Remember The '80s Sitcom Designing Women? What The Surviving Cast Looks Like Today

"Designing Women" made waves during the '80s as a groundbreaking sitcom renowned for its strong female leads. Where are they today? Among the show's leading ladies were the late Dixie Carter, who played Julia Sugarbaker; Delta Burke, who took on the role of Suzanne Sugarbaker; Annie Potts, who portrayed Mary Jo Shively; and Jean Smart as Charlene Frazier. Later, the cast was expanded to include two additional prominent female roles. Julia Duffy appeared as Allison Sugarbaker in Season 6. Judith Ivey also took on the role of Bonnie Jean "B.J." Poteet and became a major part of the series' final season.

The leading ladies were not only beloved for their indisputable chemistry and for challenging conventions, but their characterization also helped redefine feminine fashion in the '80s. While each costume was carefully designed to embody each character's personality, a closer look at their appearances highlights how their costumes also reflected the evolving approach to women's business fashion in the '80s. Bold blazers with shoulder pads were often paired with voluminous bouffants, pencil skirts, and glamorous accessories, reflecting the different dimensions of womanhood. 

You may have seen what the most beloved '80s sitcom daughters look like now, and even what the most iconic sitcom moms of the '80s look like now, but the iconic ladies of "Designing Women" helped shape new ideas of femininity and have evolved to reflect a womanhood that is even more diverse. While some are almost unrecognizable today, others are living proof that their characters will always be a part of them. Needless to say, all of them remain fashion icons.

Delta Burke portrayed Suzanne Sugarbaker, a fabulous former beauty queen and attention-seeking employee at the firm, for a total of five seasons. She was also the sister of Julia Sugarbaker, the owner of the firm. Throughout Burke's many years on the show, she dressed in fitted blazers, tight dresses, and statement jewelry. Her character's wardrobe included bold garments, including wide-brimmed hats and lively scarves that exuded the vibrant fashion trends of the '80s. On the show, Burke also donned a voluminous black bouffant that nodded to the larger-than-life hair trends of the era, and her outfits occasionally embraced color-blocking fads.

In recent years, Burke has continued to embrace modern color-blocking trends, and her love for vibrant colors shows no sign of fading. In 2017, the actor posed at the Creative Arts Emmy Awards wearing a red ensemble featuring a glossy satin dress and a sheer sparkly cardigan. On the "Glamorous Trash" podcast, Burke reminisced about her time as a Sugarbaker stating that the show "gave me an amazing character to get to play ... She evolved and I loved how she evolved. I treasure that I had that [35:37]," Burke said.

While she clearly still enjoys monochrome looks, Burke's hair has undergone a complete transformation, and the actor has traded her signature bouffant for a sleek bob instead. Burke's makeup remained reflective of her character, particularly through her black eyeliner — a staple element of Sugarbaker's appearance.

Mary Jo Shively, the firm's most dedicated employee, a mother, and head designer, was played by Annie Potts. From beginning to end, Potts appeared in the series for almost a decade. With flaming red hair, which was often curled and teased until it was piled high on her head, the character was instantly recognizable. Her wardrobe included a variety of garments, from flouncy dresses and lace scarves to sophisticated turtleneck blouses and pencil skirts. The character would often experiment with different textures and bold patterns. Check her white lace scarf over her paisley-pattern dress pictured above.

As of 2026, Potts looks remarkably different. Since Potts continued to be cast in more leading roles after "Designing Women" concluded, the world has been able to witness her evolution with their own eyes. In fact, in more recent years, she has even been recognized as one of the leading ladies of "Young Sheldon" who have transformed before our eyes. At Fox's "Best Medicine" panel in 2026, the actor showcased her new pixie cut — a far cry from her voluminous '80s hairstyle. The actor has replaced her vibrant orange hue with a chocolate-brown shade and blond highlights.

Potts also wore a striking ensemble that featured a chunky pearl choker and a leather jacket, merging a biker-inspired style with more mature accents. If it wasn't for her continued unique sense of style, it's fair to say Potts is almost unrecognizable now.

