Barton wears Chanel at the Viper Awards in Berlin, while Bilson poses in Lucky’s March issue

Betty and Veronica. Brenda and Kelly. Serena and Blair. The small screen has long been populated with blonde & brunette dream duos. But for those of us of a certain age (read: 16-30) and temperament (i.e. pop-culture vultures) we’ll always have a special place in our hearts for Summer and Marissa, the girls who pioneered shows that revolve around label-dropping and the luxe-life. Before these two, nary a Stam bag or Chanel 2.5 had ever graced the silver screen before. (And, to calm uproarious Sex & the City fans, let’s remember that HBO doesn’t really count as basic TV.)

While the actors behind these TV icons–Mischa Barton and Rachel Bilson—may distance themselves from their O.C. characters, their attempts will most likely be futile. After all, has Audrey Hepburn ever stopped being synonymous with The Little Black Dress? Can you recall any other garment that Mary Tyler Moore ever wore other than a polyester pantsuit? If I say Tiffani-Amber Thiessen, don’t high-waist denim minis, Keds, and two-layer neon tube socks immediately come to mind? In this month’s Lucky, cover-girl Bilson says, “I’m definitely grateful for my role as Summer, but I must admit that I’m looking forward to becoming more than Summer.” While that makes for a great magazine pull quote, Bilson should take cues from her former co-star Barton sit back, borrow a few killer threads, and enjoy her membership in the Fashion Hall of Fame.

*Snaps = Chanel & Lucky