30 Years Later, Fran Fine Is Still a Style Icon and ‘Nanny’-Core Is as Prominent as Ever

Fran’s influence is littered throughout current fashion trends—vinyl fabrics, loud colors and mini skirts galore. ‘Nanny’-core calls to mind loud garbage, or bold, in-your-face clothing, another trend on the rise that’s a counterpoint to quiet luxury. Unlike most, Fran wasn’t afraid to experiment with her style. She loved a unique textile, always flaunted bold hues and prints and never shied away from flashy accessories. Fran represents the maximalist, and her confidence and style inspired likeminded dressers to step out of the box when it came to fashion, even with naysayers telling you otherwise.

Interestingly enough, despite the ‘wild’ nature of Fran's ensembles, almost all of her wardrobe consisted of luxury designers. From Moschino to Fendi, her closet was one to be idolized. One of the biggest conspiracies of the show was how exactly Fran afforded all of these designer garments on a nanny's salary. We knew she loved a bargain and was in mountains of credit card debt (aren’t we all), but we truly didn’t get an answer until season three, when Maxwell (Charles Shaughnessy) allows Fran to oversee wardrobe for one of his plays to make her feel better after being stamped a fashion ‘don’t’ in a magazine. Fran seeks counsel from her cousin ‘Toddy,’ who we later learn is prolific American designer Todd Oldham, whose pieces she wore regularly throughout the six seasons. After brief questioning from Mr. Sheffield, Fran puts it plainly, “How do you think a nanny could afford to dress the way I do.” It’s no wonder her style is making a resurgence. (There’s even an Instagram account, @whatfranwore, dedicated to dissecting the outfits Drescher wore on the show.)