Friends was one of the finest TV shows of all time and, some would argue, the best sitcom ever made. It aired from 1994 to 2004, running for 10 seasons in total. The show that was created by David Crane and Marta Kauffman introduced us to the amazing characters of Ross, Rachel, Chandler, Monica, Phoebe, and Joey – six best friends who lived together in Manhattan.
The show gave us so many happy memories, from births and weddings to hilarious and unpredictable encounters and situations in every single episode, and it was also the televisual embodiment of the 1990s. Everything about the show screams the 90s, including the outfits! Rachel, who works in the fashion business at various points throughout the show and is definitely the most stylish of the bunch, had some of the best outfits of all.
Let’s take a look at some of her finest ensembles.
Beautiful Faux Fur
Especially in the early years, Rachel was never afraid to go big, bold, and colorful with her clothing choices. She could routinely be spotted in colorful outfits that the other characters never seemed to wear, like this fuchsia faux fur coat, which really stands out with its bright tones and fluffy texture.
It’s a sassy and stylish piece, especially when combined with the subdued black and white tones of her top and skirt, and it really sums up Rachel’s daring, outgoing attitude and love of fashion. She was a character who was always willing to take risks in pursuit of her dreams, like when she quit her job at the Central Perk cafe to pursue a career in fashion.
Simple but Oh so Stylish
In this picture, we see Rachel Green, played to perfection by the extraordinary Jennifer Aniston, in a more relaxed and casual outfit from one of the later seasons of Friends, reflecting her more laid-back and happy go lucky attitude to life, love, and relationships later on as the years went by.
This outfit begins with a pair of classy sandals, with a canvas green skirt that manages to effortlessly blend elegance and casual grace all at once. A simple white motif T-shirt finishes off the outfit in just the right way, with a couple of little bracelet accessories helping to give Rachel a playful look as she leans in close for a kiss with Joey.
Soccer Mom Style
This has to be one of Rachel Green’s most iconic looks. Anyone who ever watched Friends can instantly recall Rachel in those faded mom jeans and a simple white tee. It was a casual, comfortable, and simple look that let the pure and natural beauty of the character and the actress shine through.
It’s amazing to see just how a simple pair of jeans and a white T-shirt can elevate someone’s style and make them look oh so fabulous, but Rachel pulled off the look to perfection. She proved that we didn’t need elaborate dresses or frilly robes to look our best. Sometimes, the simple classics are all you need!
Looking Good for the Office
This outfit was seen at a time in the show where Rachel was living the high life, breaking away from her coffee shop roots and building up quite an impressive career in the fashion world. Throughout the show’s 10 seasons, she works for both Bloomingdale’s and Ralph Lauren, gradually working her way up the ranks and paying her dues until she can finally make her fashion dreams come true.
And as Rachel becomes more professional and established in the fashion world, we see her looks begin to evolve too. This classy outfit is the perfect option for a day at the office, with a graceful blouse, skirt, and belt combo. The buttons undone on the sleeves and at the top of the blouse add some casual fun to an otherwise formal ensemble.
The Glitz and Glamor of Rachel Green
Here we can see yet another side of Rachel’s character and fashion sense. It’s quite extraordinary to look at all the outfits worn by the character over the course of the show, as she really varies things up with everything from blouses and suits to dresses, skirts, and summer clothing too. This photo shows Rachel and some other members of the gang in their finest clothes.
Even with a gorgeous Courteney Cox beside her in the role of Monica Geller, Rachel still stands out with this sleek, chic, little black dress. She was often spotted in similar slip dresses throughout Friends’ history, often pairing them with heels and a few simple pieces of jewelry to bring out her beauty even further without ever going too far.
Floral Fun
Here’s a dress of a different kind over the shoulders of Jennifer Aniston as Rachel Green. This floral number shows off Rachel’s cuter and more casual side. It’s not exactly the sort of dress one might wear to a gala or grand event, but it’s pretty enough for a day around town or a date night with a special someone, like any of Rachel’s many boyfriends.
Rachel dated a huge number of guys throughout the show, including hunky high school dude, Chip Matthews, and the Italian Stallion, Paolo! She was also married to a dentist named Barry for a little while, but her ultimate love affair has to be the on and off relationship she enjoys with Ross.
