The Fashion File: Fran Drescher

Brenda Cooper is the costume designer for Happily Divorced. She will be providing exclusive style highlights and fashion insights from the show. So check back weekly for your Happily Divorced fashion fix!

 Dan Akroyd is guest-starring on this week’s show. I bet that was fun.

He is absolutely brilliant. The way he brings words to life is amazing and he’s also very funny.

Sometimes guest stars bring their own wardrobe and sometimes you dress them.

Yes, he actually wore his own black suit, but I had a shirt custom-made for him. It was a blue shirt with a white collar and cuffs like bankers wear. I also added a pocket square. He looked elegant.

What does Fran have on this week?

She goes on a date with a doctor, (Dan Akryod), and I have her in a black, Ralph Lauren dress that’s all sequins on the top and plain on the bottom. Fran was not able to try everything on this week so I’ve been putting everything on. My team laughs at me for doing that but when I put them on myself I can see whether they’re going to work or not. When we did The Nanny I spent half my time in a state of undress.

There’s a scene when Fran goes to therapy with Elliott and she’s supposed to be dressed in her “sexiest”. How did you achieve that look?

I used a black silhouette, a black spaghetti strap top and black pants, as a base. I threw on this beautiful shirt dress and gave her some cleavage. It looks like Versace, but it’s not.

Where did you get it?

It’s by Eva Varro. I’ve used a lot of their clothes this season. The top is a bold red print and wonderful.

How do you define sexy?

Defining sexy is like trying to define charisma. It’s tough to put into words but we know it when we see it. I guess if I had to explain it, sexy is a woman who looks elegant, alluring, and feminine. Sexy is wearing colors and shapes that flatter you, punctuated with confidence.

That’s essential.

You can have a body that is not classically sexy, not the perfect body, and still be sexy. It comes from the inside and is just enhanced by the clothing you wear. It doesn’t necessarily mean a state of undress. You can be covered up and still be sexy.

-Josephine

Josephine Bennett is an award-winning public radio reporter with an extensive cardigan collection

Brenda Cooper is the costume designer for Happily Divorced. She will be providing exclusive style highlights and fashion insights from the show. So check back weekly for your Happily Divorced fashion fix!

Fran and Rita are celebrating Mother’s Day this week. What did you put them in?

I had to find something for Rita that looked like Mother’s Day.

What does Mother’s Day “look” like?

I found this great dress for Rita at a resale shop. It’s a pink and gray floral. It’s got a great portrait neckline, very 1950’s looking. The dress is sleeveless so I had to find something to put over it. I ended up using this great Betsy Johnson cardigan I’ve had for awhile.

Floral prints can be tricky to wear.

I am not by any stretch of the imagination a print person. This print worked because of the cut of the dress, the color, and the portrait collar. Sitting next to Fran wearing a pink jacket it looked beautiful.

While they’re out shopping Fran tries on a wedding dress. How many did you pick out?

Just one. I try every garment on before I buy it. I know that may sound strange but that way I know if it’s going to work. Fran and I have similar bodies so that saves her time and having to try everything on.

Where did you get it?

It came from David’s Bridal. In the script Rita wants her to try on a wedding gown. I have to tell you there’s something exciting about putting on a wedding gown.

You are always so careful when choosing colors for people. How does that work when most wedding dresses are white?

People have to wear the right white. There are so many different shades. There’s bright white, almond white, a more yellow white. I could go on and on, but you have to find the one that’s in harmony with your skin.

You actually dye white clothing to get it exactly right.

Yes. This week Rita has on white pants, a white top and Roberto Cavalli Jacket. The white was too bright so I sent it out and had it dyed an almond color.

 Rosie O’Donnell is on the show this week. Her outfit is so flattering.

I’ve actually been dying to dress Rosie. We really hit it off. I wanted to do something different with her. I knew the designer Eva Varro would be perfect. I wanted to add some femininity while still staying within the parameters of her style. She loved the outfit and wanted it in every color.

