18 Of The Most Stylish TV Moms To Ever Serve On Our Screens
From haute-couture corporate to cool-mom casual, these iconic characters run the fashion gamut.
When you watched TV growing up, you probably didn't pay any attention to what the moms in your favorite shows were wearing. Who cared, right? If anything, you may have thought their choice of clothing was, as the kids today put it, "cringe." But time is a funny thing. Now you're a mom — one who has style crushes on some of the leading ladies of TV.
Some of your sartorial icons are from sitcoms of the past, and then there are the super-chic mothers from shows you currently watch. Does the fact that you'd love to get wine-drunk and gossip with some of these cool AF TV moms sway your opinion of their style a little? Maybe. Either way, their innate style and standout fashion moments deserve to be celebrated.
From carefree and quirky to preppy and proper, these fashionable TV moms each have a look of their own.
1. Rainbow “Bow” Johnson, Black-Ish
Played by Tracee Ellis Ross, Bow Johnson is a successful anesthesiologist and mother of five, so one might easily think she has it all. However, a huge part of Bow’s charm is that while she “has it all” on paper, she doesn’t always have it all together — and we love a relatable queen. Not surprisingly, Bow’s style is amazing, weaving together elements from her bohemian upbringing and her daily life as a modern working parent. Just think of it as edgy, elevated mom style.
2. Andrea Warren, I’m Sorry
First and foremost, let’s all agree that this TruTV sitcom starring Andrea Savage as comedy writer Andrea Warren should have survived far longer than it did. Now that we’ve got that out of the way, on to Andrea’s style. It’s put-together without being fussy. It’s cool but doesn’t read “too young” (whatever TF that means). She’s a TV mom whose style everyone can relate to and possibly even pull off replicating. Not all heroes wear capes! Or in the context of this list, capelets.
3. Rachel Green, Friends
Played by Jennifer Aniston, Rachel Green enjoys a wardrobe that epitomizes the '90s. As her life evolves on the beloved series, so does her style — when she leaves waitressing at Central Perk behind to pursue a career in fashion, her wardrobe goes from trendy to more sleek and sophisticated.
Even while pregnant with Emma, her style prevails in tank tops and midi skirts that show off her pregnant belly. From mom jeans and baby T-shirts to layered slip dresses to form-fitting pencil skirts and menswear suits, the Friends star's sartorial look is just as iconic as her eponymous hairstyle.
4. Deborah Vance, Hacks
According to Kathleen Felix-Hager, Hacks’ brilliant costume designer, the wardrobe of Deborah Vance (played by the inimitable Jean Smart) needed to convey “how vibrant she is, and how alive she is, and how still ambitious she is.”
Felix-Hager continued in an interview with Back Row, “She’s not resting on her laurels. She's still striving, she still has goals, she's still working, she still wants to be attractive, she's still sexual. All the things that we discount in women over 60, really. You're sort of lumped into this category of senior. You're supposed to be quiet and not be seen and not be heard. And so I love the fact that Deborah is how she dresses — she wants attention, she wants eyes on her, she wants that kind of notice, still.”
Mission accomplished!
5. Lily van der Woodsen, Gossip Girl
Listen up, Upper East Siders: When it comes to fashion, it's not just Blair or Serena's outfits on the fashion-scene radar. Played by Kelly Rutherford, Lily van der Woodsen puts her considerable wealth to good use by building an elegant wardrobe befitting the socialite's busy calendar full of galas, benefits, and parties.
Tasteful and sleek, the Gossip Girl star always has an effortless way with luxe, layering in neutral palettes and timeless staple pieces. Think a printed dress or a fitted blazer paired with a ladylike blouse. Of course, she likes to accessorize her looks with a Hermes belt, a Birkin, or a Kelly bag.
6. Nalini Vishwakumar, Never Have I Ever
Poorna Jagannathan plays Never Have I Ever's Nalini Vishwakumar, a busy, hardworking dermatologist and single mom to Devi. Her aesthetic is the perfect amalgamation of Eastern and Western influences. She wears outfits that reflect her South Asian heritage, like traditional sari dresses, alongside more modern Western silhouettes like feminine suits and blouses.
7. Midge Maisel, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
No self-respecting mid-century vintage lover would dare create a list of the most stylish TV moms and omit the one-and-only Midge Maisel. Sure, her late-’50s look is pretty niche for a mom today, but god love the ones who just go for it. Midge’s mom style relies heavily on accessorizing: hats, bows, bangles, and gloves galore. It’s a vibe.
8. Charlotte York Goldenblatt, Sex and the City
The Sex and the City (and now And Just Like That) universe is packed with stylish ensembles, but Carrie Bradshaw's closet gets most of the fanfare. You know who deserves some credit, though? Charlotte York Goldenblatt, played by Kristin Davis. The Park Avenue mom and former art dealer's feminine wardrobe sets the standard for preppy moms everywhere, thanks to tailored dresses, Ralph Lauren knits, and Burberry checks.
