The Unforgettable Fashion of <i>Seinfeld</i>‘s Elaine Benes
The Unforgettable Fashion of Seinfeld‘s Elaine Benes
2 minute read
So many things are going on in this look. There are granny glasses, sexy lingerie, a business jacket, jeans, a 19th-century hairdo, and a 'come hither' gaze. Very confusing, which is appropriate since so many women in the 90's were trying to figure out that balance between dressing attractively and being professional.Chris Haston—NBC/Getty Images
Twenty-five years after the premiere of Seinfeld, there’s no question about the show’s outsize cultural influence. In its nine-season run, Seinfeld changed the way we talk, the way we joke and even influenced our spending habits. And, yes, the way we dress. You can see deep Seinfeld influences in what’s now called “Normcore,” a fashion trend New York Magazine identified with a photo essay in February 2014. It’s a look best described as the clothes your dad wears when goes to the mall. You know, ill-fitting jeans, fleece vests, flat sandals or white sneakers that are all about comfort.
But forget about Jerry and his famous Puffy Shirt for a second. We should be focusing on the show’s real fashion star: Elaine Benes, played by the incomparable Julia Louis-Dreyfus. We’re not the first publication to point out that many of her outfits look like something you’d find today on a hipster in Williamsburg or an American Apparel mannequin, but that doesn’t mean we can’t take a minute to appreciate her. Elaine’s real strength came from her ability to look modest but stylish: just check out the pattern mixing, the oh-so-90’s light-blue denim, the shoulder pads, floral dresses and more.
So give your BFF a shove, tell them to “Get Out!” and start doing the Little Kicks dance: It’s time to celebrate Elaine.
The lady power suit trend didn't begin with Elaine, but she mastered it by going with black on black. And Julia Louis-Dreyfus is still making us envy her suits: she wears a seemingly endless number of perfectly fitted skirt and jacket sets on her HBO show Veep.Joey Delvalle—NBC/Getty ImagesTamer than '80's rock and roll hair, Elaine's big, glossy tumult of curls was part of her signature look. Just call her the Rachel of observational comedy. And the cigar? That was just one of Eliane's many gender-bending moments on the show. It was after all the decade when women were really starting to populate the ranks of management and a little cigar-in-cheek joke was appropriate. Joey Delvalle—NBC/Getty ImagesThe hair says prairie girl, but the shoulder pads say get-out-of-my-way New Yorker. That contradiction is one of the many reasons women loved her character.Gino Mifsud—NBC/Getty ImagesOK, so Elaine might not be solely responsible for the popularity of black tights, which have become woman's most necessary staple in winter weather. But she sure knew how to rock them.George Lange—NBC/Getty ImagesSo many things are going on in this look. There are granny glasses, sexy lingerie, a business jacket, jeans, a 19th-century hairdo, and a 'come hither' gaze. Very confusing, which is appropriate since so many women in the 90's were trying to figure out that balance between dressing attractively and being professional. Chris Haston—NBC/Getty ImagesThis is basically the grown-up version of Cher's classic Clueless get-up, which was also recently seen in Iggy Azalea's Fancy video, the ultimate throwback to 90s fashion.Chris Haston—NBC/Getty ImagesUnsure of your outfit? Just add a statement necklace. (And yes, those are back in vogue too.) It's the best way to dress up a white shirt and a jacket with a perplexing honeycomb pattern.George Lange—NBC/Getty ImagesElaine's floral dress is just short enough to avoid looking like the lovechild of a sister wife and Laura Ashley. Bonus points for the granny socks and oxfords—always a classic look.George Lange—NBC/Getty ImagesMove over Carrie “I will never be the woman with the perfect hair, who can wear white and not spill on it" Bradshaw. Wearing all white everything while stuffing your face is an amazing skill and Elaine has it covered.Joey Delvalle—NBC/Getty Images
