Flashback Friday: Phoebe Buffay’s Outfits Tell Us A Lot About Her Personality; Find Out More

The die-hard fans of FRIENDS have been waiting for the much-awaited reunion episode, which was aired on HBO on 27 May. The news of reunion episode has had many of us going down memory lane and talking about the characters, Monica, Rachel, Ross, Phoebe, Joey, and Chandler. The social media feeds of the fans of the series are also lit up with the distinctive experience of watching Friends. We are reminded of the characters from the sitcom, who were fun and relatable. And speaking about the cast members, one such character that has enthralled us all was Phoebe Buffay (played by Lisa Kudrow).

Phoebe was among the funniest characters in the ensemble cast series. While she is shown as the quirky friend, she is also one of the most layered characters. Phoebe is a bundle of contradictions. If she is free-spirited then she also has strong principles. If she has certain eccentric notions and belief systems (like she still believes that Santa Claus is real) then she is also real and rooted, often giving sensible advices to her friends. If she is tough then she is also soft. If she is aloof then she is also often shown as interfering in her friends' lives (remember when she is writing a book on Marsha and Chester, which is actually a relationship book based on Monica and Chandler and in front of them). Apart from contradictions which makes Phoebe Buffay's character so interesting and relevant even in today's time, she is also portrayed as the blunt friend, who speaks her heart out and sings as if no one is watching (Smelly Cat). She is also philanthropic and having had the toughest and the most struggling life in her friends' group, she has not turned out to be bitter but surprisingly has the most positive outlook about life, as compared to her other friends.

Her character is certainly vibrant and so are her outfits in the series. Phoebe's myriads of interests are often reflected in her outfits and her affinity for pop culture is also pretty evident with her clothes (the Superman dress of hers at Halloween was pretty amazing). Phoebe is free-spirited and cares for nostalgia, which is where her wardrobe is a cross between bohemian and vintage, particularly in the first few episodes. Unlike minimalist outfits of Monica and Rachel, Phoebe opts for maximalist wardrobe with eye-catching bright hues, for her character is sketched as the most effervescent and outgoing. However, there is a contemporary edge to Phoebe's outfits, which makes her ensembles unique but not so much nonconformist. Phoebe Buffay somewhere seeks a stable and conventional life too, which is the reason why her outfits are also sometimes minimal and in tune with modern-day sensibility. A whiff of minimalism in her outfits are particularly seen with sixth episode onwards. She also sports a lot of jewellery in order to build her look and artsy character. Here are some of the popular Phoebe Buffay-looks that we have decoded for you on this Flashback Friday.

Phoebe's Orange Coat

Who can forget Phoebe's orange coat that she wore in the episode where she discovers Chandler and Monica's secretive relationship! Her striking orange coat became instantly popular, which she teamed with a brown-hued outfit, making a strong case for blends. Also adding to that, we loved her rose-shaped pendant neckpiece. The bun hairdo suited her and only Phoebe could pull off such a dramatic outfit in the series (apart from Joey wearing multiple layers of outfits).

Phoebe's Sporty Look

The 'Geller Cup' episode is probably one of the favourites of fans. This is where we witnessed sporty looks of Monica, Phoebe, and Rachel. Phoebe wins us with colour-contrast. She wore a baggy white top that had the face printed of a girl and read, 'ThatGirl'. Her top was oversized but she paired it with feminine black stockings and sports shoes. Apart from her outfit, her crown-braid hairdo made for the ultimate hairstyle to sport when playing sports.

Phoebe's Vintage Dress

Not just bohemian outfits, Phoebe Buffay also flaunted vintage fashion. She nailed the late 60s look with her smart dress that impressed fashion critics. Her dress was sleeveless with broad straps and her attire was structured too. The dress featured orange checkered patterns on an ivory base. She wore complementing jewellery with her look and the side-parted puffed hairdo gave her look the complete vintage effect.

Phoebe's Newspaper-Inspired Shirt

Not many of you must have noticed but Phoebe was a forerunner of newspaper-inspired fashion. She flaunted this newspaper-inspired shirt with sharp collar and wrinkled sleeves and instantly had our attention. Her shirt was eye-catching and something we can all flaunt. She accessorised her look with studs and a bevy of sassy rings. Phoebe looked awesome.

Phoebe's Mismatched Outfit

The best part about Phoebe's character is that she doesn't care much about the opinions of others, which is where her clothes are also unconventional. For instance, in one of the episodes, she opted for this mismatched ensemble that had multi-hued polka-dotted patterns on a white dress and she layered it with a brown and pink zipper top. This is not the ensemble just about anyone could pull off. She also sported unusual orange-hued danglers and ponytail-inspired hairdo that added to the interesting look.

Phoebe's Date Night Dress

Phoebe has the ultimate date-night dress that leaves Joey awe-struck (but her date is not with Joey). She wore a halter-neckline black gown for a date. Her outfit was structured and she accessorised it with statement black-stone jewellery (for Phoebe Buffay loves jewellery). This time, her hairstyle is conventional with sleek middle-parted tresses. Even in the most classic outfits, Phoebe knows how to look a class apart.

Phoebe's Superman Costume

For the Halloween costume party, Phoebe is all about celebrating and graces the event in her Superman-inspired outfit. Well, with the red cape and side ponytails look with red ribbon, Phoebe looked awesome in this episode.

So, which outfit of Phoebe Buffay did you like the most? Let us know in the comment section.

Pictures Courtesy: Stills from the series, FRIENDS