Will & Grace’s Grace Adler Is My ‘90s TV Style Icon

Even in the midst of the “Peak TV” era, with an unprecedented number of new, high-quality television shows available, I always find myself rewatching the shows of my youth. There is something oddly soothing about listening to the voice of a sitcom character that I’ve heard many times before. And in 2020—an anxiety-inducing, fuzzy loop of a year—a nostalgic escape is exactly what I need.
That’s how, over the past few months, I found myself watching Will & Grace again. The comedy sitcom, which premiered in 1998, was considered groundbreaking for its time. It follows best friends Will Truman and Grace Adler, and their pals Karen and Jack. The lead men are gay, the lead women are straight, and they’re all hilarious. The show is truly iconic.
When Will & Grace began airing on NBC I was too young to appreciate most of it. I’m pretty sure I just enjoyed watching witty, good-looking people who lived in New York (I, too, wanted to be witty, good-looking, and live in New York). Some 20 years later, I actually understand those witty jokes, and I appreciate the show for what it really is—an excellent fashion resource.
Will & Grace is not a show about fashion, but damn, can those characters get dressed. The most stylish, in my opinion, is the titular Grace Adler who, despite being constantly picked on for her wardrobe by the other characters, nails ‘90s fashion in a way that most of today’s It Girls wish they could. Every time I watch Grace in a new episode, I feel a sudden urge to refresh my closet (if I only had somewhere to go).
Rather than try to explain the appeal of my new quarantine style icon, I thought I would show you instead. Please enjoy some of my favorite Grace Adler looks (and how to get them), below.
Another day, another chic coat, mixed to perfection with a minimal thong sandal.
Elegant Audrey Hepburn meets late-Nineties Upper West Side.
This is exactly what I want to wear to my next formal event. Please note the chain-belt-over-the-skirt moment.
Thank you, Grace, for teaching me how to tie a sweater over my shoulders, layer it under my leather jacket, and make it look cool.
Did I mention the girl’s got a thing for outerwear? She paired this coat with leather trousers and the perfect, minimalist ‘90s bag.
Is she crying because she saw her outfit walk the Bottega Veneta runway this season?
The color-mixing of a master.