Her standout fashion moments include dressing up as Elizabeth Taylor, and wearing a bridesmaid dress that outshone the bride. Even as a busy mom of two, she loves coordinating with her daughters, Rose and Lily.
9. Lisa Todd Wexley, And Just Like That...
You can’t very well include Charlotte without mentioning her super-stylish new bestie, Lisa Todd Wexley. Some may even say that she gives all the OG SATC moms a run for their money when it comes to fashion. Played by the equally chic Nicole Ari Parker, LTW makes her hectic life as a documentarian, aesthete, philanthropist, loving wife, and mother of three look like a walk in the park — or, more accurately, on the runway. She’s the haute couture version of a PTA mom.
10. Lorelai Gilmore, Gilmore Girls
Swinging to the complete opposite side of the style spectrum, we have Gilmore Girls' Lorelai Gilmore (played by Lauren Graham). Amid guzzling copious amounts of coffee and exchanging witty banter with her daughter Rory, Lorelai rocks a range of casual and cool looks. The business owner and single mom's fun and carefree nature translates to her closet, jammed with band and concert tees, curve-hugging dresses, statement coats, and knee-high footwear.
11. Grace Gordon Greene, The Girls on the Bus
It is a travesty — nay, a crime — that this intelligent, sexy, funny, thoughtful Max show was unceremoniously canceled after one season. Still, despite how brief Carla Gugino’s TV tenure as Grace Gordon Greene was, she deserves a spot on this list. A veteran journalist known as the Scoop Queen (and mom to a recent grad thinking of following in her footsteps), Grace isn’t afraid to take risks on the job or with her wardrobe. Her signature wearable high style is just as smart as she is.
12. Victoria Grayson, Revenge
When Victoria Grayson isn't busy plotting someone's demise on Revenge, she's usually hosting a black-tie gala or planning a charity function. Nevertheless, her style is always on point. The Grayson matriarch, also known as the Queen of the Hamptons, looks to a wardrobe of quiet luxury. Her ensembles prove quite polished and in an array of form-fitting dresses and floor-sweeping gowns.
13. Wilhelmina Slater, Ugly Betty
Bold and fearless, Wilhelmina Slater, played by Vanessa Williams, worked (and schemed) her way up the ranks at Mode Magazine and Mead Publications. While the creative director and mom are known for being cold, manipulative, and calculated, her wardrobe is anything but. The Ugly Betty editrix closet is packed with designer dresses and a slew of enviable ensembles fit for a fashion editor.
14. Georgia Miller, Ginny & Georgia
Georgia Miller, played by Brianne Howey, brings to the screen the style of a young mom and the keen fashion eye of a woman trying to prove herself to high society (and look the part while doing so). In her downtime with Ginny and Austin, she wears cute, cozy, and casual outfits that come off as comfortable yet trendy. It’s polished luxe — but still fresh — pieces when she’s charming the stuffy upper crust of Wellsbury, Massachusetts: classic overcoats, silky blouses, tailored blazers, and matching sets.
15. Gabrielle Solis, Desperate Housewives
When fans first meet Gabrielle Solis at the start of Desperate Housewives, she’s the glamorous and fashion-obsessed neighbor (without kids) who loves to get dolled up. After having children, the former fashion model and mother of two's style shifts — first with a stylish figure-hugging wardrobe, followed by more matronly and slightly dowdy looks due to their changing financial circumstances. When she starts working in fashion again, she channels her old self with a wardrobe of power suits and dresses.
16. Moira Rose, Schitt’s Creek
Listen, is Moira Rose’s style a little... out there? Yes. Yes, it is. But all the sartorial greats take chances and do things their own way, and never has a TV mom done fashion the way this Schitt’s Creek matriarch does. Catherine O’Hara could convince anyone to wear anything, so it’s little surprise that her style-eccentric portrayal of Moira has fans ready and willing to wear a Pope-inspired ensemble to a wedding or rock head-to-toe houndstooth paired with punk-rock chains.
17. Cookie Lyon, Empire
Much like Moira, Cookie doesn’t have a style that will be for everyone. That’s kind of what makes it so brilliant, though. From animal-print everything to shiny gold suits, Cookie is anything but, well, cookie-cutter. A boss b*tch needs a boss b*tch wardrobe, and Taraji P. Henson’s character always delivers on that front.
18. Fran Fine, The Nanny
Although Fran didn’t have kids of her own until much later in the series, she cared for Maggie, Brighton, and Gracie as if they were her own, so she was always a mom in our hearts. Like Fran herself (played by Fran Drescher), her fashion was loud — but it was fashion. In fact, some 20 pieces of the ‘90s nanny’s wardrobe were even put on display in The Nanny exhibit at the Tripostal art gallery in Lille, France.
Would it shock you to learn that many of her outfits on the show have serious designer cred? From Dolce & Gabbana to Todd Oldham and Moschino, Fran knew a thing or two about being a style icon.
