Close your eyes and think about the mid-to-late 2000s. Can you smell the unwashed leather wrist cuff? Can you taste the Caramel Macchiato? Can you hear the Kinnie Star and the Stars and The Be Good Tanyas, the Tegan & Sara? Most of all, do you feel a little Shane today?
Let’s take a journey back in time to the beginning of time — the original L Word.
Pre-Premiere Press Tour – Winter 2003
Prior to the show’s premiere in February of 2004, the cast participated in a flurry of press events. This included a scarf-forward “preview luncheon” at the then-very-buzzy Blue Fin restaurant in New York City’s infamous Times Square, attended by the whole cast and their flatirons:
Cast members Jennifer Beals, Pam Grier, Erin Daniels, Leisha Hailey, Laurel Holloman, Mia Kirshner, Karina Lombard, Eric Mabius, Katherine Moennig and Executive Producer Ilene Chaiken at a preview luncheon for Showtime’s new original series “The L Word” at Blue Fin October 23, 2003 in New York City. (Photo by Scott Gries/Getty Images)
Several cast members attended the Power Up Premiere Gala in Los Angeles that November (Power Up was a non-profit focused on increasing visibility for lesbians in the arts and media). Most importantly is that Laurel Holloman wore this hat and also A DRESS OVER JEANS, which is peak mid-aughts fashion!
2003 – Laurel Holloman and Mia Kirshner at the 3rd Annual POWER UP Premiere Gala at The Regent Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills, California, United States. (Photo by Mark Sullivan/WireImage)
They also turned up Showtime’s 2003 TCA Presentation. Erin Daniels is basically wearing a Dana Fairbanks sundress, Eric Mabius is ready for his 8th grade graduation, and Mia Kirshner continues her commitment to several statement necklaces at once.
(Photo by M. Caulfield/WireImage)
Why were they using Cryptkeeper font for this panel:
(Photo by M. Caulfield/WireImage)
L Word Season One Premiere Event at LACMA – January 2004
Attendees of the Season One Premiere event at the Los Angeles Contemporary Museum of Art included Christian Slater, Melissa Etheridge and her then-wife Tammy Lynn Micheals (who played Shane’s stalker, Lacey, in Season One) and actress Joely Fisher (she’d been part of the main cast of Ellen). Also present were Season One guest stars Kelly Lynch (Ivan), Devon Gummersal (Lisa), Guinevere Turner (Gabby Devoux) and Anne Archer (Lenore).
LOS ANGELES – JANUARY 6: (L to R) Actors Mia Kirshner, Katherine Moennig, Erin Daniels and Laurel Holloman attend the premiere screening of “The L Word” at the LACMA on January 6, 2004 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images)
(Photo by Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images).
(Photo by SGranitz/WireImage)
Big family pic here, lots of colors, weird tension with Karina Lombard, Mia is cold in her very Jenny doily dress:
(Photo by SGranitz/WireImage)
15th Annual GLAAD Media Awards – March 2004
The entire cast of The L Word presented the award for Outstanding Television Journalism at the 15th Annual GLAAD Media Awards. Mia is giving a little Winona Ryder energy here.
(Photo by J. Sciulli/WireImage for GLAAD)
(Photo by J. Sciulli/WireImage for GLAAD)
L Word Season One DVD Release Party – January 2005
Leisha’s tie / sweater-vest situation here is timeless.
(Photo by Stephen Lovekin/FilmMagic)
Season Two Premiere Parties – February 2005
Attendees to Season Two screening and premiere parties in New York and Los Angeles included of course the cast as well as Season Two actors Eric Lively, Camryn Manheim, Anne Ramsey (who also appeared in Season One) and Sandra Bernhard. Other assorted celebrities in attendance: Rosie O’Donnell and her then-wife, Kelly, Hank Azaria, Wilson Cruz, Julie Benz and Tammy Townsend.
