Jason Segel’s wardrobe in the show “Shrinking”
I think I’ve found a style that actually inspires me. Turns out this is true for many guys, see article, but I was looking for some help to better understand what the costume designer is actually saying and if anyone would be willing to help guide me. I’d prefer to go used/eBay rather than new and to be frugal. I haven’t decided on a budget and I’m getting the impression that pieces will be pricey so I am thinking that taking a slow build approach will be best.
https://spy.com/articles/gear/style/shrinking-costume-designer-1202946784/
Caroline Reilly
SPY
Jason Segel Has a J. Crew Curator
Costumer Allyson Fanger spoke to Spy about getting Jason Segel's specific style for every day.
20 Replies
Luckily, the costume designer provides a pretty extensive list of brands and designers they used for the show. I'd recommend taking that list, and hitting the secondhand market, because buying all of them new could be expensive, but also because one of the main priorities for the costume designer was making sure the clothes felt lived in.
Here's a good guide for secondhand shopping: https://malefashionadvice.substack.com/p/secondhand-shopping-guide-motivation
I'm not sure what you're asking with regards to "what the costume designer is saying", though. Was there a specific part that felt particularly unclear?
Secondhand Shopping: Guide, Motivation, and Inspiration
This guide comprises three parts. The first part, the practical side, will talk about the various ways to buy secondhand, specific recommendations, and general tips to find great pieces. The second part, the philosophical side, will talk about the benefits of buying secondhand and the various reasons that it's a great option. The third part is a...
I appreciated the guidance re: brands and I’m quite overwhelmed on how to choose items. So my concern is that there I will experience a disconnect between what I like from his wardrobe and how it will look on me. Whether I am making a flattering choice based on the options available. I’m happy to get garments tailored. I suppose what I am saying is that I do not know the language to describe certain fits or style of blazer, for example.
Here is an outfit that I like. I don’t know what the sweater he is wearing is called. My button downs tend to be longer that the one he is wearing. I don’t know if that’s a particular style. I like his jeans and they look like regular old jeans to me but they’re probably not. Is there a pair of second hand Levi’s that I could buy? I would probably omit the tie
part of the issue is that jason segel is a very tall human, but it's easier to scale the aesthetic down by getting the right size of items. the most optimized way to do this is to go to a store and get measured or try enough things on that you know sizing, then buy used as @carrion suggested
your broader question on "what is costume designer is saying?" is interesting. fanger's role isn't to just dress segel in clothes, it's to find clothes that visually build the idea of this character. he's someone who's had the foundation of his life wrecked, so he has older articles of clothing. he's not trend focused, so he has lots of basics. he's in a state of grief at first, explaining why his clothes are all rumpled.
when it comes to not knowing what things are, the best thing I can recommend is to visit the sites of the listed brands, look thru their offerings and lookbooks, and take note of things you like. It's a much easier and effective way to learn what clothes are called, and anything you still don't understand you can bring back here and say "what is this"
conversely, you, an actual person, are looking for clothes to wear in your day to day life. i will spitball that you're not necessarily looking for deeper symbolism behind your clothing choices (which is fine!) but that's definitely what she has in mind when dressing him
if you're just interested in the aesthetics then this is the best thing to do https://discord.com/channels/1116793467654381685/1240303388646965319/1240312009543782471
Here are two attempts based on what I have and colors that I think go well together. First shirt is J Crew broken in Oxford and second is brooks brothers
the colors are good together
i think a less slim fit pant would be better to counter some of the stacking right above your sneakers
the bigger thing though is i would wear the shirt tucked in; untucked imo just draws the eyes downward
and if the untucked look is to try and emulate jimmy, i'll reiterate that jimmy looks like that because he's a fictional character going through grief and trauma - the rumpled look is partly because he can't take care of himself in the typical way one would
If you're trying to replicate the look above I think the tie is critical and so are the jeans as opposed to chinos. More generally, idt the shoes work there
I agree and I appreciate the way you contextualized the situation. I am not trying to project grief into the world nor am I grieving. I am drawn into the idea of looking nice with basics. I have no real desire to dress on trend though I would prefer to avoid obviously uncouth garments as well. The pants are j.crew 770 straight fit. They are a little big at the waist which is maybe why they are stacking? Can you think of an alternative style of pant that I could look into? I don’t think I’m comfortable going the “giant” route.
I like the idea of untucked because it is comfortable and seems casual and I understand that it can also convey “sloppy”. So perhaps this is part of my lack of experience with clothing and fashion. I have no qualms about tucking in my shirts.
Thank you. Truthfully, I like the overshirt/sweater garment and outside of this specific example, I do not know other outfits it could be worn with.
honestly check out J Crew
j crew classic fit is a happy medium
Do you think I should pursue classic colors such as khaki, navy, olive?
What sort of shoes do you think would work better?
maybe something like CVOs or blucher mocs
if your intention is to look nice in basics then yes, khaki, navy and olive are good colors to pursue
the color guide gets into it in more detail https://malefashionadvice.substack.com/p/understanding-color
Understanding color
Getting started: the basic advice guides
Looking through J. Crew, I like this. https://www.jcrew.com/p/mens/categories/clothing/sweaters/cardigan/heritage-cotton-pointelle-stitch-cardigan-sweater/BW577?display=standard&fit=Classic&color_name=black&colorProductCode=BW577
J.Crew
Heritage cotton pointelle-stitch cardigan sweater
Shop for the Heritage cotton pointelle-stitch cardigan sweater for men. Find the best selection of men mens-categories-clothing-sweaters-cardigan available in-stores and on line.
I also really like this from Buck Mason but it’s outside of my budget and I can’t find anything like it on eBay. BM calls it a cashmere button down shirt but then refers to it as a sweater in the description. Is there another name for it that might yield better eBay results? https://www.buckmason.com/products/canyon-heather-california-cashmere-button-shirt/
Buck Mason
Canyon Heather California Cashmere Button Down Shirt - Buck Mason- ...
Canyon Heather California Cashmere Button Down Shirt - A classic button-front collared sweater in a lofty superfine cashmere you can wear all year round.
also fyi this isn't a sweater idt
it has a few different names by brand; try searching for a "long sleeve button down knit polo" or "knit button down cardigan"
you could also search for long sleeve button downs and filter the materials to wool or cashmere