Nobody could have predicted how great Jean Smart would look when she took on the role of the kindhearted office manager Charlene Frazier. Like Delta Burke, Smart also left "Designing Women" after Season 5. However, her early departure from the show didn't stop her from making her mark. Smart's character was as naive as they come, but she had a relentless desire to find out more about the world. She donned one of two hairstyles, each one nodding to the voluminous '80s hair trends. Throughout the show, she appeared with either a bouncy and round blond bouffant or a blond choppy mullet — with volume, of course. Smart was dressed in ensembles that were less experimental than the other female leads, but she exuded a refined charm nonetheless.

In recent years, Smart has become significantly more daring with her own wardrobe. At the 2026 Emmy Awards, the actor won Outstanding Lead Actress for her role in HBO's "Hacks" and accepted her award wearing a metallic gown. Smart's silver-and-black gown featured a risqué neckline that was barely concealed by a piece of sheer fabric. The daring V-neckline extended into balloon sleeves that elevated the silhouette of her ensemble. While her gown was a complete contrast to the more modest dresses worn by her character in "Designing Women," Smart maintained her signature voluminous blond bouffant hairstyle — but with a twist. Instead, her hair was swept into a glamorous beehive-style updo.

Julia Duffy may have only entered "Designing Women" as Allison Sugarbaker in Season 6, but everyone remembers her thanks to her dominating presence and obnoxious personality on the show. Duffy often appeared in scenes wearing refined ensembles that featured blazers or button-up jackets. She was as glamorous as she was sophisticated, and she didn't shy away from chunky earrings. In true "Designing Women" fashion, Duffy was another cast member who embraced the era's love for voluminous hairstyles. However, while she wore her hair in a rounded bouffant, her hair was teased and frizzy — a complete contrast to her attention-to-detail clothing style.

Cut to 2026, and Duffy's hair couldn't look more different from her character. When the actor attended Apple TV's screening of the Season 2 finale of "Palm Royale" in 2026, she showcased her striking new image. In recent years, Duffy has embraced a platinum blond hue in her hair, and while she still dons a bob, she opts for a straight finish with flipped-out ends instead. Unlike her frizzy bangs in the '80s, the actor dons parted curtain bangs that look almost organized.

Duffy's hair may not reflect her character, but her lasting love for tailoring sure does. At the event, the actor wore a velour blazer-inspired jacket that put a fabulous yet sophisticated spin on her otherwise muted outfit. Like her character, Duffy doesn't shy away from bold jewelry, and she topped her look with a statement necklace.

Judith Ivey became a familiar face in the final season of "Designing Women," when she took on the role of Bonnie Jean "B.J." Poteet. The character was known for having enormous wealth but a down-to-earth attitude. This juxtaposition was only enhanced by her clothing. She was often dressed in luxury pieces, and her ensembles were often topped with statement pieces from her lavish jewelry collection. Ivey is one of the only cast members to have worn her hair in a more refined hairstyle in the '80s, and she predominantly wore her hair brushed with flicked-under ends. Her subtle hairstyle and delicate fringe only enhanced her relaxed persona.

Three decades later, Ivey has replaced her sophisticated allure with a more bohemian aesthetic. In 2023, the actor attended AARP The Magazine's 21st Annual Movies for Grownups Awards wearing a black T-shirt topped with a velour shawl that featured lively floral accents. Her flowing shawl made a statement, but that's not to say her accessories didn't make their own impact. Like her character on "Designing Women," Ivey clearly enjoys layering. The actor completed her look with chunky bangles, a watch, crystal earrings, and a stack of necklaces. It could have been easier for Ivey to stray far from her character's aesthetic, since she only appeared in the series for its final seasons. However, among her necklaces was a statement string of pearls, which undeniably added a glamorous allure and a sophisticated but grounded appeal to her look that reminded us of B.J. immediately.