With the UN’s International Day of Friendship coming up on the 30th of July, we’re taking a look back at some of the most iconic best friends from TV and film – the ones who gave us all #friendshipgoals before hashtags were even a thing. Not only did they teach us something unique about female friendships, they had style to match.
Rachel, Monica and Phoebe – Friends
You can’t mention famous friends without mentioning Friends, the U.S sitcom that helped turn coffee shops into legitimate hangouts for 20 to 30-somethings everywhere. Whilst we love the relationships between all 6 of the main characters, it was the female bonds that gave us pre-Taylor Swift #SquadGoals. Not only did we learn real-life lessons about friendship (and the fact that it’s OK to sit around in wedding dresses drinking beer with your gal pals if you want to); we also got some serious style tips from Rachel, Monica and Phoebes. We’re particularly fond of their 90s looks in seasons 1 and 2; the dungarees, the hippie dresses, the mom jeans, Rachel’s flippy skirts – we love it all!
Image source: The Independent
Carrie, Samantha, Miranda and Charlotte – Sex & the City
When Sex and the City first aired in 1998, there hadn’t been a TV series quite like it before. Driven by a cast of strong female characters – all of whom were able to talk candidly about their love (and sex) lives – it followed 4 women in their 30s and 40s as they dated, divorced and dined out in style. Confiding in each other (usually over brunch), the show was anchored by their friendships and (despite some well-documented off-screen feuds), the fabulous foursome taught us that all you need are your girlfriends (and the occasional cosmopolitan). Fashion in the series exemplified the show’s (often critiqued) sense of escapism, and it’s fair to say that costume designer Patricia Field turned the city into one helluva catwalk. Though the economics don’t quite add up (Carrie’s walk-in wardrobe, her Upper East Side apartment and that notorious collection of Manolo’s seems improbable on her $4 per word income), we’re still obsessed. Whether you’re eclectic like Carrie, classic like Charlotte, chic like Miranda or fierce like Samantha, pay homage to SATC with cocktail-ready dresses, jumpsuits and separates – and don’t forget those killer heels.
Image source: The Wrap
Patsy and Eddie – Absolutely Fabulous
Sweetie darling! Who doesn’t love a bit of Ab Fab? Patsy Stone and Edina “Eddy” Monsoon are the outrageous, hard-partying pair at the centre of this beloved British sitcom. As lifelong friends and benefactors of one another’s bad behaviour, they had that ‘partners in crime’ thing down to a tea. Introducing bolli and Lacroix to living rooms across the UK, Ab Fab brought us satire in stilettos and we couldn’t get enough. When the duo returned in 2016 to make their big-screen debut, the film grossed over £4 million on its opening weekend. Featuring a slew of front row favourites (including style supremo Kate Moss), the film – like the original series – was chock-full of fabulous fashion. Make like Patsy and Eddy with bold prints, faux furs and lots of leather; avoid looking farcical by showcasing one statement piece at a time (who else remembers Eddy’s head-to-toe Burberry checks?).
Image source: Mental Floss
Dionne and Cher – Clueless
Based on Jane Austen’s 1815 novel Emma, 90s teen flick Clueless took us from English Manor House to sun-soaked Beverly Hills. Protagonist Cheryl “Cher” Horowitz and her high school bestie Dionne Davenport were equally popular, pretty and stylish. They were also really rich, which explains Cher’s fancy computerised wardrobe (and the killer co-ords it housed). From preppy plaids to sultry slip dresses, the outfits in Clueless were both of their time, yet totally modern. As if! The film’s costume designer Mona May included plenty of 90s youth trends but interpreted them to create something wholly new for the film; truthfully, we’re still not over the matching plaids and mini skirts.
Image source: Grazia
Thelma and Louise – Thelma & Louise
The ultimate road film, Thelma & Louise follows rebel babes Thelma Dickinson (Geena Davis) and Louise Sawyer (Susan Sarandon) as they embark on a road trip that gets somewhat complicated to say the least. It received 6 Oscar nominations after its release in 1991 and is now considered a landmark of feminist film. Re-scripting gender roles of the road movie genre, it also exposed the traditional stereotyping of male-female relationships. Celebrating female camaraderie and loyalty in friendships, it came with a side order of good old-fashioned girl power (which we’re always happy to shout about). For the most part, both women were denim-clad throughout the film, wearing high-waisted jeans and vintage tees. Accessorising with a dash of red lippy and bags of attitude, their outlaw look couldn’t be cooler.
Image source: AnOther Magazine
