ABC's Dirty Sexy Money is an outrageous and hilarious soap opera of a show, the perfect spoof of people with too much money and not enough scruples, made more accessible to the viewing audience through the constantly tempted, fish-out-of-water character of the family lawyer. But aside from the ridiculous plots, absurdist scandals and over-the-top characters,

Dirty Sexy Money is also a treat for its fashion. Because it follows the story of a multi-generational family, Dirty Sexy Money delivers the fashion goods whether you're twenty or sixty.

Roberta Haze, the show's costume designer, makes a point to be attentive to details when it comes to dressing the characters. She notes that often the women of the show can have five costume changes in a single episode. The show's younger characters are given a more edgy look, while the matriarch of the show's fictional Darling family gets a more classic, old-money look brightened up with some artsy flair. Big name designers are critical in both cases though with Dirty Sexy Money featuring fashion from Chanel and other top names.

In fact, fashion is such an upfront and center part of the show that we're even treated to a Ferragamo fashion show at the Darling's home in one episode. Why? Well the matriarch of the family is under house arrest and can't make it to fashion week!

Maybe you can't order up a fashion show from home, but you can order fashion from home. How can you get the
Dirty Sexy Money look for less? Focus on fabrics that look like they take a lot of upkeep -- bright colors, as well as pale colors always imply luxury because they don't hide stains well. No one on Dirty Sexy Money would ever wear a little black dress to a party. They'd make a splash in bright red or purple or go for supposedly understated elegance in a pale bronze, silver or taupe.

Jewelry is also important if you want to look like one of the Darling women. Well made costume jewelry with lots of sparkle and a bit of art is all you need to set off a simple dress or a well cut suit.

Like any television show or film that features a fashion magazine office (and there are a surprising number of them) Ugly Betty is a show largely driven by its wardrobe -- from the ridiculous to the sublime. With sexy power outfits, strong silhouettes and intriguing uses of color, the employees of the show's Mode magazine always dress fabulously. And even Betty's often awkward wardrobe has a charm and whimsy worth bringing to your own closet.

When trying to emulate the great parts of Betty's style, go for bright colors and mix-and-match prints. Leggings under skirts and cardigans over blouses help provide the look of layers and textures that she favors. Of course, accessories are critical for Betty, although you probably don't want to be as over the top as her. A pair of fun earrings or a vivid hair clip can bring a sense of fun to your look. Most importantly, be comfortable in your clothes and make sure you're dressing for you. Betty's outfits work because they make her happy.

For a look that's both more assertive and sexy, take Wilhelmina as your template. With a preference for designers like Dolce & Gabbana and Alexander McQueen, Wilhelmina is all about the power of clothes, and it shows both in the cut and colors of the outfits she prefers. Black with splashes of jewel tones (particularly purples) are always a hit for her. She also exhibits success going with silvers and golds with the occasional splash of red.

Even gents can take their fashion cues from Ugly Betty, by looking at Daniel's fashion choices. With clothes from Gucci and Dior, Daniel dresses in sleek, conservative styles, but always brightens up his wardrobe with a spectacular tie or stylish shoes. Classic, with one item worthy of comment, is the way to go here.

While over the top both in look and plot, Ugly Betty makes a surprising amount of fashion sense as long as you can step back from the drama queen antics of the plot and bring a bit of playfulness to the show's fashion ideas.

Even on Saturday Night Live, AMC's Mad Men is heralded as the show everyone is talking about but no one is watching. Still, the drama about New York's advertising industry in the 1960s has been scooping up the awards, as well as accolades for its detailed presentation of retro fashion.

In many ways an ad agency is the perfect setting to showcase the styles of the early sixties. An industry of image, fashion has always been important to the ad world. Also particularly fun is that the standard of beauty for women in the early 60s involved lots of curves, which is quite different than a lot of what we see today. Mad Men, even with its retro style, gives us fashion to look at that is more reflective of the majority of women's bodies.

The show's clothes are largely driven by pattern and texture. Plaids and hounds-tooth are common, as are tweeds and knits. And while workplace colors are often muted shades of browns and blues, color splashes across the screen in everything from girlish sundresses to the sexiest red-dress wearing secretary you've ever seen.

While showing off the early 60s style, Mad Men is also influencing today's fashion with the increased popularity of both the secretary blouse (fitted waist, bow at the neck, cap sleeves) and the pencil skirt. Swing coats and retro, rounded-toe high heels are also making the cut. For men, the slim cut of the suits of the era remains in, although fabrics remain more somber. Mad Men's real influence on fashion today comes in the form of hats. What used to be a necessary clothing item for men is starting to return as a fashion statement.

Gentlemen inspired to don a fedora or other retro hat take note: it's not just enough to follow the fashion cues of Mad Men when it comes to the hat. You need to follow the etiquette too. You may look hot in your fabulous new brim, but show a bit of class and don't wear it inside.

One of the hot new shows for fashion is Gossip Girl, a delightfully trashy drama about privileged teens in New York City. The fashions on the show are so popular that several blogs have already sprung up to document the show's clothes, hairstyles and makeup.

While much of the show's look is dependent on exclusive designer names such as Michael Kors, Kate Spade and Juicy Couture, many key items to the show's style are more pedestrian and familiar than you might expect. For that prep school look, French Toast offers uniform basics, although they're made for kids and will only fit smaller-sized adults. But gray or navy pleated skirts aren't that hard to come by, and with the right accessories you can definitely make it into something stunning.

Gossip Girl favors classic looks with lots of color and mostly feminine (the show is a big fan of ties on girls) styles for women, and khakis and sweaters for men. To get the Gossip Girl look, think texture and patterns. Tweeds and corduroy, as well as knits and more sumptuous fabrics like velvet and silk are sure winners. Plaids, stripes and piping, as well as great accessories are critical. And the accessorizing isn't just limited to women - men need to consider French cuffs in order to show off cuff-links and also will want to have great ties, pocket squares with the right jacket, and if you're really daring, the oft-seen-on-the-show ascot.

Part of the show's appeal is also its love of outrageous costuming, which is often showcased during the exclusive parties its characters attend. Whether it's a themed birthday party (think 1920s or Marie Antoinette) or a high-profile event like the White Party, the fashion of Gossip Girl is driven by special-event looks, which hold particular interest as we enter the holiday season.

Gossip Girl understands that all fashion is costume, and while every look on the show won't necessarily translate easily to our more mundane lives, the show is a great inspiration to be completely serious about making your wardrobe absolutely playful.