What’s the deal with clothing? You put it on, you go on TV, and you become a style legend? If you’re Jerry Seinfeld and his costars from Seinfeld, then basically, yes. Even though the TV series was self-described as “about nothing,” it managed to cover ample fashion territory and set its own fashion trends. (Before Phoebe Philo and Raf Simons wore all-white kicks, there was Jerry on TV in his white Nike Air Tech Challenge IIs.)
In honor of the show’s entire run becoming available to stream on Hulu today, we’re rounding up the 10 best episodes for fashion fanatics.
“The Jacket,” season two, episode three
The moral of this episode: Don’t wear a suede jacket in the rain. Also, don’t buy a suede jacket with pink lining if you’re looking to impress the father of an ex.
“The Puffy Shirt,” season five, episode two
“But I don’t want to be a pirate,” whimpers Jerry before taking the stage on the Today show in the ruffled and ruched design by Kramer’s new girlfriend, Leslie. While the look doesn’t work so well for Jerry in 1993, one needn’t look further than the Gucci runways or the Faith Connexion lookbooks to see that a touch of flounce is trending today.
“The Raincoats,” season five, episodes 18 and 19
In this two-part episode, it’s revealed that Jerry’s father, Morty Seinfeld, created “The Executive,” a belt-free raincoat that has become a hit at secondhand stores. Kramer sports one, encouraging Morty to bring the style back into production. Consider this a lesson that starting your own fashion line isn’t as easy as it seems.
“The Doorman,” season six, episode 18
Gender-bending might be all the rage on the runways, but back in 1995, Kramer and Frank Costanza tried it out with their bra for men. Colloquially known as “The Bro” or “The Manziere,” the undergarment was crafted to provide support for guys looking for a little lift. Might work well today with one of Craig Green’s nipple tops or Vivienne Westwood’s breastplates.
“The Shoes,” season four, episode 16
Both ends of Elaine’s style spectrum come into play in this episode. First, she is dismayed when she finds out an acquaintance is talking about her expensive Botticelli oxfords behind her back. Then, things take a swing toward the sexy when she attempts to woo an NBC exec while wearing a low-cut dress.
“The Caddy,” season seven, episode 12
Bra tops are de rigueur on the runways and on the red carpet, but back in 1996, Seinfeld tried out the trend with a plotline about a woman, Sue Ellen Mischke, who never wore a bra, only to start wearing the piece as a top instead of an undergarment. Her look is deemed so scandalous, it ends up causing a car accident.
“The Seven,” season seven, episode 13
Uniform dressing takes center stage in this episode, where Jerry’s girlfriend, Christie, seems to own only one article of clothing: a black-and-white strapless dress.
“The Wait Out,” season seven, episode 23
Kramer might be most famous for his sliding entrances into Jerry’s apartment, but in season seven he got to try out a new signature: skinny jeans. Let’s just say the style doesn’t go great for him.
“The Foundation,” season eight, episode one
Sure, Elaine Benes could put together a ditsy floral dress and some oxfords like no other, but her design taste is questionable at best. Case in point: the Urban Sombrero. Conceived of during her stint as the head of the J. Peterman catalog, Elaine’s topper didn’t fare so well on the markets. (It fared better in the memes juxtaposing her in the hat beside Pharrell in Vivienne Westwood’s Buffalo hat at the 2014 Grammys.)
“The Bizarro Jerry,” season eight, episode three
Among the many absurd plots in “The Bizarro Jerry” is the one where George uses a picture of Jerry’s model girlfriend to gain access to an exclusive, models-only nightclub. We’d like to say those don’t exist, but a pass through any fashion party might prove us wrong.
—Steff Yotka, Style.com
