Fashion Obscura: Fall TV’s Best Dressed

Olivia Starr

One of the best things about fashion is its ability to teach us about a person without them ever opening their mouth. Granted, characters on TV open their mouths a lot, especially these three, but the idea still rings true. Their clothes are a tool to visually express their personalities. As with anything made in Hollywood, television amplifies what we see in our everyday lives. The outfits are bolder, more dramatic, and styled to a tee. That also makes it even more fun to tune in every week to some of fall’s most popular shows. Here’s the style breakdown of some of TV’s current leading ladies.

Mindy Lahiri, The Mindy Project

Mindy Kaling in The Mindy Project
Mindy Kaling in The Mindy Project

Mindy Kaling hired costume designer Salvador Perez (who has also worked in popular films like Pitch Perfect and Think Like a Man) when The Mindy Project debuted in 2012 and he truly hits it out of the park every time. Kaling’s character, Mindy Lahiri, is unabashedly larger than life, so her clothes really reflect this quality. She is usually found in a knee-length dress and coat with a ladylike handbag and heels, but occasionally rocks pants with a cropped jacket or blazer.

Key elements: bright colors, dresses, prints, mixed textures, and lots of layers

Chanel Oberlin, Scream Queens

Emma Roberts in Scream Queens
Emma Roberts in Scream Queens

Played by Emma Roberts, Chanel basically epitomizes the quick-witted and terrifying mean girl, with great clothes to boot. She strives for perfection in all areas of her life, and her put-together and preppy look expresses this from head to toe. Chanel never shows too much skin, and is usually found in a conservative, but very stylish ensemble, consisting of a skirt, heels, and a coordinating top.

Key elements: feathers, tweed, pastels, dresses and skirts, muted statement jewelry, blonde waves, pink lips

Cookie Lyon, Empire

Taraji P. Henson in Empire
Taraji P. Henson in Empire

Cookie is probably best known for her take-no-prisoners attitude that sometimes borders on crazy. Her outfits often feel a lot like her one-liners; they pack a punch and are unforgettable. She is usually found in something skin-tight and gaudy accessorized with the most jewelry as possible and a bright lip. Cookie’s style essentially screams “look at me,” but in a brilliant way that only she could pull off.

Key elements: gold, animal print, fur, statement jewelry, monochrome, signature stare