Can we just talk about Chandler's style please?

By Ella Hodson.

There’s a certain comfort about re-watching the same shows over and over again, like returning home for Christmas, or a hug from a grandparent. It’s familiar, you don’t have to concentrate and you already know what’s going to happen.

I am notorious for rewatching series, I have just recently finished my umpteenth stint of Friends, and I have some things to say about it.

With most series, the earlier seasons are much more real and raw, therefore they are much better. I know it can be argued that when the characters develop, that’s when it gets good, but rewatching Friends has made me realise how amazing the characters and actors are when they first start out. They were relatively unknown actors and actresses and they didn’t know how much of a hit the show was going to be, and it’s just funnier!

It still contains the widely spoken about jokes that wouldn’t sit well 2019, but with those set aside, the writing is fresh and funny... not stale.

But the main thing I want to talk about are the outfits in the first two seasons.

As with many trends, they tend to repeat themselves, and 90s fashion has been no exception.

A few years ago, we all saw shops starting to sell ‘mom jeans’, a high waisted but baggy style jean, very reminiscent of the mid nineties. People started to wear oversized sports sweatshirts, scrunchies, and flannel shirts as if they went to an all-american high school. I bought into this, I love my mom jeans, I love a casual 90s look. Looking at pictures of my mum from the mid nineties in the best outfits ever, makes me yearn to have been born back then. I have always looked into the past to find my style inspiration, whether that be old pictures of my mum, Jane Birkin, 90s Drew Barrymore, or even Rachel Green(e?). So it comes as no surprise that I love ‘94/’95 friends trends.

I think Chandler is one of my favourite characters in friends. His character is just 'normal'. He works a job he hates, he isn't lucky with the ladies until he finds Monica, he has common sense and knows what happens in the world. Where Joey is the stereotype of a dumb playboy, Ross is the stereotype of a nerd, Chandler is the stereotype of normal human being.

Which is why his style is so great in the earlier seasons! His style is quintessential of the time era, something I look back on with nostalgia. I am going to be doing a study of his early Friends looks.

Here are some of my favourites;

1. Floppy Hair Chandler

I think we can all admit that Chandler’s floppy hair is something we miss in later seasons of friends. It is so 1994, and he pulls it off with such finesse, through rolling up his sleeves and cheeky stare and point. In this photo, we see him in his classic sweater vest and shirt, a staple look for him which continues throughout all the seasons.

2. Levi's Chandler

So both parties here look equally fabulous. Monica is so effortlessly 90s it hurts. The show also must have been sponsored by Levi's or something. Chandler looks especially great here, he too looks effortless AF. It's all in the details, the little piece of hair that's separate from the rest of it, his sleeves rolled up again so you can see his forearms and his stance on the chair just screams nonchalance.

3. Athleisure Chandler

Chandler clearly has a very casual outlook on sportswear, he doesn't take it too seriously and he's just there to have a good time. To be honest, for those of you who love Friends, then you will know all the characters have this same attitude to the game of American Football. I think that this episode could have single-handedly created the oversized sweatshirt craze that we see in vintage shops now.

Back to Chandler - again, it's all about the details which make this look. We see him again rolling up his sleeves to show his fit AF forearms, the backwards cap which secures this look in the casual realm, pushing his floppy hair from his face.

The other thing I love about this look is how it's literally come full circle, this look could sit firmly in the 'Athleisure' trend which is so popular recently.

4. Holiday Chandler

The Hawaiian shirt causes a lot of controversy for some people. Some people love them; some people wear them ironically; some people only wear them on holiday (like Chandler here) and some people just hate them.

I think this look works for Chandler, because he's not too brash. He pairs it with some plain coloured shorts, and the shirt itself could be more *out there*.

An honourable mention to Monica who also has a solid beach look.

5. Nonchalant Chandler

This is the scene which started it all for me, and made me realise that Chandler may well be the best dressed out of all the characters in Friends.

The shirt, showing his best asset (forearms), has long-short sleeves. His floppy hair gives him an air of carelessness. The cigarettes, an act of rebellion. His feet up, white trainers, blue jeans. So simple, yet so effective. Swoon.

Although Chandler is the main event in this, I should include some honourable mentions from the first couple of seasons of Friends.

Janice and all her leopard print

Monica and Joey's monochrome

The girls' dancing looks

Thanks for reading the ramblings of a Friends style observant.