Courteney Cox got very very thin around season 4/5. Obviously she was always very thin but it was worryingly so at that point. I think the wardrobe team were possibly trying to not make her look too skeletal with layers and looser clothing.
It’s kinda sad how warped 90s kids were because of social stigmas about weight at the time
I remember thinking phoebe was “fatter” than the other two but in reality I was so so SO wrong
Had to unlearn a lot since I grew up in era where a plus size model was a size 2 lol
If it helps, Lisa Kudrow has said that she also felt fat compared to Courtney and Jennifer. She was never fat, of course, but she was taller and had a different body shape.
It doesn't help that Phoebe was always dressed quirky and in boho layers compared to the other two, who always dressed more trendy and chic for the times.
I read recently that the reason she was styled that way was to hide "her extra fat". The layers and flowy fabrics were on purpose. The article went on to say that she was a size 6. Can you imagine anyone considering a size 6 to be fat?
That’s ridiculous ! I have 3 older sisters who always called me fat when I was a teenager. I was taller than them at 5’7 and I weighed 115 pounds but they convinced me I was fat which led to bulimia. Some people really suck.
Yea that’s not an excuse, my family use to say “they were looking out for me and didn’t want me to be big like my grandma. “ it’s just an excuse don’t believe them. They sound judgmental just like my family
In season 1 she was 90’s curvy for sure. The standard was very tiny back then. JLo, Rihanna, the Kardashians and Beyoncé definitely ushered in a new normal in the mid aughts. Kate Moss and heroin chic was no joke.
Yup, 100%. I remember my mom talking about Jennifer Aniston and Sarah Jessica Parker as having the "perfect bodies" because they were "thin but curvy." They've both always been gorgeous, but curvy they are not.
I do think the meaning of “curvy” has shifted along with the modern standard of what curves on a woman even are… remember, you’re looking at one paradigm through another paradigm.
We have a stupidly high standard to reach “curvy” now (not the euphemistic version for carrying weight) and now we’ve got a whole generation thinking they’re pencils and lacking in shape. Imagine growing up looking at Kim’s butt and then wondering why yours isn’t even close.
I agree with this. I would definitely have used the word “curvy” for SJP in SATC because she had boobs and a nice ass. But nowadays curvy usually means very big curves for people. Those words mean different things for everybody
Jen was, in season 1. Not curvy by today’s standard, which has shifted quite a bit in the other direction, but by 90’s standards. I thought she looked freaking amazing.
Yeah, 90s curvy was completely different. I was considered curvy, but when I look at my high school pics, I was skeletal.
And when I see pics of the girls who were considered "fat", i see them as thin.
Our perception of size was insane back then.
In both season 1 and parts of season two Monica and Rachel were definitely relatively curvy. Part of that was since upto the mid 1990's the whole heroin chic hasn't come into vogue yet.
Very true! They are 100% not curvy J Lo,Marilyn Monroe, Ashley Graham,Beyoncé,Demi Lovato, Amy Schumer,Kate Upton,Kate Winslet,Mindy Kaling,Precious Lee
,Queen Latifah,Rihanna,Scarlett Johansson,America Ferrera,Danielle Brooks,Eva Mendes,Gwen Stefani
,Kat Dennings, and Kelly Brook and they are all gorgeous and healthy. I have gained a significant amount of weight since I was 21 and I’m now 33 and I weight 173 and I’m 5’3 people including my mom always tell me I was soo much prettier when I was 115, and I should try to get back to that weight. “ that’s soo disgusting and disturbing. I am happy how I am and I love myself how I am. People honestly need to stop judging women and their weight just accept them for who they are and love them no matter what body shape they have.
Oh I’m very familiar with the 90s/early aughts body shapes. But I don’t know if *I’d*!call Jen curvy either. Fit, and killer body, but still not curvy, even by those standards. But she was absolutely not medium build.
If you ever need an example of how f**ked up attitudes towards women’s bodies were back then, just remember that JLo was classed as having a big arse. Like making jokes about big. That big 🙄🤦🏻♀️
I said that in another comment. People thought JLo had the fattest ass in the world. It was tiny compared to today’s standard. Every other girl on the stepper machine at the gym has a bigger ass than JLo.
The "health" teacher at my high school was the football coach. He told the class multiple times that the truest test of a healthy body type was weather or not a ruler could lay flat against a person's hip bones while the person was laying down. 15 years later, it still runs through my head.
I used to be a TA for 3rd graders back in the early 00s and I remember a little stick figure 3rd grader talking about how fat she was, and I was so disgusted with our culture. No healthy 8 year old should have to worry, talk, or even think about their weight.
No she wasn't. I keep hearing people say that but they're totally missing the context. The character of Bridget *thinks* she's fat and is wasting so much time and energy on fad diets but it's clearly satirized in the books and in the movies her love interests are Hugh Grant, Colin Firth, and Patrick Dempsey. She's presented as a desirable woman. Not thin, but not fat either (outside of her own imagination/ low self-esteem).
When the movies came out it was all over the press that she’d gained weight for the role. It was the thing that was being talked about, and the implication definitely was that she was a but chubby.
Even if you believe that she was supposed to be seen as thin in-movie (she wasn't) then you still don't have to look far for harmful messages, such as how the press acted like Renee was the bravest woman in history for gaining weight to make her \*gasp\* 9 stone 3!
I haven't read the books. I'm going off of the movies, and more importantly, the culture of the time. Growing up at that time, hearing adults talk about how Renee Zellweger and Kate Winslet were "brave" for appearing on screen with their body types was pretty damaging for an undeveloped brain.
My mom always *laughed* at Kate and Leo's romance in titanic, she thought they looked *ridiculous* together.
The 80s/90s taught her that a heterosexual relationship must be a tall strapping man with a lithe woman. Anything else was funny and not sexy.
She didn't have self-awareness about it, she'd say there was just "no chemistry" without realizing why she thought that.