Actress/comedian Rosie O’Donnell, Erin Daniels, Katherine Moennig, Leisha Hailey and Sarah Shahi attend Showtime’s “The L Word” second season premiere in Chelsea February 8, 2005 in New York City. (Photo by Fernando Leon/Getty Images)
(Photo by Fernando Leon/Getty Images)
(Photo by Chance Yeh /Patrick McMullan via Getty Images)
Hank Azaria, Chairman and CEO of Showtime Matt Blank, Laurel Holloman, and Rachel Shelley (Photo by Stephen Lovekin/FilmMagic)
Kate wearing the white tank top with a black tie for the Los Angeles premiere is iconic. Also we wore a lot of necklaces at once back then. The premiere in Los Angeles was followed by a party at The Abbey that included a “dessert buffet” and servers dressed in pink serving pink beverages.
LOS ANGELES, CA – FEBRUARY 16: (L-R) Actress’ Rachel Shelly, Laurel Holloman, Leisha Hailey, Katherine Moennig, Sarah Shahi, Erin Daniels and Mia Kirshner attend Showtime’s “The L-World” second season premiere at The Directors Guild of America on February 16, 2005 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Stephen Shugerman/Getty Images)
Your Gay Moms:
(Photo by Stephen Shugerman/Getty Images)
At a Queer as Folk / L Word joint premiere party in San Francisco. I feel like the Mandee on the Upper West Side sold knockoffs of everything in this picture and I bought all of them including the hat.
(Photo by David Paul Morris/Getty Images)
L Word Season Three Premiere Party – 2006
The “most 2006 outfit award” goes to Alexandra Heddison!!! The long sparkly double-layer cami with the flare jeans you love to see it!!
(Photo by Michael Tran/FilmMagic)
Everyone talking to a man:
(L-R) Showtimes Manager of Talent Relations Kirk Ryder talks with actress Katherine Moennig, Creator and Executive Producer Ilene Chaiken, Larel Holloman and Erin Daniels during “The L Word” season three premiere after party January 8, 2006 at Club Avalon in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Mark Mainz/Getty Images)
L Word Adjacent Promotional Events – 2006
The General Motors Annual Celebrity Fashion Show in 2006 was a real snapshot of the era — attendees and models included Mischa Barton, Lindsay Lohan, Eva Longoria, Carmen Electra, Jeremy Piven, Nick Lachey, Anna Kournikova, Jenna Elfman, Jamie Foxx, Sarah Chalke, Daisy Fuentes… and of course, high femme icons Alexandra Heddison, Kate Moennig and Erin Daniels.
(Photo by John Shearer/WireImage)
Starting in late 2005, Showtime was exploring all kinds of merchandising options for the program and one of them was this since-forgotten perfume, launched at Fred Segal. This particular party was STAR-STUDDED with absolute abandon — first of all, Stormy Daniels was an honored guest. Secondly Ashley Tisdale, bisexual actress Bai Ling, lesbian host of the quickly-forgotten Queer Eye For the Straight Girl program Honey Labrador, Pheobe Price on crutches, and guest stars Dana Delaney and Camryn Manheim all turned up.
(Photo by Mark Sullivan/WireImage)
This is my favorite photo sequence of all time:
(Photo by Gregg DeGuire/WireImage)
(Photo by Gregg DeGuire/WireImage)
There was this girl who made videos about The L Word who then wrote a whole book about it and they had a launch party at Virgin Megastore. I love Daniel’s t-shirt:
(Photo by Scott Wintrow/Getty Images)
Season Five Premiere Party – January 2008
I think Paris Hilton came to this party. Everyone is having an amazing and chaotic time. Big fedora energy.
(Photo by Stephen Shugerman/Getty Images)
(Photo by Stephen Shugerman/Getty Images)
(Photo by BRIAN LINDENSMITH/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images)
You know when it’s like, five drinks deep into the party and your friend is like “okay everybody get together for a group pic!” and everyone is like “please no” and maybe like three people are into it and everybody else either wants to go back to the bar or go home? Anyhow, that’s this photo:
(Photo by Stephen Shugerman/Getty Images)
Season Six Farewell Party – January 2009
As we stumble forward into the 2010s,
WEST HOLLYWOOD, CA – MARCH 03: Creator Ilene Chaiken, Katherine Moennig and Kate French at Showtime’s ‘L Word’ (Photo by Eric Charbonneau/Le Studio/Wireimage)
(Photo by Eric Charbonneau/Le Studio/Wireimage)
(Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
Absolutely iconic. Can’t believe this was only a few years ago; I miss them already.
Great pics, so weird to ever see Kate in a dress/looking femme though… ;P
yeah it’s wild!