Back to the Beginning
For one of Rachel’s best looks, we have to go all the way back to the start of the show! This outfit was seen in just the 19th episode of the 1st season, entitled ‘The One Where The Monkey Gets Away.’ Here, we see Rachel in an absolutely adorable plaid skirt and cozy white sweater tucked in, along with a pair of knee-high socks that really cap off that ‘schoolgirl’ look she seems to be going for.
What’s great about this outfit is how timeless it is. Sure, it was a peak 90s outfit, but it can still work well in the modern era. You can copy Rachel entirely with the skirt and sweater combo, or you could just take the skirt and socks and add your own top like a graphic tee or even a tank top in summer.
Hey Big Spender
If there’s one image that really sums up the character of Rachel and everything she’s about, it’s this one right here! Rachel loves to shop. We learn this very early on in the show, and we’re reminded of it many, many times throughout the 10 seasons. In fact, there’s even a time where Rachel boasts that she gets to ‘shop for a living’ after becoming a buyer at Bloomingdale’s.
For this big shopping trip, in which she’s loaded down with bags, later on, Rachel opted for a classy black dress with sheer long sleeves and embroidered flowers, just right for a stroll around town. It’s elegant and easy on the eye for those moments when you’re taking a look in the high-end boutiques, but comfortable enough to help you enjoy your day without feeling constricted.
Looking Cool in the Summer Sun
Remember when Rachel dated Bruce Willis!? Yes, that was a storyline that actually happened in Friends. The show used to have all kinds of surprising and unexpected guest stars, including Brad Pitt, who Jennifer Aniston actually ended up marrying in real life. Either way, this fun image shows off one of Rachel’s casual, summer styles with some tropical fun.
When the sun starts to shine, and the weather warms up, it’s time to get colorful with your outfits, but you don’t want to go too far. Rachel totally gets that! She keeps things subtle and subdued with the green pants and white mini-top beneath her floral, colorful, tropical short-sleeve blouse. It’s a look that was made for lazy days at the beach or relaxing by the side of a pool.
Fit for a Queen
Sometimes, the simplest outfits are among the most memorable. And that was the case with this early season ensemble from Rachel Green. In this episode, Rachel is wearing some comfortable sweatpants, just right for lazing around the home and feeling warm and comfortable when you don’t want to go the trouble of getting all dressed up.
However, even though Rachel is sporting such a classic, cozy, comfortable pair of pants, she still manages to jazz up her look with this awesome little tee, featuring a simple queen’s crown right in the center. It’s such a simple tee shirt, the kind of item many people overlook when browsing in their favorite fashion shops. However, as Rachel shows here, you don’t always need a big motif or colorful pattern to look fashionable.
The Best Ever Episode
Here we can see a sporty look from Rachel Green in what has been consistently voted as one of, if not the best episode of Friends ever made: The One With The Football. Here, Rachel shows off her athletic side with playful pigtails, a backward cap, some sweatpants, sneakers, and a classic athletic tee shirt.
This outfit is ideal for trips to the park with your friends, just like in this awesome episode of the show, which featured the gang heading out of their apartment for a not-so-friendly game of Thanksgiving football. To this day, hardcore fans of the show still argue over which team technically won the game and which team deserved to take home the prize trophy.
The Blushing Bridesmaid
Rachel gets married a few times throughout the show. She starts off married to Barry and is first seen rushing into Central Perk in a wedding dress, and she has a few ups and downs at the altar in the seasons that follow. However, here we can see her as the bridesmaid rather than the bride. Alongside Lisa Kudrow’s Phoebe, Rachel was chosen to be a bridesmaid for Monica and Chandler’s wedding day.
Phoebe looks fantastic, but Rachel’s figure, hairstyle, and skin tone really match flawlessly with this floral green dress. The way she holds the bouquet against the fabric helps to enhance the look, too, almost making the flowers seem like a part of her outfit. It’s one of Rachel’s best ever looks.