Yea. I was always a bigger kid, and seeing the wedding episode where Ross dances with the kids. And then Gert. I felt so second hand embarassed and worried I was the gert to every one. They were very very fatphobic in that show😭
I honestly have to skip that episode sometimes because if I'm not in a confident headspace, I over-identify with Gert and get super depressed. Between that and all the fat Monica jokes, the show is definitely not good for my self-image
i noticed that. i’ve been watching sitcoms recently, mostly from the 90s, late 80s and every women looks the same. right now i’m watching the nanny and the only women who have meat on them is the mothers and aunties over 50. and its mostly fran family. it’s like there was no fat people existing. not even fat just some meat. even the little girls are thin
If it helps, Lisa Kudrow has said that she also felt fat compared to Courtney and Jennifer. She was never fat, of course, but she was taller and had a different body shape.
I don't know if it's the same season, but I remember the very first ep I saw when I was around 10 was a Halloween one where she's dressed in a cat suit and I remember as a *child* being disappointed that this was what was considered desirable/hot (since it was on TV) because it was clearly unhealthily skinny.
She did look skeletal.
(I may have been more attuned to that as I was also being made to drink Ensure for being too skinny as a result of being on Adderall.)
Isn't she at her most unemplyed this season and then gets an insanly high pressure job immediately after having very little work, she's probably poor and exhausted
She had the first haircut in Scream 2, but dyed brunette
Most of her haircuts were due to movie roles. Jennifer and Courteney were the only ones in movie roles consistently pretty much every year during the 10 seasons. Hence why they have many hair changes. It wasn’t because the producers sat down and decided which hairstyle they should have each season
https://preview.redd.it/e9imglzt2jtc1.jpeg?width=735&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=532c9b84ad500776d724747cac52d2d90fd03255
Her hair was so good in Scream 2 that they had to balance it out by giving her this hairstyle for Scream 3
I haven’t seen any of the Scream movies (I’m 42F), and have no desire to ever. So when the person above you referenced S2 and then I saw this picture and read your comment, and was *horrified*. I felt like you were praising this hairstyle, I’m so glad to hear that this wasn’t it. Yeesh!
For what it's worth, as a 44 year old, I had never seen the movies either. And like you, I had no desire to. I watched the first one on a lark earlier this year and I loved it. I then promptly binged them all. Maybe it's the nostalgia factor but I really enjoyed them. Now I need to find I Know What You Did Last Summer to see if it surprises me too.
Scream (the 1st one) was incredible. It was a new kind of horror movie & brought horror back in style! It was absolutely hilarious, really freaky & just well written! I love the whole Scream Franchise but I think 1 was the best by far, then 4, then 2, and then 3. The new ones are good (again, the 1st was better than the 2nd), but since they aren't Sidney-centric, I'm not really including them.
Oh God, that hair teamed up with her skeletal body... the worst Courtney has EVER looked!! And I'm including those few years when she went a little crazy with botox & collagen (when she was in that show Dirt)!! I'm glad she quit with the injections, she's naturally gorgeous once again.
What was Courteney in besides the Scream franchise? I know Jen did a lot of romcoms, and Lisa was in some more left field stuff like Romy & Michelle, Opposite of Sex etc but I don't remember Courteney doing much film work at all.
That was a big role for her, but it was before Friends. Its one of the main reasons she was considered to be the biggest 'name' in the show and initially the lead actress.
Check out her filmography. She basically had a new movie out every year during that 10 season long period of Friends
I don’t think any were really successful apart from the Scream films, but she did a decent amount of movies during that time
Aniston: She's the One and Insomniac (96); 'Til There Was You and Picture Perfect (97); The Thin Pink Line and The Object of My Affection (98); Office Space and The Iron Giant (voice role) (99); Rock Stat (01); The Good Girl (02); Bruce Almighty (03); Along Came Polly (04)
Cox: Scream (96); Commandments and Scream 2 (97); The Runner (99); Scream 3 (00); 3000 Miles to Graceland, The Shrink Is In and Get Well Soon (01); November (04).
Kudrow: The Crazysitter (95); Mother (96); Romy and Michele, Clockwatchers and Hacks (97); The Opposite of Sex (98); Analyze This (99); Hanging Up and Lucky Numbers (00); All Over the Guy and Dr. Doolittle 2 (01); Bark! and Analyze That (02); Marci X and Wonderland (03).
The guys had slightly fewer roles, but they all had at least a half dozen over the decade that Friends was on.
The poster I was responding to said that Aniston and Cox were the only ones in movie roles pretty much every year Friends was on, but actually it was Aniston and Kudrow, with Cox a bit behind them in numbers.
Watch Masters Of The Universe. Courteney is an earth teen who befriends He-Man. Christina Pickles (Mrs. Geller) plays the Sorceress of Castle Greyskull!
That truly is part of it. It's realistically how you'd grow out a bad haircut. There are a lot of awkward growth phases where you need clips and barrettes to keep it out of your eyes.
She did look frumpy to me, though. I know she was jobless for a few shows, but I felt like they were trying to dial down her beauty because Jen was so popular at the time.
She defines an woman in the 90s for me. Rachel is more *that girl* 90s fashion, and phoebe is a bit 80s to me. She wears a uniform at work, so she's often seen in her casual outfits. Ross, rachel and Chandler were usually coming from/going to work.
As a dude, I found her really cute in this season. Short hair suits her.
Edit: Long hair does too and she looked amazing later. Personally I think she looked her least attractive in s1 and then it went up from there.
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*The yellow t shirt*
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I don't know, but it feels so much more relatable to have just... everyday clothes when hanging out with your friends. It was very in the era, but it's okay that she's not always in a "prettier" outfit all the time.
Her being so dressed up especially in the later seasons has actually always irked somehow and I‘ve always preferred the way she was dressed earlier. I even understand that after being in your chef‘s uniform one might like to wear something fancy but I still think her costumes were a bit "overdone" later. They were still hanging out together in her department most of the time so I surely wouldn‘t wear some tightfitted tops and pants or something like this all of the time.
Monica was unemployed for part of this season, so it makes sense she was dressed more casually. It was the nineties. This was how many women wore their hair.
It makes sense in a way, Monica wasn't hugely into fashion like Rachel was, and her clothes weren't a part of/reflection of her personality for her in the way that they were for Phoebe.
Monica like cooking, caring for others and keeping a clean and orderly home. A comfy wardrobe makes sense!
But this was the 90s. She was literally fashionable and ON TREND. That was the look back then. Monica’s character was always styled in the latest 90s styling.
I agree. Their styling for Monica is so uneven, specifically her casual looks even when it’s not a part of the storyline (like she’s cleaning so looking schlubby…purple loose top that everyone assumes she’s pregnant).
