Fashion Face-Off: ‘black-ish’’s Zoey Johnson vs. ‘A Different World’’s Denise Huxtable

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Zoey Johnson Denise Huxtable

Both girls do some gender bending—Zoey in her men’s bowtie and Denise in her loosened school uniform.

Who wore it better? Everything goes best with a smile. Winner:Zoey.

Zoey Johnson Denise Huxtable

Here they are with hair “down-to-there.”

Who wore it better? Just looking at those dreads makes our scalps tender. Winner: Denise

Zoey Johnson Denise Huxtable

The boldest fashionistas play with color.

Who wore it better? We’re talking really bright color. Winner: Denise

Zoey Johnson Denise Huxtable

Two class acts. Who wore it better?

Few people can pull off mixing red and pink while also wearing their grandmother’s pearls. Winner: Denise.

Zoey Johnson Denise Huxtable

Dare we call this look “hot and collared”?

Who wore it better? That depends on how many collars you think are necessary. Winner: Tie

Zoey Johnson Denise Huxtable

No one said matching patterns are a must.

Who wore it better? If you’re going to mix plaids, classic lines win over the pajama look. Winner: Zoey

Zoey Johnson Denise Huxtable

These are no average cat ladies.

Who wore it better? While the animal print hat and cuffs are certainly bold, a full-on coat gives a much louder roar. Winner: Zoey

Zoey Johnson Denise Huxtable

Style icons have their off days. Both girls rock “what the hell” looks.

Who wore it better? Zoey’s safety pinned braid gives Denise’s condom tip-like hat a run for it’s money…in the “eh” department. Winner: Both losers.

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It’s not so different a world, is it? ABC is developing a black-ish spin-off that follows eldest Johnson daughter, Zoey (Yara Shahidi), off to college. And, if you’re thinking, “That sounds just like The Cosby Show spin-off A Different World, which followed Denise Huxtable (Lisa Bonet) off to college,” then, well, duh.

Yet, the similarities between Zoey and predecessor Denise don’t end with their travails in higher learning; or with their well-to-do African American families; or their stunning good looks. Both girls are the teen style icons of their time and—quite surprisingly, considering their shows take place years apart—have donned quite a few of the same looks.

But who wore them better? We break it down in the gallery above.