9 Outfits From The Nanny That Cemented Fran Fine As A TV Fashion Icon

She was the lady in red when everybody else was wearing tan and for six seasons, Fran Fine charmed both the Sheffield family and millions of viewers. "The Nanny" cast may be unrecognizable now (as one might expect after 30+ years), but the show is remains imprinted in our collective memory — particularly Fran's signature style. 

As Nanny Fine, "the flashy girl from Flushing," Fran Drescher wore ensembles featuring every conceivable color and design under the sun. Fran favored mini-dresses and tights, but she was equally likely to show up in unique gowns, patterned jeans, suit sets, two-piece ensembles, and other quirky items (often within the same episode!). Naturally, Fran's super-teased cascade of hair always finished the look. The contrast between Fran's attention-getting clothing and the staid look of her employer, Maxwell Sheffield (Charles Shaughnessy), and his family provided many of the laughs in this fish-out-of-water comedy. 

Before you dismiss Fran Fine's wardrobe as being tacky or garish, though, consider this: Many of Drescher's outfits were created by top designers such as Todd Oldham, Vivienne Westwood, Betsey Johnson, Moschino, and Dolce & Gabbana. Many of the pieces appeared on the runway or on fellow celebrities either before or after the actor wore them on the set, making the titular nanny a genuine fashion icon. You rarely see Fran Drescher in Hollywood anymore, as she's become more selective about her acting projects and until recently, she was busy as the president of the SAG-AFTRA actors' union. But thanks to her talents and her styling team, her most famous role will always be adored by fans everywhere. For your nostalgic enjoyment, here are some of her finest fashion moments.

From the very first episode of "The Nanny," it was clear to audiences that Fran Fine was no ordinary au pair. The brash girl from Queens wore a Norma Kamali jacket featuring a leopard-print collar and buttons that were as oversized as her personality. It immediately stood out amid the preppy, conservative attire of the Sheffield household and Fran seemed destined to be a door-to-door makeup salesperson forever. But once she bonded with young Maggie, Brighton, and Gracie, their dad realized that Fran's substance mattered more than her style. 

Viewers quickly came to recognize and love Fran Fine's signature look. Each episode featured at least one outfit change, if not several, all with a similar aesthetic: mini-dresses as short as one might dare, usually with a turtleneck or long-sleeve shirt underneath, paired with dark pantyhose and pumps. As for colors, patterns, and fabrics, the sky was the limit. Animal prints? Of course! Multicolored stripes? You bet! Pleather and plastic? Why not! And because she's Fran Fine, she made it all work — and fans still love to copy her style today.

In the episode "Mommy and Mai," Fran Fine and her best friend, Val, are surprised by the arrival of the now-grown Cambodian girl they sponsored years ago. As she figures out what to do with her "daughter," Fran appears in this floral suit that could have stepped right out of Carnaby Street in the '60s. Even her hair, tamed into a flip, matches the era. As for her mom, Sylvia Fine (Renée Taylor)? Let's just say it's not hard to see where Fran got her fashion sense.

So how did Fran Fine manage to accumulate so many outfits on a nanny's salary? It helped that her on-screen cousin was none other than designer Todd Oldham, who contributed some of her best looks. This spectacular striped number appeared in Season 2, when Fran wore to the opening of Mr. Sheffield's latest play. "I don't look too much like a roll of Life Savers?" she asked Niles (via YouTube). But she had to suffer a bit for the glam: The skintight dress made it impossible for Fran to sit down!

In Season 3's "Dope Diamond," Fran gets engaged to a Dr. Jules Kimball, who takes her ring-shopping, then makes off with the sparkler she chooses. Turns out he's a notorious jewel thief. (In a sly pop culture reference, per YouTube, Fran exclaims, "Dr. Kimball is a fugitive? What are the odds?") For the episode, Drescher wore another Todd Oldham outfit, this one an explosion of colorful swirling stripes. When the suit debuted on the runway as part of Oldham's fall/winter 1995 collection, it was paired with an oversized top hat.

"The Dope Diamond" also gave Fran a chance to try out this Moschino mini-dress, featuring a strawberry pattern on a black background and a leaf-inspired collar. It was adorable, though Sylvia thought her daughter should "show some décolatessie" to appear more alluring. Moschino was a favorite choice for costume designer Brenda Cooper, who thought the line's playful designs were a perfect match for Fran's personality. "I was always looking for something that had style, something that had wit, and something that had a sense of humor," she once told CNN.

Fran Fine was almost never seen in pants — mini-dresses were her work uniform of choice — so on the rare occasions when she did reach for trousers, it made an impression. In Season 4's "Me and Mrs. Joan," she debuted these Versace Jeans Signature beauts, along with a crop top, to act out a sexy-secretary scenario with Mr. Sheffield in order to heal his relationship with his father. (You had to be there.) But it wouldn't be until the following season that Nanny Fine would finally tie the knot with her boss.

Jerry Seinfeld might not have been able to pull off a "puffy shirt" (let's face it, he did look like a pirate), but Fran Fine made it look easy. Of course, it helped that she wore one designed by Todd Oldham and paired it with a short vest to complete the look. As ensembles go, this was actually one of Fran's more subdued looks; when she wasn't wearing blazing colors, her black-and-white choices usually featured zebra-stripe patterns.

In "My Fair Nanny" from the show's first season, Fran Fine attempted to adopt a more sophisticated air so as not to embarrass Maggie's friends. It was quite a feat considering she did it in this eye-popping Moschino vest. It was such a classic look that Fran rewore it in the very next episode, "The Nuchslep." 

Then, in 2021, Fran Drescher brought it out of her real-life closet (above) to promote the Fran Jam Music Concert, an event created to support Drescher's Cancer Schmancer organization. It looks just as stunning now as it did then!