25 Black TV icons whose fashion game was always on point
By Sundi Rose
Penny Proud – The Proud Family
What we know: Penny Proud is among the most iconic of all animated characters for readers of a certain age. She was spunky, forthright, and tried her best to do the right thing by her parents, despite all that peer pressure from her friends. She was well-meaning and smart, not to mention cute as can be.
She’s (mostly) your average teenage girl, but she has a very traditional father, with which she bumps head. She’s bright, popular, and has a good head on her shoulders, despite her penchant for breaking the rules where boys are concerned.
What we see: Perky comfort. Penny always looks cute, no matter the situation. But she’s smart enough to understand that she shouldn’t have to sacrifice comfort to look good. She’s always dressed age-appropriately (probably due to her dad’s views about boys), but she makes it look fresh and new.
Her signature color is pink, and you will usually find her in a pink skirt and cardigan, with a simple white top underneath. This is her go-to outfit, but she’s also been known to don a costume and make it look downright adorable.
How to take it all in: The Proud Family is a staple among those growing up when it came out, but parents will remember it, too. It was quirky and clever, and often dealt, quite deftly, with some pretty heavy issues. DisneyNow has a few old episodes, but you can find quite a few around YouTube.