When thinking back on the ‘90s comedic TV sensation The Nanny, it’s nearly impossible to forget the nasal drawl of the show’s leopard-print wearing protagonist. “Oh, Mr. Sheffield,” she flirtatiously whined in her sing-songy lilt.
But Fran Drescher’s most memorable character, Fran Fine, was more than her big bouffant and off-color humor. This flashy girl from Flushing’s take on ‘90s glamour transcends time, so much so that her style has remained a constant inspiration well into the 21st century. Her gaudy and sometimes over-the-top choices continue to reverberate throughout some of high-fashion’s most recent runway collections, because let’s face it — the ’90s are so in right now. In celebration of Fran Drescher’s boundary-pushing style, check out five of her most timeless looks below.
The Nanny made its North American debut in November 1993 — nearly two years after Fran Drescher pitched the idea to the president of CBS on a transatlantic flight. On the show, Drescher played the vivacious, Queens-born Fran Fine, a former bridal consultant turned live-in nanny for affluent single father, Maxwell Sheffield, and his three prep-school kids.
In one episode, Fran took up tennis, sporting a glamorous interpretation of on-court attire. Her monochromatic cream outfit is a trend in itself (Ryan Roche fall 2015 comes to mind); her white fur coat bears a strong resemblance to the immaculate ones that graced Louis Vuitton’s fall 2015 runway.
Maxwell, a Broadway producer, hired Fran as a nanny despite the fact that her sole work experience was as a bridal consultant. His hesitation to keep her around only lasted for a couple of episodes, though; he soon realized Fran was the loud, off-beat nanny he never knew his family needed.
In “A Fine Friendship,” Fran wore a leather jacket on an unassuming friend date with another male nanny. The gold hardware and exaggerated shoulder pads are very vintage Gianni Versace, while the miniskirt and thigh-high suede boots embody the sexy-chic allure of Donatella’s modern Versace woman. Mere minutes after describing her day date to Maxwell, she was in full makeout mode with the male nanny she assumed was gay. Oy vey.
Fran and Maxwell’s budding relationship played out through the show’s six-year run, ultimately ending in a marriage and pregnancy. Earlier episodes, like “Val’s Boyfriend,” foreshadowed this romance. After her best friend Val gets a date and she doesn’t, Fran sits cross-legged on Maxwell’s desk to complain about her bad luck with love.
The checkered miniskirt she wears is almost a dead ringer for the ones Nicolas Ghesquiere sent down the Louis Vuitton spring 2014 runway. Fran makes rocking the black-and-white print look easy, pairing it with a bright-red mock neck top.
Over the course of the show’s run, Fran’s wardrobe featured plenty of eccentric pieces, including the bright orange coat she wore in the episode “Love is a Many Blundered Thing.” In 1994, stylist and costume designer for the show Brenda Cooper told the Los Angeles Times that Fran’s wardrobe ranged from Kmart finds to high-fashion items. “We use a lot of Moschino and Todd Oldham because they have a sense of humor,” said Cooper. Kenzo and Christian Lacroix ensembles also made appearances, sometimes more than once. Fur was a constant, and Fran’s foresight on fall 2015’s flame orange color trend was spot on.
There were a couple of romantic misses before Fran and Maxwell’s feelings for one another came to light. In “An Offer She Can’t Refuse,” Fran unknowingly dates an Italian mobster, remaining completely oblivious despite his large bodyguards and cryptic comments on their date at an old-school Italian restaurant.
The sweetheart bustier neckline of the dress she wears is reminiscent of the little black dresses that have become a recurring theme on Dolce & Gabbana’s runways. The heart-shaped Moschino bag is a nice touch as well, even though this date turned real sour real fast.
