For an idea that could easily appear like a costume, Fran finds a way to make it look sophisticated, easy and very chic!
