Film & TV

Style Lessons from "Saved by the Bell"

The beloved 20th century sitcom is full of fashion moments that showcased the style of the era.
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Today is the 31st anniversary of the very first episode of Saved by the Bell airing (seriously, it's been 31 years!). In honor of the show's anniversary and the upcoming SBTB reboot, we're calling out the best fashion moments modeled by the students at Bayside High. Despite the original hit series premiering quite some time ago, we can still learn a lot from Saved by the Bell's style moments today. The show ran for the most part in the early 1990s, but the style at Bayside is indicative of both '80s and '90s culture and trends, with overarching themes from the most popular styles of each era working their way onto the set. Saved by the Bell taught us about life, love, and friendships in every episode, but there's still plenty more we can learn from the on-screen style. 

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In the earlier seasons, Saved by the Bell style showcased major trends from the 1980s, seen in everyone's voluminous hair, A.C. Slater's acid wash denim, Lisa Turtle's bold, oversized jewelry, and 'Screech' Powers' loud printed shirt. 

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Lisa is clearly the fashionista of the group, proven by her belted leopard print mini dress and studded denim jacket, accessorized with fun flats and big earrings. She also rocks the make-up of the moment, red lipgloss and bright blue eyeshadow, for an even bolder statement. 

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The it-couple of Bayside, Kelly Kapowski and Zack Morris, show off their '80s and '90s influences with Kelly's scrunchie and cartoon-printed shorts in a neon set and Zack's simple stripes and denim. 

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While Saved by the Bell's Jessie Spano tended to go for more lowkey outfits than her friends Kelly and Lisa, her classic headbands and thick curls fulfilled a certain '80s aesthetic. 

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Not only did the boys of Bayside capture trends of the moment, they also each had distinctive styles to reflect their completely different personalities. While the nerdy Screech wore comical prints and high waisted suspenders, school athlete Slater opted for more flattering prints, and class clown Zack rocked more relaxed fits with oversized graphic tees and simple sweaters.

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If it doesn't hurt your eyes just a little, is it even an '80s print? 

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While nowadays that much neon could certainly hurt our eyes, in the time of '80s workout gear and spandex unitards, we'll allow it.  

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On top of friendship and relationship drama, Saved by the Bell definitely had its hilarious sitcom moments, reflected in the fun props and colorful style we see here. 

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Speaking of props, aside from the big bird in a cage, this shot shows the importance of crop tops and color blocking in the '80s and '90s. 

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While Jessie sports a leather jacket, Lisa rocks an embroidered denim set, two of the most popular fabrics of the 1990s.

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From Lisa's camo to Kelly's flannel to Jessie's high-waisted Bermuda shorts, the girls of Saved by the Bell capture trends of the moment while putting their own spin on the styles. 

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The bright colors and bold patterns of the '80s mix with the more minimal button-ups and jeans popularized in the '90s. 

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Even as the cast grew up over the seasons and refined their style ever so slightly, they kept the big hair and stylistic influences of the '80s and '90s.

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