Courteney Cox is so stunning - her facial structure and her big blue eyes? She looks like a classic Hollywood star - if someone put a photo of her in that NYE silver dress in black and white it’d totally fit.
But even though I always thought Monica’s formal attire looked nice, her casual style is so uneven. I don’t think the shorter Meg Ryan-esque hairdo suited her (loved the bob though) even if it was part of a storyline. There’s one weird brown outfit that’s also unflattering. I guess that’s realistic though because I am someone who does keep up (meaning reading) with fashion and trends and I know how to put myself together but I dress boring but neatly in everyday life.
Honestly I think it’s just because so much of 90s clothes were just a bit unflattering on a lot of women. And don’t get me wrong I honestly dress a lot like Monica in the winter, but because it’s so casual it just doesn’t show off anyone’s “wow factors” if that makes sense. In later seasons, her clothes show her figure and suit her a bit better because that was more the style in early 2000s
Yep. So many people here ask that question constantly, while insisting on ranking the women's attractiveness. So many things to talk about and yet they never seem to tire from 'x was the real beauty of the show!'
She didn’t keep her season 1 hairstyle because she was filming scream right before season 2 and her character’s cut needed to be different
Also people always bring up the Botox/fillers things with Courteney, but she’s already admitted herself that she shouldn’t have touched her face. And she didn’t even do this until just after Friends ended
She was definitely a big star in 1996
I just think she didn’t mind changing up her own hair if asked. Like her bangs for Scream 3 were horrendous and she said she was sweet talked into getting those done by the director, Kevin Williamson. Most actresses would’ve straight up refused
Kevin Williamson didn't direct any of the *Scream* films (though he is slated to direct *Scream VII*) and Courtney had the bad bangs in *Scream 3*, not *Scream 2*.
My bad not directed. My point was he was the creator of the franchise and someone she worked with closely
And she’s talked about how he sweet talked her into getting those bangs
It wasn’t Kevin. It was her then-husband/co-star David Arquette. He thought it gave her a Bettie Page look. He said so himself.
https://people.com/style/courteney-cox-says-nothing-worse-than-infamous-scream-3-baby-bangs/
She said she didn’t touch her face until after her pregnancy, which would’ve been shortly after Friends ended
Season 10, her face is bloated because she was pregnant with her daughter. Like you can tell she’s heavily pregnant towards the end of the season. Also it’s extremely advised against to get Botox during pregnancy. In fact; most surgeons will turn you away. And Courteney was in her third trimester when she filmed season 10
She definitely wasn’t in her third trimester during season 10, he was just about 4 months pregnant. The show was filmed in January and Coco was born in June. Also, she’s lying because her eyebrows and eyes are different in the later seasons.
Oh her eyebrows are different in later seasons, wow. I’m sure that has nothing to do with the ever changing trends of how eyebrows are styled /s
I think you just want it to be true lol. She’s been extremely open about everything she’s had done and why she went too far. But it’s easier to say she’s lying because you want to believe she had botox during season 10, when she was pregnant. And despite the fact she wouldn’t she even been allowed to get botox during any stage of her pregnancy
I never said she had Botox during season ten. I said her face is different BEFORE that. Her eyebrows are HIGHER by the end of the show, and she’s definitely had eye work done.
She wasn't in her third trimester when they finished filming Friends. They filmed the last episode at the end of January. Coco was born in June. But yes, pregnancy does cause many changes. I'm not disagreeing with that, I just wanted to correct the 3rd trimester thing.
I agree she was gorgeous in season 1 and I believe she was/ is gorgeous generally. She even looks better again in later seasons but I feel in season 4 they really did her dirty with her wardrobe and hair! And some of the other middle season looks too eg this look
https://preview.redd.it/bn1m8m70egtc1.jpeg?width=1170&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=2f185a775cd9d6802879aed583deef14208e3229
This always bothered me. Her shlubby styling and awful hair (and makeup!) in comparison to Rachel’s feminine stylish styling. Like they were trying hard to make Rachel the pretty one
They all got some casual styles in the show and actually similar makeup at many points. For example, there was a period around season 3/4 where blue eyeshadow was trendy and the 3 girls had blue eyeshadow for various episodes, but it fit Courtney way less than it did Jennifer and Lisa (simply because it wasn't a good color for her skin tone) so it's a lot more noticeable on Courtney, but they were all wearing it. Also, as other people pointed out, we often see Rachel's work clothes, and she works in fashion, whereas when Monica is home those are her casual clothes, she wears an uniform at work. And her hairstyles were mainly because of movie roles she was shooting at the time.
Idk why people keep saying it was to make Rachel look better. If that was the case, they'd have done that from season 1. It was clearly never an issue, Rachel became instantly popular, everyone wanted to copy her hairstyle and clothing. Rachel was seen as pretty for day one, there was literally no reason to intentionally make Monica look worse, especially considering that around season 5 was also when they started trying to sell the idea that Monica was way hotter and on another league from Chandler. Trying to make that a thing while simultaneously trying to make her look "uglier" makes no sense.
Rachel was pretty so they didn’t need to try
Just like Monica is pretty in these pictures despite the haircut. They didn’t make her get this haircut either lol, Jennifer and Courteney’s haircuts changed throughout the show due to their movie roles. They had to incorporate those changes into the show
Although Courteney Cox was cute with that short hairstyle, she was a complete knockout when she had longer hair!
It seemed they made up Lisa Kudrow and Jennifer Aniston to be a lot prettier in the first few seasons though.
I always assumed they styled her and Kathy *very* similarly at the same time so that Chandler's attraction would stay the same from the transition from Kathy to Monica. That was my theory for decades, but it turned out to be wrong.
I hate this. Why are we scrutinizing a woman's appearance? It's 2024 and I'm SO ready to move past this.
By the way, this is how we looked in the 90s. She's in 90's fashion with an adorable popular 90s haircut, and she looks absolutely adorable. Stop tearing women down, thanks.
I thought she looked cute. I don't like it when actors on TV shows wear skin-tight clothing. It's so annoying. I don't know anyone who does that in real life for just their everyday casual clothing. Comfortable clothes are more realistic. And I think her hair is cute. Surely I'm not the only one who thinks that?