The Animal Kingdom
Just like Rachel’s relationship with Ross Geller, animal prints have been on and off in the fashion world over the years. Sometimes, they’re the hottest trend around, while other times, they’re considered more than a little passé. Rachel was wearing this mix of leopard and cow print coat, with matching handbag accessory, at a time when people were a little unsure about animal prints.
She helped to bring animal prints like this into the spotlight and was way ahead of her time, as she so often was throughout the show. Whoever was doing the work backstage, picking out Rachel’s costumes for each show was clearly a fashion guru to be able to make such wise and surprising decisions.
Split Leg Style
Too often, when shopping for clothes or picking out an outfit for a big night out or special occasion, people tend to feel like they need to go big, with lots of bright and bold colors, patterns, textures, and designs. Rachel, however, always showed us that ‘less is more’ when it comes to clothing.
Just take a look at this outfit for a perfect example of Rachel’s sense of style. She wore a long, split leg dress of a single, plain color, with a beautiful bracelet around her wrist and a classy pair of heels on her feet. That was all she needed to look utterly fabulous for this big night out with her friends.
Taking a Tee to the Next Level
Throughout the entire series run of Friends, Rachel Green subtly and silently gave us so many amazing fashion tips, purely through the clothes she was wearing in each scene and episode. And this was another amazing example of that. Here, we can see Rachel in a puff-sleeve crop top. It’s one of the most useful garments you can have in your wardrobe.
Essentially, a puff-sleeve crop top like this one is the next step up from a simple white tee. It’s way dressier and classy, ideal for both formal events and informal hang-outs with your buddies. It goes with pretty much everything, from jeans to skirts, and forms the perfect foundation of countless outfits.
That’s So 90s
If you’re looking for a perfect embodiment of Rachel’s authentic 90s style, here’s the one for you. In this episode, Rachel wore dark pantyhose, a short black skirt, and this colorful, long sleeve tee that really flatters her figure and shows off her playful side, while also allowing her to look gorgeous once again.
It’s one of those outfits that would often be seen in the 90s but is much rarer nowadays. Anyone who has nostalgia for that incredible decade can simply watch the show and relive it all over again. Did you know that ‘Friends’ wasn’t even the original title for the show? The creators originally wanted to call it ‘Insomnia Cafe’ or ‘Six of One’ before eventually settling on something simpler.
Back To Basics
Get back to basics with this classic 90s look. Here, we can see Rachel wearing a lovely set of denim shortalls. We used to see this look a lot back in the 1990s. It disappeared for a while, but shortalls are slowly starting to make a comeback as more and more people opt for a bit of vintage style.
Rachel really makes this look work for her with those classic white sneakers, a striped tee, and a dark jacket all over the top, but you can play around with the formula in many different ways. Different colored tees and jackets can work brilliantly over the short overall base. Give it a try and see what you can do with this iconic Friends outfit.
Simple Sophistication from Rachel Green
This outfit was seen in one of the later seasons of the show when Rachel’s character evolved greatly. In the early seasons, she’s a little selfish and ditzy, but she grows greatly as a character as time goes by, learning much about herself and becoming more confident and independent along the way.
Her changes in character and personality are mirrored in her outfits, which seem to become more grown-up and sophisticated as time goes by. Here is a fine example of that, as Rachel sports a classy pair of grey pants, some short heels, and a simple pink top to finish it off. As usual, she has a bracelet around her left wrist as one of her only accessories. It’s a quintessential Rachel outfit that can still be relevant in the modern era.
USA! USA! USA!
Here’s another awesome Rachel look that continues to combine those classic elements she does so well: simplicity and style. Once more, Rachel opts for a black and white combo and is rarely seen in bold, bright colors or highly complex, patterned attire. She keeps things simple and classy with this knitted USA sweater and cute black skirt, with dark pantyhose underneath.
Did you know that this similar sweater to this one started to sell out in the wake of its appearance on Friends? That just goes to show how influential Rachel Green’s character and the show were in general. Everyone seemed to follow Friends in the 90s and early 2000s, having their own favorite characters and moments.
A Classic Rachel Outfit
Rachel often wore chic, sleek, figure-hugging clothes throughout the show, and why wouldn’t she? Jennifer Aniston is famed for her remarkable figure, always staying slim even as the years went by. In fact, she still looks as good nowadays as she did back in the 90s, and could probably still make this outfit work too.