 -Josephine

Josephine Bennett is an award-winning public radio reporter with an extensive cardigan collection

Brenda Cooper is the costume designer for Happily Divorced. She will be providing exclusive style highlights and fashion insights from the show. So check back weekly for your Happily Divorced fashion fix!

This week’s episode goes back in time a couple of years. How did you make people look different?

We made it happen with the hair. Fran’s wearing bangs.

You also deviated from her traditional silhouette.

Yes. You normally see Fran in a very form-fitting silhouette, but I’ve got her in a red Ava Varro off the shoulder dress with a flared skirt. She’s also wearing a great two piece black outfit with a low slung belt. It’s a very clean look. It’s feminine but still sexy.

I love her earrings.

They’re her own. We pull things from so many places.

Her bag is such a perfect match.

I always pay attention to purses and other details. I like the purse to work well with the outfit because so often they’re on camera. I use a lot of purses.

Tichina’s outfit is so wonderfully eclectic.

I found this new resource. It’s a woman who collects and sells fabulous clothing. She sells it online and to private clients. We have a similar eye for style. I got Tischina’s white and yellow, Tory Burch dress from her and I’ve added a jacket from Forever 21. I also put a leather fringe bag with it. When you look at the pieces separately they don’t necessarily go together, but when you put it together it works in a very eclectic way. This outfit made me smile!

Her jacket came from Forever 21. Can women of any age shop there?

Just because someone is older it doesn’t mean they have to dress so differently. I still shop in Forever 21. It’s all about your ability to put a look together. It’s about developing your style muscle. I’m disappointed in what’s available for women in terms of clothing. You have to look really hard to find garments that are flattering to the body and will stand the test of time. I encourage people to look for great colors.

You don’t have to reinvent yourself and dramatically change your style as you get older. If you’re a hippie and you’re getting older, just become a chic hippie. You have to fine tune what you’ve got. Maybe it’s not a miniskirt anymore? Maybe it’s a skirt that goes to the knee. Maybe it’s not 6” platforms. Maybe it’s 4” platforms. It’s all about presenting yourself to the world in a positive way. You can still have great style. You just have to change the rules a little bit.

You never want to end up looking like, “Mutton dressed up as lambs.”

-Josephine

Josephine Bennett is an award-winning public radio reporter with an extensive cardigan collection

Brenda Cooper is the costume designer for Happily Divorced. She will be providing exclusive style highlights and fashion insights from the show. So check back weekly for your Happily Divorced fashion fix!

Fran and Tichina go to a “White” Party in this week’s episode. What are they wearing?

We went through loads of stuff and Fran actually ended up in one of her own jackets. It’s beautiful and she’s wearing it over a black silhouette. Tichina is actually wearing my clothes. She’s got on a white, chiffon caftan with a white leather jacket I’ve had for 15 years. She’s wearing that with a pair of white jeans. The look of the party is very “Boho” chic. The people there have traveled the world.

White is very popular right can be a tricky color to wear.

Everybody has their own shade of white that looks good on them. As a color expert it’s always a challenge to find the right white. For a lot of people that is actually off-white. When it’s not in harmony you notice the bright white first and then the person. It has to be in balance with your skin.

Fran ends up meeting a new boyfriend played by John Schneider. They go camping. Was it hard to find wardrobe for that?

Yes. Getting the look was a challenge because what looks good in real life doesn’t necessarily look good on camera. At first I put her in cargo pants, but it wasn’t working. I ended up putting her in a pair of simple, black workout pants with a black turtleneck. I also borrowed my 13 year-olds  fleece vest. To add humor to her outfit I added a fur Elmer Fudd hat. When she put it on we couldn’t stop laughing.

Fran’s a good sport.

She’s willing to experiment. She will try anything. We have the same sense of style, so working together is very easy. We know it when we see it.

Are you seeing anything in the stores right now that you like?

I went shopping the other day and could not find anything. I am not a follower of trends. I dress people in what they look good in, not what the trend is. If what’s current happens to work, great. But I don’t follow the dictates of fashion.