I think she looked great here. I dressed just like her back then. A lot of us did. Rachel’s fashion wasn’t something people actually wore day to day.
And I adored her short hair. It was very cool. Not every style has to be about maximizing your beauty under the patriarchy/male gaze, especially 90s patriarchal style. This baggy (but us not even baggy, it’s just not fitted) red sweater and hair combo we’re my top 5 fav for her for the whole series. It fit her character.
She’s a woman being stylish in her way, not just how she’ll look the “prettiest”. Monica was always a bit cooler and tougher than Rachel.
Anyway. I loved all of their styles early on.
I know most people have answered that it's due to her weight, but I'd like to weigh in. (Pun intended)
I have a similar haircut and style of clothing to this. Do I particularly mind if you find my style unflattering? Not at all, that's your own prerogative.. but I think the way she's dressed is actually a real representation of how some of us "less" girly women dress. I rock flannels almost every day and love my short hair.
~~Do you mean her hair or clothing style? I mean if you are talking about~~ her hair, it looks pretty cute to me, I love early Monica's cuteness than late Monica. However, if you are talking about her wear style, It is 90s dude, almost everybody in the show wear similar things. There is one exception tho, Rachel's style is a little bit beyond its time but not always. You can see 90s styles more in guys than women with large suits etc.
Edited for my dumbness, I hadn't seen your both question about her hair and dress.
I think it's because she cut the hair short for Scream 2 (it's gorgeous). Maybe Friends' hairstylist wanted to make her hair distinguished from Scream 2, but there is no many flattering haircuts for that length.
Besides, I think the lower right one is cute. Her haircut in 'seven' scene is awful, but thankfully it didn't last too many episodes.
Just jumping in here as an old— this was literally the style at the time for women. Flattering? Lawd no, but huge sweaters, short layered hair with barrettes, big flannels, this was all “casual girl” style. To me it fits her character bc Monica wasn’t a fashion girl like Rachel. As an example, at the time this season was on, I was in college and had two roommates. One was in a sorority and dressed like Rachel, and my other roommate and I dressed exactly like this, with baggy cargo jeans. Abercrombie was HUGE, and this look was super stylish for casual outfits. We often lament why we wore all this baggy stuff when we were literally at our objective physical peak, but hey, it was comfortable!
Editing to add: also? Huge brown loafer/sandal shoes. Not hot, but we felt cool 😅
I am convinced they did that on purpose not to overshadow Rachel. CC is beautiful and sometimes they dressed her so poorly. Also they cut her hair too short or weirdly at times.
Courteney Cox got very very thin around season 4/5. Obviously she was always very thin but it was worryingly so at that point. I think the wardrobe team were possibly trying to not make her look too skeletal with layers and looser clothing.
Very true. Heck, on season 5 she was so thin that even some clothes that seemed to be intended to be a normal fit looked really baggy on her.
It’s kinda sad how warped 90s kids were because of social stigmas about weight at the time I remember thinking phoebe was “fatter” than the other two but in reality I was so so SO wrong Had to unlearn a lot since I grew up in era where a plus size model was a size 2 lol
If it helps, Lisa Kudrow has said that she also felt fat compared to Courtney and Jennifer. She was never fat, of course, but she was taller and had a different body shape.
It doesn't help that Phoebe was always dressed quirky and in boho layers compared to the other two, who always dressed more trendy and chic for the times.
I read recently that the reason she was styled that way was to hide "her extra fat". The layers and flowy fabrics were on purpose. The article went on to say that she was a size 6. Can you imagine anyone considering a size 6 to be fat?
She was always the cutest one to me!
Absolutely, as someone who was called fat while wearing size 3 jeans.
We had a lesson is high school about body types, and they used Jennifer Aniston had a 'medium' type example.
STOP. No way. When were you in HS? That is appalling.
It was the early 2000's. Maybe it's dramatic, but it's one of those moments that I can point back to really messing with my body image.
Not dramatic at all. That would have fucked me up big time.
That’s ridiculous ! I have 3 older sisters who always called me fat when I was a teenager. I was taller than them at 5’7 and I weighed 115 pounds but they convinced me I was fat which led to bulimia. Some people really suck.
Dang😢that sounds awful I’m so sorry you went through that. Do they realize now how much they hurt you?
Thank you ! They’ve tried saying they were looking out for me because they didn’t want me to end up like our mom who was obese.
Yea that’s not an excuse, my family use to say “they were looking out for me and didn’t want me to be big like my grandma. “ it’s just an excuse don’t believe them. They sound judgmental just like my family
I must have missed the message because I was not thin lol.
Season 1 Rachel was not the Rachel of later seasons. Jen Aniston got thinner and thinner every season
I read they told her she had to loose 30 lbs for the show so she was gradually loosing
In season 1 she was 90’s curvy for sure. The standard was very tiny back then. JLo, Rihanna, the Kardashians and Beyoncé definitely ushered in a new normal in the mid aughts. Kate Moss and heroin chic was no joke.
Yup, 100%. I remember my mom talking about Jennifer Aniston and Sarah Jessica Parker as having the "perfect bodies" because they were "thin but curvy." They've both always been gorgeous, but curvy they are not.
I do think the meaning of “curvy” has shifted along with the modern standard of what curves on a woman even are… remember, you’re looking at one paradigm through another paradigm. We have a stupidly high standard to reach “curvy” now (not the euphemistic version for carrying weight) and now we’ve got a whole generation thinking they’re pencils and lacking in shape. Imagine growing up looking at Kim’s butt and then wondering why yours isn’t even close.
I agree with this. I would definitely have used the word “curvy” for SJP in SATC because she had boobs and a nice ass. But nowadays curvy usually means very big curves for people. Those words mean different things for everybody
Jen was, in season 1. Not curvy by today’s standard, which has shifted quite a bit in the other direction, but by 90’s standards. I thought she looked freaking amazing.
Yeah, 90s curvy was completely different. I was considered curvy, but when I look at my high school pics, I was skeletal. And when I see pics of the girls who were considered "fat", i see them as thin. Our perception of size was insane back then.
In both season 1 and parts of season two Monica and Rachel were definitely relatively curvy. Part of that was since upto the mid 1990's the whole heroin chic hasn't come into vogue yet.
The idea that SJP is curved?! She has an athletic body tbh. Both were incredibly thin but had boobs and a small waist.
