By: Bonnie Pipkin
Can you imagine your haircut inspiring a cultural phenomenon? You know which one I’m talking about. The cut so affectionately dubbed, “The Rachel.” Shaggy, layered, shoulder-skimming 90’s realness! And the Rachel who rocked it, of course, is The Notorious RKG – Rachel Karen Green, of the iconic 90’s television show, Friends, portrayed by Jennifer Aniston. It's Jenn's birthday today, and we at FriendsNYC are celebrating with a FLASH sale! Shop the Rachel Green Collection for specific Friends inspired goodies, but the whole site will also be 20% off in honor of our girl. Cue: "I'll Be There For You" by the Rembrandts for a little mood music.
But why do we love Rachel Green so much? She’s spoiled, she’s vain, and she’s one of those people we hate when they move to New York City. But she is much more than meets the eye. Her flaws are what make her real. Her quirks and her bizarre sense of humor sink into you as the show continues. She’s a loyal friend, even if she lies to get out of things sometimes, and she has one of the most epic love stories in television history.
In an early episode, she famously says, “It’s like all my life everyone’s told me, ‘You’re a shoe! You’re a shoe! You’re a shoe!’ Well, what if I don’t want to be a shoe? What if I wanna be a purse or a hat?” Rachel’s seemingly one-dimensional beginnings on the show grow into a very nuanced and layered character (not just in the hair department). She has to break out of her former existence, and how many of us found our people in New York who helped us become who we are? Even if newbies in NYC are a little annoying, a lot of us were there at one point, too. She didn’t have street smarts, but she sure had heart.
Rachel’s style is flawless sexy-preppy all the way. And we watch the shopping addict grow into a boss bitch position at a major fashion house. From waitress at Central Perk to assistant at Fortunata Fashions, to buyer and personal shopper at Bloomingdale’s, and finally into a career at Ralph Lauren, she works hard and perseveres.
Let’s talk about Central Perk. Waitressing in New York City is a rite of passage for many of us. There’s no better way to learn who you are than to work in the service industry. [Remember the sneeze muffin? That’s right, be nice to your servers!] And how about working where all your friends come hang out? (Do any of the other Friends have to get to work? It doesn’t always seem like it! Monica has the most chill chef schedule I’ve ever seen). But working where your friends hang definitely reminds me of the days waiting tables at Roberta’s in Bushwick. Though the pace at Roberta’s is a little quicker than Central Perk. Oh, how I miss the café hang of the nineties.
Okay, so Rachel and Ross. The fabled love story of our generation. Did you know that originally the romantic thread was going to be Monica and Joey? She was going to tame the beast, so to speak. The writers didn’t even know that Ross and Rachel would become THE thing. But their connection was fire from the beginning. Who’s a literary buff? The writers used the work of Jane Austen as inspiration for Ross and Rachel’s dynamic. Read more about that here.
But I have to ask: Were they on a break???? Weigh in with your thoughts (and get the hat by clicking that link)! Still a relevant question! As much as I love Rachel and I believe women, I have to agree with Ross in this case. I do think they were on a break. Being on a break doesn’t protect you from getting hurt though. Rachel’s reaction was totally justified, IMHO. And hey, what about that zinger she threw at him, “Just so you know, it’s not that common, it doesn’t happen to every guy, and it is a big deal!”
It is, isn’t it? ;)
But ultimately, she was his Lobster. Phoebe taught us all that lobsters mate for life. Ross & Rachel come around to figuring out how to make the madness work. That’s something we all need to believe in.
Oh, hey, let's not forget, Rachel Green is a feminist! When she gets pregnant, remember when she staunchly states, “No uterus, no opinion!”? Hear, hear, Rachel! And she makes many astute observations about women in the workplace as her career grows. We are here for it. Unfortunately, those observations have not become dated.
She also names her daughter EMMA! Not only another Jane Austen reference, but also one of the Friends NYC founders 😊
Rachel Green, so imperfectly perfect and lovable. And by the way, Jennifer Aniston hated the haircut LOL.
Rachel GREEN flash sale// 20% off// Happy Birthday, Jennifer Aniston!
“First there’s a layer of ladyfingers, then a layer of jam, then custard — which I made from scratch — then raspberries, more ladyfingers, then beef sautéed with peas and onions, more custard, and then bananas, and then I just put some whipped cream on top,”
**Flash sale runs February 11, 2021 only! 20% off the entire site, excluding sale items**
