Image via Complex Original
They made us chuckle with their jokes, but kept our eyes glued to the tube to look at their fresh kits. Nostalgia is a powerful thing, and when we revisited some of our favorite sitcoms from way back when, we were totally surprised to see some of our favorite characters rocking looks that would still be fresh today.
Maybe they just stuck to the classics, or maybe they just knew something style-wise that we all didn't. Either way, you can't deny the fashionable impact these memorable characters have had on the way we outfit ourselves today. Check out these 10 Sitcom Characters Whose Style Was Ahead of Its Time.
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Shawn Hunter
Sitcom: Boy Meets World (1993-2000)
Portrayed by: Rider Strong
Rebellious youngster Shawn Hunter was more than your girl's Teen Beat poster. Whether it was leather motorcycle jackets, colorblocked athletic gear, or rocking denim on denim, he was clearly rocking it before any of us were.
Alex P. Keaton
Sitcom: Family Ties (1982-1989)
Portrayed by: Michael J. Fox
Young Republican Alex P. Keaton kept dressing conservative awesome. We're talking the heyday of prep: penny loafers, oxford shirts, slim but not skinny ties, and straight-leg khakis. He also knew how to dress down without looking like a chump: a navy bomber and a football cap. If more Republicans (ahem, Paul Ryan) started dressing like him, maybe we'd take them a little more seriously.
Roger Evans
Sitcom: Sister, Sister (1994-1999)
Portrayed by: Marques Houston
Despite the fact that Tia and Tamara would always tell him to "go home," we think that Roger Evans was actually pretty fresh. He was ahead of his time when it came to rocking bright colors like orange outside of the world of hunting outerwear.
Mork
Sitcom: Mork & Mindy (
Mork was the original hipster. Horizontal striped shirts? Suspenders? Headbands and short-shorts with Nikes? Yeah, he did that. Even his red and silver jumpsuit ended up inspiring a pair of SBs, but also looks like something you could cop today from Opening Ceremony.
George Costanza
Sitcom: Seinfeld (1990-1998)
Portrayed by: Jason Alexander
The thing about George Costanza is that he was dedicated to menswear basics. So it's really funny that, what was just regular guy style in the '90s, turned into a new wave of menswear clothes today. He wasn't afraid to rock a Yankees cap with anything, he wore parkas over plaid shirts on the regular, and knew how to wear a cardigan with ease. Nike Waffle Racers with khakis and a windbreaker? He sonned you.
Jazz
Sitcom: The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (1990-1996)
Portrayed by: DJ Jazzy Jeff
Say all you want about Will and Carlton, but Jazz was really the unsung style hero of the bunch. From his trademark shades, dope sneaker collection, ability to rock loud shirts with suits—and we can't forget his sweet haircut either. People really slept on this style icon.
John "Pops" Williams
Sitcom: The Wayans Brothers (1995-1999)
Portrayed by: John Witherspoon
You really gotta hand it to Pops. He was dedicated to the patterned shirt and bowtie look. While back then it was seen as hokey, today you'll see polka dot shirts everywhere from the runway to shops like Club Monaco.
Uncle Jesse
Sitcom: Full House (1987-1995)
Portrayed by: John Stamos
Uncle Jesse had classic style on lock. It's enough that he was a badass biker dude with a rock band and a hot girlfriend (sup, Aunt Becky?), but he also had some pretty versatile kits. Yeah, he was known for his leather jacket game, but he could also rock baseball jerseys, striped crewneck sweaters, and the T-shirt-under-the-suit look with the best of them.
Hyde
Sitcom: That '70s Show (1998-2006)
Portrayed by: Danny Masterson
Hyde might be known for the aviator sunglasses he almost never took off, but he also wore menswear basics with the best of them. Whether getting cozy in an Aran sweater or pattern cowichan, or looking rugged in a suede or denim jacket, he also had a pretty solid collection of rock'n'roll T-shirts.
Harry Solomon
Sitcom: 3rd Rock from the Sun (1996-2001)
Portrayed by: French Stewart
Before Lady Gaga and bloggers like Bryan Boy let their stylish freak flags fly, alien Harry Solomon was doing it. Whether letting his mink drag on the floor, rocking geometric print shirts, or strutting his stuff in a color blocked cardigan, he wasn't afraid to get weird. Just check out the fur vest and tie dye sweater! He was rocking that sort of stuff before rappers like A$AP Rocky and Yelawolf!