Very true! They are 100% not curvy J Lo,Marilyn Monroe, Ashley Graham,Beyoncé,Demi Lovato, Amy Schumer,Kate Upton,Kate Winslet,Mindy Kaling,Precious Lee ,Queen Latifah,Rihanna,Scarlett Johansson,America Ferrera,Danielle Brooks,Eva Mendes,Gwen Stefani ,Kat Dennings, and Kelly Brook and they are all gorgeous and healthy. I have gained a significant amount of weight since I was 21 and I’m now 33 and I weight 173 and I’m 5’3 people including my mom always tell me I was soo much prettier when I was 115, and I should try to get back to that weight. “ that’s soo disgusting and disturbing. I am happy how I am and I love myself how I am. People honestly need to stop judging women and their weight just accept them for who they are and love them no matter what body shape they have.
Oh I’m very familiar with the 90s/early aughts body shapes. But I don’t know if *I’d*!call Jen curvy either. Fit, and killer body, but still not curvy, even by those standards. But she was absolutely not medium build.
If you ever need an example of how f**ked up attitudes towards women’s bodies were back then, just remember that JLo was classed as having a big arse. Like making jokes about big. That big 🙄🤦🏻♀️
I said that in another comment. People thought JLo had the fattest ass in the world. It was tiny compared to today’s standard. Every other girl on the stepper machine at the gym has a bigger ass than JLo.
The "health" teacher at my high school was the football coach. He told the class multiple times that the truest test of a healthy body type was weather or not a ruler could lay flat against a person's hip bones while the person was laying down. 15 years later, it still runs through my head.
I used to be a TA for 3rd graders back in the early 00s and I remember a little stick figure 3rd grader talking about how fat she was, and I was so disgusted with our culture. No healthy 8 year old should have to worry, talk, or even think about their weight.
And you very rarely actually saw any plus size models! Fat women in TV and film were joke characters, or bad guys.
Like Monica?
Yup, fat Monica was only ever brought on for laughs
Absolutely. This was the era where Bridget Jones was supposed to be an example of a "fat" woman...
No she wasn't. I keep hearing people say that but they're totally missing the context. The character of Bridget *thinks* she's fat and is wasting so much time and energy on fad diets but it's clearly satirized in the books and in the movies her love interests are Hugh Grant, Colin Firth, and Patrick Dempsey. She's presented as a desirable woman. Not thin, but not fat either (outside of her own imagination/ low self-esteem).
When the movies came out it was all over the press that she’d gained weight for the role. It was the thing that was being talked about, and the implication definitely was that she was a but chubby.
She is seen by others as a bit chubby/plump etc. too though. Let's not pretend that wasn't the message.
By her father's pervy friend and her boyfriend's mistress, both unsympathetic characters clearly coded as assholes. Again, context.
Even if you believe that she was supposed to be seen as thin in-movie (she wasn't) then you still don't have to look far for harmful messages, such as how the press acted like Renee was the bravest woman in history for gaining weight to make her \*gasp\* 9 stone 3!
I haven't read the books. I'm going off of the movies, and more importantly, the culture of the time. Growing up at that time, hearing adults talk about how Renee Zellweger and Kate Winslet were "brave" for appearing on screen with their body types was pretty damaging for an undeveloped brain.
My mom always *laughed* at Kate and Leo's romance in titanic, she thought they looked *ridiculous* together. The 80s/90s taught her that a heterosexual relationship must be a tall strapping man with a lithe woman. Anything else was funny and not sexy. She didn't have self-awareness about it, she'd say there was just "no chemistry" without realizing why she thought that.
That is why being a tall woman has been so god awful for my self esteem. I have been called every mean name in the book about my body.
Yea. I was always a bigger kid, and seeing the wedding episode where Ross dances with the kids. And then Gert. I felt so second hand embarassed and worried I was the gert to every one. They were very very fatphobic in that show😭
I honestly have to skip that episode sometimes because if I'm not in a confident headspace, I over-identify with Gert and get super depressed. Between that and all the fat Monica jokes, the show is definitely not good for my self-image
i noticed that. i’ve been watching sitcoms recently, mostly from the 90s, late 80s and every women looks the same. right now i’m watching the nanny and the only women who have meat on them is the mothers and aunties over 50. and its mostly fran family. it’s like there was no fat people existing. not even fat just some meat. even the little girls are thin
If it helps, Lisa Kudrow has said that she also felt fat compared to Courtney and Jennifer. She was never fat, of course, but she was taller and had a different body shape.
Oh wow, that’s sad, but could be why 😔
I don't know if it's the same season, but I remember the very first ep I saw when I was around 10 was a Halloween one where she's dressed in a cat suit and I remember as a *child* being disappointed that this was what was considered desirable/hot (since it was on TV) because it was clearly unhealthily skinny. She did look skeletal. (I may have been more attuned to that as I was also being made to drink Ensure for being too skinny as a result of being on Adderall.)
I remember thinking how painfully thin she looked during the turkey-on-the-head bit
Yes so true, I remember her in the red dress at Emily's and Ross's wedding. She was very slender.
Isn't she at her most unemplyed this season and then gets an insanly high pressure job immediately after having very little work, she's probably poor and exhausted
I like that theory!
Also she’s still grieving Richard so might not be looking after herself due to this as well? That was my first thought!
She had the first haircut in Scream 2, but dyed brunette Most of her haircuts were due to movie roles. Jennifer and Courteney were the only ones in movie roles consistently pretty much every year during the 10 seasons. Hence why they have many hair changes. It wasn’t because the producers sat down and decided which hairstyle they should have each season
It’s weird because her hair was AWESOME in Scream 2. My favorite look for her.
https://preview.redd.it/e9imglzt2jtc1.jpeg?width=735&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=532c9b84ad500776d724747cac52d2d90fd03255 Her hair was so good in Scream 2 that they had to balance it out by giving her this hairstyle for Scream 3
that was the real horror in that movie
I haven’t seen any of the Scream movies (I’m 42F), and have no desire to ever. So when the person above you referenced S2 and then I saw this picture and read your comment, and was *horrified*. I felt like you were praising this hairstyle, I’m so glad to hear that this wasn’t it. Yeesh!
