Key Pieces: Mini skirts, bold prints, leopard anything, skirtsuits, body-conscious dresses, tights, the occasional statement evening gown for when Mr. Sheffield lets her out of the house and, of course, tons and tons of hairspray.

Designers to Wear: Vivienne Westwood, Gucci, Christopher Kane, Betsey Johnson

Vivienne Westwood Red Label AW 2011

Gucci AW 2011

Christopher Kane SS 2010

Betsey Johnson AW 2011

Defining Fashion Moment: Whenever Mr. Sheffield had any sort of high-brow fête, Fran would make her entrance atop the staircase to the studio audience’s whoops and hollars. Then she would precede to mess up and inevitably repair whatever situation her employer was involved in.

Fran Drescher’s endlessly optimistic nanny was the continuation of a long legacy of whacky ladies who were no strangers to glamour. A legacy that started in the 1930s with screwball heroines like Carole Lombard, Katharine Hepburn and Irene Dunne and which continued for decades more with Lucille Ball.

That The Nanny is still in re-runs is a testament to Fran’s (Drescher and Fine’s) own legacy. Now if we only had more time I could delve into the genius wardrobes of Ms. Fine’s relations: Yetta and Sylvia Fine.

I can see the apple doesn’t fall far from the sequined tree. And for extra credit, study up on Should Be on the Nanny.

Christopher Kane SS 2010

Vivienne Westwood Red Label AW 2011

Gucci AW 2011

Betsey Johnson AW 2011

Nsaba Buturo, Uganda’s ethics and integrity minister: 

“What’s wrong with a miniskirt? You can cause an accident because some of our people are weak mentally.” 

More here: BBC.

Pantless image from Samantha Pleet.