Throwback Pics Of Lisa Kudrow Show Off Her Peak '90s Outfits

We can't talk about pop culture in the 1990s without mentioning "Friends." The iconic sitcom not only set fashion trends, but also made influential stars out of its main cast members. Along with Jennifer Aniston and Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow had the world at her fingertips for most of the decade. Though we primarily love her for her comedic genius, Kudrow was also a keen fashionista, riding the wave of '90s trends on red carpets. 

One of the most surprising elements of Kudrow's '90s wardrobe is how different it was from that of her "Friends" character, Phoebe Buffay. Phoebe was known for her quirky, bohemian-inspired outfits, while in real life, Kudrow was chic and fashionable, adopting contemporary trends like silk shirts, leather outerwear, and minimalist styles. However, there was some crossover between Kudrow's wardrobe and her famous character's. Like many '90s it-girls, both were fans of velvet, maxi slips, and glamorous updos. Both also had room for jeans, and for Kudrow, this meant occasionally wearing denim to red carpets, as many celebrities of the era did. 

Looking through Kudrow's best fashion moments of the '90s, it's clear she knew how to rock formal red carpet 'fits and also more relaxed street style. "When I have to 'appear' somewhere, I'm more comfortable wearing pants or a suit," Kudrow later told The Edit in 2014 (via Time). Even in the 1990s, there were hints of this comfort-first fashion ethos emerging, with the "P.S. I Love You" star's abundance of pants-based looks, which leaned more androgynous than her usual dresses. Between her sequinned gowns, straight-leg pants, and on-trend accessories (think chain belts and red carpet scarves), Kudrow cultivated the ultimate '90s lookbook with ease. 

If there were only one trend to define the 1990s' minimalist style aesthetic, it would be the classic slip. Lisa Kudrow elevated the era's staple at the 1999 Emmys by combining it with another '90s trend: sequins. The "Friends" star looked impossibly chic at the event with a figure-hugging black shimmering slip made even more glamorous with a train. She iced her look with statement bling on her neck and ears, wearing her hair in a simple updo to show off her accessories.

The thought of wearing a scarf to a red carpet, or even pairing any formal dress with a scarf, might seem bonkers now, but this silhouette was all the rage in the '90s. Lisa Kudrow hopped on the trend at the Fire and Ice Ball in Los Angeles, California, in 1998, and in her vibrant red gown, she certainly fit the "fire" theme. The actor draped a cream scarf with fringe and orange-brown pops of color around her shoulders, adding another element of interest to her look. She embraced sequins on the bust of her coppery-red dress, which was as slinky as we'd expect of the decade. 

There are casual ways to style your favorite little black dress, and then there's this. Little black dresses are essential in any decade, but Lisa Kudrow's LBD was seriously '90s-coded at the Friends Helping Friends Gala in 1997. Posing with bestie Jennifer Aniston, who also had on a strapless LBD, Kudrow went all out on the era's minimalism in a scoop-neck, above-knee frock. Kudrow managed to upgrade the LBD style with accessories, including pearls, a sophisticated updo, and closed-toe shoes. The accessories and hairstyle gave the outfit a slight "Breakfast at Tiffany's" edge, but the simplicity of the look places it squarely in the '90s.

Like other '90s staples, the women's waistcoat returned to the fashion fore in the 2020s, and in the garment's heyday, there was no end to the ways celebs styled the look. At the VH1 Honors event in 1995, Lisa Kudrow made the garment doubly '90s with a few adjustments. She wore it with high-waisted pants that still weren't high enough to completely cover her abs, resulting in a cropped look that was standard for the era. If that weren't enough, she dressed up her straight-leg slacks with a sparkly chain belt — just in case anyone was confused about what decade this was.

Leather outerwear evolves with the times, but the '90s version was typically oversized, more like a blazer than a moto jacket. At the 1999 MTV Movie Awards in Santa Monica, California, Lisa Kudrow was too cool for school in a leather blazer with split cuffs. The sleeve detail showed off her fiery silk shirt beneath — yet another '90s trend — and she completed the ensemble with flared chrome slacks and pointed-toe heels. The differing designs on the footwear made this look especially quirky, but the rest of the 'fit is peak '90s.

Julia Roberts? Claudia Schiffer? This 1997 snap might be of Lisa Kudrow, but her wardrobe is interchangeable with every icon of the decade who embraced the clean lines of minimalism. As the "Analyze This" actor attended the opening of a play in Century City, California, she donned straight-leg jeans, a relaxed white button-up, and a suede black blazer. The barely-there makeup, carefree hairstyle, and subdued mini crossbody bag really cement this ensemble as a '90s classic. Plus, this has to be one of the best unexpected ways to style a blazer.

Lisa Kudrow was definitely a fan of the silk shirt trend that took over the decade. At the "Jumanji" premiere in 1995, she went with a lilac iteration that was barely visible except for the statement cuffs and lapels. But the hint of purple did break up the rest of the look, which consisted of a pinstripe blazer and a black miniskirt. Putting these pieces together probably wouldn't even occur to fashionistas today, but it's just how they did it in '95. The layering is also a great way to wear a miniskirt in winter.

After a mega-successful '90s, Lisa Kudrow ended the decade with a bang at the Academy Awards in 1999. Again, she reached for the best of '90s crazes to leave the biggest impression. Her two-piece silver and dove-gray dress by Randolph Duke featured a body-hugging sequined bodice, which was totally on-trend. The bottom of the dress was much heavier satin, also a frequent staple on the era's red carpets. Kudrow looked stunning in the sparkly number, driving home the '90s factor with a mini handbag, muted makeup, and a tidy updo. 

Between the satin gowns and polished updos, glamour in the 1990s was undeniable. But don't forget, this was also the era when celebrities wore jeans to red carpets. In 1999, Lisa Kudrow attended the LA premiere of "Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace," and she ditched the glitzy dress for a laidback pair of straight jeans. While she could have dressed it up with a statement top, she went low-key in the most '90s way possible with a pale-blue sweater set.

Florals are a constant in all eras, but flowery dresses with large prints really had their moment in the 1990s. Lisa Kudrow nailed the brief at the 1997 Emmys, as she was rising to the height of her "Friends" popularity. She teamed the steel-blue embellished maxi with retro velvet shoes, which spoke to the general love of velvet in the decade, and a teased updo. Given the off-beat floral design, the maxi length, and the velvet, this look had Phoebe Buffay written all over it. Speaking of which, here are the iconic beauty and fashion tips "Friends" gave us.