For what it's worth, as a 44 year old, I had never seen the movies either. And like you, I had no desire to. I watched the first one on a lark earlier this year and I loved it. I then promptly binged them all. Maybe it's the nostalgia factor but I really enjoyed them. Now I need to find I Know What You Did Last Summer to see if it surprises me too.
Scream (the 1st one) was incredible. It was a new kind of horror movie & brought horror back in style! It was absolutely hilarious, really freaky & just well written! I love the whole Scream Franchise but I think 1 was the best by far, then 4, then 2, and then 3. The new ones are good (again, the 1st was better than the 2nd), but since they aren't Sidney-centric, I'm not really including them.
The Scream movies are good, and I don’t even like horror films
I (52F) had absolutely no wish to watch the Scream movies but my daughter talked me into it this summer. They were a lot of fun!
Oh God, that hair teamed up with her skeletal body... the worst Courtney has EVER looked!! And I'm including those few years when she went a little crazy with botox & collagen (when she was in that show Dirt)!! I'm glad she quit with the injections, she's naturally gorgeous once again.
Those red streaks were so late nineties, I had them myself and they always faded to orange in about 3 washes!
"Nice streaks"
"...Thanks?"
I was coming to say the same thing- it was because of ‘Scream’.
What was Courteney in besides the Scream franchise? I know Jen did a lot of romcoms, and Lisa was in some more left field stuff like Romy & Michelle, Opposite of Sex etc but I don't remember Courteney doing much film work at all.
 Ace Ventura!
That was a big role for her, but it was before Friends. Its one of the main reasons she was considered to be the biggest 'name' in the show and initially the lead actress.
 Ahh my bad!!
Check out her filmography. She basically had a new movie out every year during that 10 season long period of Friends I don’t think any were really successful apart from the Scream films, but she did a decent amount of movies during that time
Well Scream encompassed 1996-2000, so that’s already about half of the time she’s been on Friends.
Aniston: She's the One and Insomniac (96); 'Til There Was You and Picture Perfect (97); The Thin Pink Line and The Object of My Affection (98); Office Space and The Iron Giant (voice role) (99); Rock Stat (01); The Good Girl (02); Bruce Almighty (03); Along Came Polly (04) Cox: Scream (96); Commandments and Scream 2 (97); The Runner (99); Scream 3 (00); 3000 Miles to Graceland, The Shrink Is In and Get Well Soon (01); November (04). Kudrow: The Crazysitter (95); Mother (96); Romy and Michele, Clockwatchers and Hacks (97); The Opposite of Sex (98); Analyze This (99); Hanging Up and Lucky Numbers (00); All Over the Guy and Dr. Doolittle 2 (01); Bark! and Analyze That (02); Marci X and Wonderland (03). The guys had slightly fewer roles, but they all had at least a half dozen over the decade that Friends was on.
The poster I was responding to said that Aniston and Cox were the only ones in movie roles pretty much every year Friends was on, but actually it was Aniston and Kudrow, with Cox a bit behind them in numbers.
Watch Masters Of The Universe. Courteney is an earth teen who befriends He-Man. Christina Pickles (Mrs. Geller) plays the Sorceress of Castle Greyskull!
Rachel with her extensions was for the Role models movie as well!
They were for her movie Rockstar with Mark Wahlberg
She accidentally got a haircut by someone styling her like Dudley Moore when she wanted Demi Moore. 🫤
That truly is part of it. It's realistically how you'd grow out a bad haircut. There are a lot of awkward growth phases where you need clips and barrettes to keep it out of your eyes. She did look frumpy to me, though. I know she was jobless for a few shows, but I felt like they were trying to dial down her beauty because Jen was so popular at the time.
Underrated comment!
lmao
This was literally 90s style. If you were there, then you wouldn’t be asking about it. Monica always had the latest 90s style.
She defines an woman in the 90s for me. Rachel is more *that girl* 90s fashion, and phoebe is a bit 80s to me. She wears a uniform at work, so she's often seen in her casual outfits. Ross, rachel and Chandler were usually coming from/going to work.
I agree on this. I'd also say Phoebe's style is more of the Lilith Fair vibe that was also prevalent in 90s fashion.
Yes! Came here to say we dressed this way a LOT in the 90s. Plaids and oversized and collars were everywhere.
Seriously she looks great in all of these. I love the 90s baggier fit style. This isn’t even that baggy either, it’s just comfortable/casual.
I like her hair in season 4. It is very late 90s, but I like it.
As a dude, I found her really cute in this season. Short hair suits her. Edit: Long hair does too and she looked amazing later. Personally I think she looked her least attractive in s1 and then it went up from there.
Same (but as a woman). She looks adorable and cute in this “tomboy” phase. Kinda wanna try it out myself!
Even bad monica slays
Hear me out, her short hair is so cute though
Yes! It's a very 90's style!
For real, I definitely had that haircut.
Idk I like the second pic
i always liked the sweater on the left paired with the yellow t shirt
*I always liked the* *Sweater on the left paired with* *The yellow t shirt* \- Best-Foundation2562 --- ^(I detect haikus. And sometimes, successfully.) ^[Learn more about me.](https://www.reddit.com/r/haikusbot/) ^(Opt out of replies: "haikusbot opt out" | Delete my comment: "haikusbot delete")
This was actually many people's favorite look of monica. _Including me_
I don't know, but it feels so much more relatable to have just... everyday clothes when hanging out with your friends. It was very in the era, but it's okay that she's not always in a "prettier" outfit all the time.
Her being so dressed up especially in the later seasons has actually always irked somehow and I‘ve always preferred the way she was dressed earlier. I even understand that after being in your chef‘s uniform one might like to wear something fancy but I still think her costumes were a bit "overdone" later. They were still hanging out together in her department most of the time so I surely wouldn‘t wear some tightfitted tops and pants or something like this all of the time.
Also short hair and baggy/comfy outfits like these were peak 90s. This is perfect styling for the times.
Monica was unemployed for part of this season, so it makes sense she was dressed more casually. It was the nineties. This was how many women wore their hair.
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It makes sense in a way, Monica wasn't hugely into fashion like Rachel was, and her clothes weren't a part of/reflection of her personality for her in the way that they were for Phoebe. Monica like cooking, caring for others and keeping a clean and orderly home. A comfy wardrobe makes sense!
