One of my favorite television shows to watch growing up was Roseanne. I still watch the reruns played daily on TV, sometimes for hours at a time without even realizing it. In fact, I'm surprised it's not playing in the background right now as I write this. Although the show has been off the air since 1997, somehow it doesn't feel outdated and it continues to make me laugh (minus the season where the Conner family won the lottery but that's a whole different post).
My favorite character on the show was Darlene. The middle child of the Conner siblings, Darlene had a sarcastic sense of humor and an I-don't-give-a-fuck-attitude. She started off the series as a tomboy but along the way morphed into a moody teenager who draped herself in black and felt like an outcast. I found her very relateable during my own teen years.
Dan's fashion choices are also kind of awesome.
Eventually Darlene traded in her all black look for a 90's approved grunge wardrobe. Her look was effortless and cool, like she just rolled out of bed and threw on the first thing she saw. I see pieces of Darlene's fashion influence all over these days whether it's on the streets, runways, or the pages of the latest Urban Outfitters catalog. Let's now take a look at some of her best moments.
Never one to shy away from her opinions, Darlene wore this "MEAT STINKS" t-shirt to her mom's loose meat restaurant, The Lunchbox. Forget supporting your favorite band, Darlene chose to show her anti-support for meat with this tee. If you're also anti-meat (I'm a carnivore), you can buy the same tee at Bona Drag.
Never one to shy away from her opinions, Darlene wore this "MEAT STINKS" t-shirt to her mom's loose meat restaurant, The Lunchbox. Forget supporting your favorite band, Darlene chose to show her anti-support for meat with this tee. If you're also anti-meat (I'm a carnivore), you can buy the same tee at Bona Drag.
Darlene's wardrobe contained the most necessary clothing item ever: denim. Here she sports a baggy, ripped up pair with boots. I dig it and so do these models off duty.
Still keeping with the denim theme, Darlene knew the importance of a denim jacket. My closet was lacking one until I recently picked up this one by Levi's. Bonus: it's on sale!
Plaid flannel shirts were a 90's staple and continue to be now, whether on your back or around your waist. Darlene and her dad Dan knew this and so did those other 90's TV icons, the Olsen twins.
Darlene also knew the importance of layering pieces, which is why she inVESTed in this piece. See what I did there? I'm sorry, I'll stop.
I'll leave you with one of my favorite moments from the show between Darlene and Dan, complete with denim and flannel.
Good evening, Thank you so much for your awesome article and photos!!! Oh my God, I have been devoted to Darlene ever since the episode, "Darlene Fades To Black," in Season 4 of Roseanne-- just like you!!! You're the first person I've come across who loves Darlene as much as I do--jippi! Your article hit Darlene's exact way of dressing right on the head-- and with really impressive detail!!! You're absolutely right about Darlene leading the way for so many people with awesome clothing style to this very day--including me. I started to dress and act like Darlene Conner very fast after she, "faded to black," which was especially enjoyable for me as a teen since I'm only 2 years younger than Sara Gilbert. It's so fun that you share this, too! I'll never forget how, when I was 15, the first time I saw Darlene wearing combat boots on Roseanne, I was so psyched and inspired that I went out the next day and got a pair myself, and was so happy and self-confident when wearing them to school the next morning. How about you?
ReplyDeleteAnyway, thank you again for this article--you made my night!
Hey Natalie, I forgot to say that I hope you'll write more very soon-- it's so fun reading what you have to say!
ReplyDelete