In an upcoming episode your doing flashbacks. Do you have many pieces left from The Nanny?

When I heard we were doing this show I checked with Sony to see if I could go in and look at the old wardrobe. They told me the items had just been sold to a thrift store. It makes me really sad.

Josephine

Josephine Bennett is an award-winning public radio reporter with an extensive cardigan collection.

Brenda Cooper is the costume designer for Happily Divorced. She will be providing exclusive style highlights and fashion insights from the show. So check back weekly for your Happily Divorced fashion fix!

The other week it was the vest, and this week you’re bringing back another piece of clothing Fran first wore on The Nanny.

Yes. One of this week’s outfits includes a Todd Oldham jacket from Fran’s personal wardrobe. The designer actually gave it to her when she was on The Nanny. The moment she put it on I said, “slam dunk”.

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Brenda Cooper is the costume designer for Happily Divorced. She will be providing exclusive style highlights and fashion insights from the show. So check back weekly for your Happily Divorced fashion fix!

Fran’s got on a great purple dress this week. It’s kind of her signature cut.

Yes. That’s a Pamela Barrish dress I bought last year. We never used it. The sweetheart neckline is very flattering on Fran.

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Brenda Cooper is the costume designer for Happily Divorced. She will be providing exclusive style highlights and fashion insights from the show. So check back weekly for your Happily Divorced fashion fix!

 So, you say there are some “must haves” regardless of the season.

 Yes, I call these the seven building blocks of style. They are pretty easy to find, and you don’t have to spend a lot of money. You can build an exciting, fun, versatile, modern wardrobe, by having these few key pieces.

 What are they?

 1.  The first item is a pair of black pants. They need to be simple and clean without a lot of detail. They also need to elongate your body.

2.  A black tank top.  You can get one with spaghetti straps or with wider straps. I like tank tops that are long enough to cover the butt.

With these first two items you’ve built a canvas. I do this every day and it looks great. I also use these principals on Fran. It’s just layering things on top of that important canvas.

 3. A classic white shirt. I can layer this over the tank which will give it a different look.

 4. A great jacket. There are so many choices out there right now. You can always find a jacket whether it’s elongated, cropped, or just to the waist.

 5. Scarves to add color near your face. I never used to be a fan, but there are so many great scarves out there right now and so many ways to wear them.  If you wear a scarf with a simple outfit it’s like switching on the light bulb and adding life and color to your face.

 6. Jewelry. The jewelry should be interesting but not overpowering and reflect your personality. You also need to figure out whether you look best in gold or silver, or can you do both?

 7. A trench coat. You can never, ever go wrong with a trench coat. It’s a piece you can have in your wardrobe for 20 years. I have had clothes for that long because when you make a good choice you make a good choice.

 These building blocks of style are endless. They are seasonless. You don’t become a victim of fashion or a victim of trends you become a creator of your own personal style.

You don’t need to be changing your wardrobe every season. You can just build a fantastic wardrobe that’s stylish, timeless, and seasonless.  

- Josephine

Josephine Bennett is an award-winning public radio reporter with an extensive cardigan collection.

Brenda Cooper is the costume designer for Happily Divorced. She will be providing exclusive style highlights and fashion insights from the show. So check back weekly for your Happily Divorced fashion fix!

You brought in a very special piece of clothing from home this week.

Yes, it’s a Moschino vest, I’ve had it for 20 years.

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Brenda Cooper is the costume designer for Happily Divorced. She will be providing exclusive style highlights and fashion insights from the show. So check back weekly for your Happily Divorced fashion fix!

Last week you had a really busy shoot. What about this week?

From a costume standpoint it was much easier. Fran actually wore a jacket out of her own closet with a pair of jeans for the entire show. It was tough to find something that could last through all seven scenes. But, there are certain classics for Fran. She always looks great in a jacket over trousers or jeans. She also looks great in a white blouse and vest, but I have to be careful to not make it too “Nannyish”.

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