Worn in the episode where Rachel has to hire her very own assistant and ends up choosing an attractive but unqualified young man named Tag, who she later ends up dating briefly, this outfit features a Rachel classic: a cute cropped knit with a turtleneck collar and a form-fitting long skirt with an adorable plaid pattern. It’s a great outfit for a working environment, allowing the wearer to look elegant and refined while still showing off their unique personality.
Dark and Mysterious
Here’s another Rachel outfit that once again features a cropped knit. She really seems to have a whole wardrobe just full of those things! We see a whole lot of them throughout the show’s run, including this little black number that Rachel has chosen to pair with some sleek black pants and a pair of black shoes too.
It’s a dark and mysterious look that brings out the beauty of her face and hair, while also serving to highlight her slim figure. Everyone knows that black is one of the most slimming colors around, but many people feel a little nervous about wearing an all-black outfit. Well, the next time you worry about that, just take a look at Rachel here. She makes it work without even needing any accessories.
Beautiful Buttons
Rachel often surprises us with her choice of dresses. Rather than opting for short, cut-off, dresses to show off her slim legs, she often wears longer dresses that cover up most of her body, like this classy black number with a long line of cute little buttons, all in a row down the middle.
The long-sleeved top underneath the dress enhances the look, with its low neck drawing attention to Rachel’s charming necklace. Again, she wears a little bracelet on her left wrist and keeps her accessories simple and subdued, as was often the case in the 90s. It’s a cute look, and this kind of dress has seen a real resurgence in popularity in recent years, with more and more high profile designers adding buttons to their creations.
Tying the Knot
This is another one of those Friends outfits that could only work on Rachel. Here, she’s wearing a cropped button-down shirt that has been tied in a knot, revealing a little skin as she often did throughout the show. You can recreate the look at home by grabbing a boyfriend’s shirt and tying it up yourself or finding a particularly long blouse to tie off.
It’s another cute and casual look, ideal for lazing around the house while also looking sexy and confident at the same time. In short, it’s an outfit that really brings all of the best elements of Rachel’s personality to the forefront. Here’s another interesting Rachel fact you might not have known: the role was originally offered to Courtney Cox, who played Monica on the show.
That’s So Rachel
This look has it all. We’ve got the classic white sneakers Rachel so often wears. We’ve got some plaid making another appearance. We’ve got a graphic white tee shirt. And we’ve got a casual sweater wrapped around her waist. It’s one of those awesome early season Rachel outfits that brings together many different elements that defined her look back in the mid-90s.
This a fun casual outfit for hanging out with your friends, and it’s one that Jennifer Aniston really makes work for her throughout the episode in question. Interestingly, Rachel was absolutely Aniston’s breakout role. Unlike some of her co-stars, she hadn’t done much-acting work at all before the show began and was considered a bit of a casting risk.
Another Tie-Front Shirt
Earlier on, we saw Rachel in a tied shirt, and here she is with a similar look. This time, however, it was actually a work outfit that Rachel had chosen to adjust in her own manner, tying off the bottom of her simple white blouse with the nametag on the side.
She pairs the shirt with a high-rise skirt with a cute print, and, once again, we choose to blend the neutral tones of black and white throughout her ensemble. This look might not fly in most modern workplaces, but it’s still a fun outfit you can play around with at home. It’s outfitted like this that helped Rachel be seen as such a fashion icon in the 90s and have such a huge impact on fashion culture and trends of the time.
Back in Black
We see Rachel in all-black outfits several times throughout the show’s run, and this was one of the best examples of that. Sporting stylish black jeans and a classy sleeveless top, this outfit shines the spotlight firmly on Aniston’s figure. It’s also amazing evidence of how Rachel never needed to wear anything flashy or fancy to stand out in a scene.
In 1994, when Friends was first being produced, cast, and prepared, Aniston nearly missed out on her role of a lifetime. She was working on another sitcom at the time, Muddling Through, and only just managed to wrap filming on that as it got canceled in time for her to continue working on Friends. If Muddling Through had been renewed for another season, her role would probably have been filled by another actress.