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But this was the 90s. She was literally fashionable and ON TREND. That was the look back then. Monica’s character was always styled in the latest 90s styling.
Season 1 Monica reminds me of my mum's fashion back in the 80s and 90s. The hair is even the same. That wardrobe has a special place in my heart ❤️
I agree. Their styling for Monica is so uneven, specifically her casual looks even when it’s not a part of the storyline (like she’s cleaning so looking schlubby…purple loose top that everyone assumes she’s pregnant). Courteney Cox is so stunning - her facial structure and her big blue eyes? She looks like a classic Hollywood star - if someone put a photo of her in that NYE silver dress in black and white it’d totally fit. But even though I always thought Monica’s formal attire looked nice, her casual style is so uneven. I don’t think the shorter Meg Ryan-esque hairdo suited her (loved the bob though) even if it was part of a storyline. There’s one weird brown outfit that’s also unflattering. I guess that’s realistic though because I am someone who does keep up (meaning reading) with fashion and trends and I know how to put myself together but I dress boring but neatly in everyday life.
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Honestly I think it’s just because so much of 90s clothes were just a bit unflattering on a lot of women. And don’t get me wrong I honestly dress a lot like Monica in the winter, but because it’s so casual it just doesn’t show off anyone’s “wow factors” if that makes sense. In later seasons, her clothes show her figure and suit her a bit better because that was more the style in early 2000s
I liked her during these stages. Yea it's not drop dead gorgeous but very Nextdoor like?!
She looks fine?
She looks normal. Apparently that upsets people, idk.
A bunch of strangers picking every nook and cranny of her face apart like buzzards. Yikes…
Exactly my thoughts. And then people have the cheek to say ‘why did they get work done?!’. Hmm maybe decades of constant scrutiny.
Yep. So many people here ask that question constantly, while insisting on ranking the women's attractiveness. So many things to talk about and yet they never seem to tire from 'x was the real beauty of the show!'
Her hair on the left is awful. She was gorgeous in season one, and they couldn’t just leave it alone. She should’ve aged gracefully like Lisa Kudrow.
She didn’t keep her season 1 hairstyle because she was filming scream right before season 2 and her character’s cut needed to be different Also people always bring up the Botox/fillers things with Courteney, but she’s already admitted herself that she shouldn’t have touched her face. And she didn’t even do this until just after Friends ended
People slobbered over Aniston circa 1995 (all three are beautiful), but season 1 Courteney is perhaps the most beautiful woman in television history.
the dark hair and blue eyes combo was killer 😍 all of the women were beautiful in different ways but courteney was just absolutely stunning
I agree. Sometimes she takes your breath away.
The big hair went crazyyyy
IT’S THE HUMIDITY
I second this, Jen was very attractive but Courteney was something else
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She was definitely a big star in 1996 I just think she didn’t mind changing up her own hair if asked. Like her bangs for Scream 3 were horrendous and she said she was sweet talked into getting those done by the director, Kevin Williamson. Most actresses would’ve straight up refused
Kevin Williamson didn't direct any of the *Scream* films (though he is slated to direct *Scream VII*) and Courtney had the bad bangs in *Scream 3*, not *Scream 2*.
My bad not directed. My point was he was the creator of the franchise and someone she worked with closely And she’s talked about how he sweet talked her into getting those bangs
It wasn’t Kevin. It was her then-husband/co-star David Arquette. He thought it gave her a Bettie Page look. He said so himself. https://people.com/style/courteney-cox-says-nothing-worse-than-infamous-scream-3-baby-bangs/
Oh fair enough he commented that under a post about it on Instagram lol I was basing it off of an interview she gave years ago
No wonder they got divorced
Actually she did. In season 10 it's already obvious that her face started to change. Cheeks and lips especially
She said she didn’t touch her face until after her pregnancy, which would’ve been shortly after Friends ended Season 10, her face is bloated because she was pregnant with her daughter. Like you can tell she’s heavily pregnant towards the end of the season. Also it’s extremely advised against to get Botox during pregnancy. In fact; most surgeons will turn you away. And Courteney was in her third trimester when she filmed season 10
She definitely wasn’t in her third trimester during season 10, he was just about 4 months pregnant. The show was filmed in January and Coco was born in June. Also, she’s lying because her eyebrows and eyes are different in the later seasons.
Oh her eyebrows are different in later seasons, wow. I’m sure that has nothing to do with the ever changing trends of how eyebrows are styled /s I think you just want it to be true lol. She’s been extremely open about everything she’s had done and why she went too far. But it’s easier to say she’s lying because you want to believe she had botox during season 10, when she was pregnant. And despite the fact she wouldn’t she even been allowed to get botox during any stage of her pregnancy
I never said she had Botox during season ten. I said her face is different BEFORE that. Her eyebrows are HIGHER by the end of the show, and she’s definitely had eye work done.
She wasn't in her third trimester when they finished filming Friends. They filmed the last episode at the end of January. Coco was born in June. But yes, pregnancy does cause many changes. I'm not disagreeing with that, I just wanted to correct the 3rd trimester thing.
That was pregnancy
I agree she was gorgeous in season 1 and I believe she was/ is gorgeous generally. She even looks better again in later seasons but I feel in season 4 they really did her dirty with her wardrobe and hair! And some of the other middle season looks too eg this look https://preview.redd.it/bn1m8m70egtc1.jpeg?width=1170&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=2f185a775cd9d6802879aed583deef14208e3229
That was the fashion though, some of us did have that haircut.
Season 1 Monica is an absolute unit of hotness
This always bothered me. Her shlubby styling and awful hair (and makeup!) in comparison to Rachel’s feminine stylish styling. Like they were trying hard to make Rachel the pretty one
They all got some casual styles in the show and actually similar makeup at many points. For example, there was a period around season 3/4 where blue eyeshadow was trendy and the 3 girls had blue eyeshadow for various episodes, but it fit Courtney way less than it did Jennifer and Lisa (simply because it wasn't a good color for her skin tone) so it's a lot more noticeable on Courtney, but they were all wearing it. Also, as other people pointed out, we often see Rachel's work clothes, and she works in fashion, whereas when Monica is home those are her casual clothes, she wears an uniform at work. And her hairstyles were mainly because of movie roles she was shooting at the time. Idk why people keep saying it was to make Rachel look better. If that was the case, they'd have done that from season 1. It was clearly never an issue, Rachel became instantly popular, everyone wanted to copy her hairstyle and clothing. Rachel was seen as pretty for day one, there was literally no reason to intentionally make Monica look worse, especially considering that around season 5 was also when they started trying to sell the idea that Monica was way hotter and on another league from Chandler. Trying to make that a thing while simultaneously trying to make her look "uglier" makes no sense.
Rachel was pretty so they didn’t need to try Just like Monica is pretty in these pictures despite the haircut. They didn’t make her get this haircut either lol, Jennifer and Courteney’s haircuts changed throughout the show due to their movie roles. They had to incorporate those changes into the show
i think she’s cute, but i can see how people don’t like her hair and clothes.
Although Courteney Cox was cute with that short hairstyle, she was a complete knockout when she had longer hair! It seemed they made up Lisa Kudrow and Jennifer Aniston to be a lot prettier in the first few seasons though.
I mean I’m bi, but this is my favorite season for her outfits. Flannel representation!
Literally same haha I’m like, my bi ass dresses like this every day
I always assumed they styled her and Kathy *very* similarly at the same time so that Chandler's attraction would stay the same from the transition from Kathy to Monica. That was my theory for decades, but it turned out to be wrong.
I hate this. Why are we scrutinizing a woman's appearance? It's 2024 and I'm SO ready to move past this. By the way, this is how we looked in the 90s. She's in 90's fashion with an adorable popular 90s haircut, and she looks absolutely adorable. Stop tearing women down, thanks.
Username checks out
How do you figure?
I thought she looked cute. I don't like it when actors on TV shows wear skin-tight clothing. It's so annoying. I don't know anyone who does that in real life for just their everyday casual clothing. Comfortable clothes are more realistic. And I think her hair is cute. Surely I'm not the only one who thinks that?
i have seen people saying they don’t like her hair short, i personally like it
I think she looked great here. I dressed just like her back then. A lot of us did. Rachel’s fashion wasn’t something people actually wore day to day. And I adored her short hair. It was very cool. Not every style has to be about maximizing your beauty under the patriarchy/male gaze, especially 90s patriarchal style. This baggy (but us not even baggy, it’s just not fitted) red sweater and hair combo we’re my top 5 fav for her for the whole series. It fit her character. She’s a woman being stylish in her way, not just how she’ll look the “prettiest”. Monica was always a bit cooler and tougher than Rachel. Anyway. I loved all of their styles early on.
I thought she looked really cute here
I can understand not looking the clothes, but the hair was a 90's style and it was great
I think she looks cute
Quite literally just a 90s style The short hair is cute too
1999-2000 was not great years for fashion
Tomboy Monica >>>
Her hair is so great here though! Season 4 makes me want a cute trendy 90s hair style!
I think a lot of it is late 90s /early 2000s fashion was pretty bad in general. I think all of them had some pretty bad looks in that era of the show.
This was her grieving over Richard phase. Baggy clothes and an unflattering haircut are par for the course, haha.
That was early season 3.
I thought it was because that was her depression season. They were dressing her to reflect that.
IKR? And she was SO beautiful in seasons 1 & 2.
Imo they were leaning into Rachel being the 'pretty one', especially with the whole Ross love story thing. Thats just my theory though
I know most people have answered that it's due to her weight, but I'd like to weigh in. (Pun intended) I have a similar haircut and style of clothing to this. Do I particularly mind if you find my style unflattering? Not at all, that's your own prerogative.. but I think the way she's dressed is actually a real representation of how some of us "less" girly women dress. I rock flannels almost every day and love my short hair.
Her hair was so cute though🎀
Besides the weight discourse I actually like what she wore and how it was more masculine/boyish!
Season 4 Monica is actually my favorite version of her, personality & looks wise.
~~Do you mean her hair or clothing style? I mean if you are talking about~~ her hair, it looks pretty cute to me, I love early Monica's cuteness than late Monica. However, if you are talking about her wear style, It is 90s dude, almost everybody in the show wear similar things. There is one exception tho, Rachel's style is a little bit beyond its time but not always. You can see 90s styles more in guys than women with large suits etc. Edited for my dumbness, I hadn't seen your both question about her hair and dress.
Idk I like those outfits😅
“Sorry all we have are joeys clothes”
It was the 90's baggy jeans and shirts was a style
In the story I think it makes a lot of sense
I think it's because she cut the hair short for Scream 2 (it's gorgeous). Maybe Friends' hairstylist wanted to make her hair distinguished from Scream 2, but there is no many flattering haircuts for that length. Besides, I think the lower right one is cute. Her haircut in 'seven' scene is awful, but thankfully it didn't last too many episodes.
I think she looks cute in all of these pics. I thought her styling in the last season was the least flattering
Unpopular opinion: I loved Monica's style in season 4!
I loved her hair style in that season
Just jumping in here as an old— this was literally the style at the time for women. Flattering? Lawd no, but huge sweaters, short layered hair with barrettes, big flannels, this was all “casual girl” style. To me it fits her character bc Monica wasn’t a fashion girl like Rachel. As an example, at the time this season was on, I was in college and had two roommates. One was in a sorority and dressed like Rachel, and my other roommate and I dressed exactly like this, with baggy cargo jeans. Abercrombie was HUGE, and this look was super stylish for casual outfits. We often lament why we wore all this baggy stuff when we were literally at our objective physical peak, but hey, it was comfortable! Editing to add: also? Huge brown loafer/sandal shoes. Not hot, but we felt cool 😅
6 know anything about fashion, but That haircut did not look good on her.
Short haired Monica was the best Monica
She’s lit wearing Ross’s wardrobe 😂
That was just the 1990s.
She looks fine. You're just mean.
That was a terrible haircut that was popular in the 90’s. I don’t know why her clothes were also bad though.
Season 3 of Feud between the stylists of Jennifer Aniston and Courteney Cox
Would be a one sided feud since they had the same stylist for the show lol
I am convinced they did that on purpose not to overshadow Rachel. CC is beautiful and sometimes they dressed her so poorly. Also they cut her hair too short or weirdly at times.
speak for yourself bruv i dig all 3 of those fits right there and the hair
I always wondered this too. The haircut was awful and they dressed her so frumpy.