A Little Black Dress
Once more, Rachel wows us all with nothing but black! This dress was one of the most elegant and sexy she ever wore on the show, with its low neck, frilly sleeves, and stylish cut flattering her figure while still allowing her to remain elegant and refined. She pairs the dress with some simple accessories and a classy black clutch.
It’s interesting to note how high Aniston’s own personal star rose for the show. Before Friends began, she was arguably the least well known of the six main actors. However, in the years since it became a big hit, she went on to have more success than any of them, appearing in many successful films and becoming a superstar in more ways than one.
50 Shades of Purple
We’ve seen a lot of Rachel’s outfits involving neutral colors, with lots of blacks, whites, grays, and similar tones. Here, however, we get to see a totally different look for the character. This feels like an outfit that might have been more in the style of Phoebe, who was often seen in bright colors that reflected her outgoing and vibrant personality, but it works nicely on Rachel too.
Aniston is seen here in a cute cami, with a mixture of pink and purple shades making up her outfit and matching nicely with her hair color. This is a really nice sort of outfit to wear in the spring or summertime when the birds are singing, and the sun is shining brightly.
A Cropped Cardi
There’s a lot to love about this cute Rachel outfit, which once again makes use of black and white tones and a cropped knit cardi, but mixes things up a little with the unique pattern and text, as well as the sexy mini skirt underneath. You could adapt this look in a variety of ways, matching a cropped cardigan with some jeans or a longer skirt, or choose to copy Rachel completely.
Jennifer Aniston won major plaudits for her role as Rachel. Many reviewers in the early years of Friends said that she was the best character in the show and helped it attract so many viewers. Some even argue that Friends would have been canceled without her. She was rewarded for her work with an Emmy and a Golden Globe.
The Super Long Skirt
Rachel must have taken inspiration from her own apartment when picking out this outfit! Her super long skirt seems to be almost exactly the same shade as the lilac walls and door she’s standing beside. She matches the skirt, which comes right down to her ankles, with a simple white tank top.
This is another example of Rachel proving that less is more and opting for simple, plainclothes without over the top patterns, motifs, or colors. Interestingly, it was Aniston’s hair, rather than her choice of clothes, that really had the biggest impact on female fashion in the 90s. Her second season style became known as ‘The Rachel’ and was requested in salons all over the globe.
Two in One
This list is all about Rachel, but we have to admit that there are two awesome outfits in this image! Phoebe is sporting some super cute feathered hair clips here that are definitely deserving of mention, but Rachel steals the spotlight once more with this lace top. It’s got a really nice dose of vintage flair that would work perfectly in the modern era, just as it did in the 90s.
The ivory tone of the top blends beautifully with Aniston’s skin tone and hair, and the black pants draw the attention upwards while highlighting her slim figure once again. She never seems to stop showing us that black and white is one of the best combos you can go for when it comes to casual and formal outfits alike.
Dressed to Impress
If you want an example of 90s fashion that just wouldn’t be seen nowadays, this might be it. Although, with a bit of a 90s resurgence in recent times and more people opting for the ‘retro’ look, we might start seeing outfits like this one back on our city streets in the months and years to come. Either way, this outfit is a Rachel classic, with denim overalls, a brown jacket, and a white graphic tee hidden underneath it all.
Monica is wearing a pretty classy black outfit too, and both of the ladies were dressed to impress in this episode, as they actually met up with two hunky doctors, played by George Clooney and Noah Wyle, referencing their characters on another awesome 90s show: ER.
The One Where It All Began
This isn’t exactly an outfit you can wear on a typical day at work or lounging around the home, but it’s still one of the most iconic and significant costumes the character of Rachel Green was ever seen wearing. This lovely lace, off the shoulder wedding dress, complete with classy veil, was spotted in the very first episode.
Simply entitled ‘The Pilot’ but also known as ‘The One Where It All Began,’ the first episode of the show interested us to Rachel in quite a dramatic way. She arrives in a wedding dress, having just run out of her own wedding after realizing she wasn’t happy with her partner at the time and wanted more from life. She then moves in with Monica, starting off the amazing stories that would continue for the following 10 years.
Pretty In Pink
Here’s another one of Rachel Green’s outfits from the pilot episode of Friends. Once she finally gets out of the wedding dress, she changes into something a little more casual and comfortable, wearing a cozy and cute pale pink shirt, tied at the waist, over a simple white tee.
Out of all the characters on Friends, who each undergo personal journeys and shifts throughout the show, Rachel’s arc might be the most dramatic. In this initial episode, she’s spoilt, bratty, and relies solely on her father’s money to get by. Later, however, she becomes far more independent. She develops inner strength and admirable confidence, gradually learning how to take care of herself and make her own way in life.
She Means Business
We’ve seen Rachel looking casual with her sweatpants and tees, and we’ve seen her looking more elegant and formal with her blouses and long dresses. This is much more of business long, as Rachel once more opts for a very long skirt and matching light blue blazer. When she wore colorful clothes, Rachel often seemed to opt for subtle and pastel tones, rather than bright, bombastic shades.
Many hardcore Friends fans don’t know that Rachel’s original name in the early scripts for the show was Rachel Robbins. Before the show even began, it was planned that it would revolve around Rachel as the core character, especially after the writers saw how good Aniston could act and the excellent on-screen chemistry she had with David Schwimmer’s Ross.
Ready For Anything
This image is taken from one of the later seasons of the show when Rachel has developed from that panicking young runaway bride we saw at the beginning into a bold, confident businesswoman, ready for anything and eager for her next adventure. This look really reflects her changing personality.
Here, with a zebra-style shirt tucked beneath a sleek blazer, Rachel’s love of fashion and her burgeoning professional career combine to form an ensemble that is both sophisticated and sexy all at the same time. Rachel was the very last character in the show to be cast, and it seemed like the producers just couldn’t decide who should take part. They originally wanted Tea Leoni, but she turned it down.
Wild Thing
It takes a special kind of someone to pull off leopard print clothes with even a little success, but Rachel Green was able to do just that with this amazing outfit. The soft and cozy leopard print vest, placed over an all-black ensemble, really works with Aniston’s hair color at the time.
Many people thought that Aniston was crazy for accepting a role on Friends when it first started up. She was being offered a spot on Saturday Night Live at the same time but decided that a sitcom was better suited to her talents than a sketch show. Adam Sandler ridiculed Aniston for her decision, but it proved to be the right one as Friends became one of the most successful shows ever made.
One of the Most Memorable Looks
Rachel Green wore some really memorable outfits throughout the show. Every fan can remember a few off the top of their head, and this might be one of the ones you remember the most. It appeared in the second episode, The One with the Sonogram at the End.
This outfit shows Rachel in a cropped denim vest while on the job at Central Perk. This was one of the first times we’d ever get to see Rachel in a cropped top, but it was a trend she repeated many more times throughout the run of Friends. She also famously sports quite a lot of denim throughout the show, from jackets and tops to overalls and jeans.
An Early Plaid Sighting
Here’s a shot from the fifth episode of the first season of Friends, giving us our first glimpse at Rachel’s love affair with Plaid. For this episode, entitled The One with the East German Laundry Detergent, Rachel is wearing a blue and green plaid sleeveless shirt. It’s a super cute shirt and, in typical Rachel style, it was knotted at the waist, paired with some navy high-waist pants.
Friends was the sixth sitcom Aniston had appeared in at the time. All of the others had been canceled very quickly, and this led the actress to start doubting her talents. It seemed like every job she got ended in failure, and she worried that she was the cause of the problem. Luckily, after speaking with friends and trying out Friends, she started to get her confidence back.
Two Beautiful Ladies
Here we can see two of the show’s three leading ladies, Jennifer Aniston as Rachel and Courteney Cox as Monica. Both women are wearing lovely dresses, but Aniston really stands out in her timeless checkered number and messy hairstyle. This leads us to one last intriguing fact regarding the character of Rachel Green.
Originally, Courteney Cox was the producers’ top choice to play Rachel, rather than Monica. When she read the scripts, Cox felt like she was a better fit for Monica instead. Meanwhile, when Aniston saw the scripts and was asked to audition for the role of Monica, she felt like her personality matched better with the role of Rachel. Both actresses seemed to understand the characters better than the creators!