I watch enough of The Big Bang Theory to be dangerous - it is a fun spin on an old-school sit-com.
Leonard, Sheldon and Raj all seem to have legit variations of classic Nerd outfits - Raj is mismatched with too much polyester, Sheldon with his comic book and nerd-culture t-shirts, and Leonard kinda layered-with-hoodies.
Howard, on the other hand, wears perfectly color-coordinated outfits that look like doll outfits. Not something I would expect to be portrayed as a variation on Nerd style.
I assume Howard’s outfits have been discussed at some point - e.g., his mom wants him to dress a certain way and buys his outfits or something - but I don’t recall hearing it.
Have explanations been offered? Or am I just missing it and Howard’s outfits are perfectly reasonable and don’t stick out to you at all?
I don’t think his wardrobe was ever explained. I assume it’s what he thinks is “cool” and “with it” or whatever term Howard might use. He’s just a walking, talking fashion anachronism.
Somehow I can’t imagine his mother picking out any of his outfits - I’d see her dressing him as a businessman or other suit-wearing professional.
Howard may buy his outfits, but his mother laid them out for him. So she was the one that coordinated everything. It was one of the things he bonded with Bernadette about.
Howard is a nerd but pre-Bernadette he was always trying to hit on every woman he met. His clothes are what someone with horrible taste would think girls would like.
This. Howard thinks of himself as some kind of ladies man and believes that he’s dressing to impress:Simon Helberg, who portrays the MIT-trained scientist and one of the hilarious nerds, describes Howard as "Jewish mod. Maybe a combination of Mick Jagger and Mr. Furley (Don Knotts’ character from Three’s Company). It aggressively makes a statement - it might be abstract. It’s ‘I am here. Here’s what I got!’ "
He wears pants so tight it’s a wonder he can inhale, never mind sit. It’s a good thing Helberg is so thin. “I have no choice,” he says. “For somebody who is very sexual in the character, he sort of highlights the important parts. The belts are always drawing attention to the crotch, which I think is where his heart is.”
Mary T. Quigley, co-producer and costume designer, has a great deal of fun with Howard’s outrageous clothes, and buys the belts at FluffyCo., Hot Topic and Urban Outfitters.
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“The delightful thing about Howard is that he does believe he is cool,” Helberg says. “He’s a little delusional, but they all live in their own world. He takes a lot of pride in how he presents himself.”
One of the first things I noticed when I started watching The Big Bang Theory was that it must be pretty freakin’ cold in their neighbourhood of Los Angeles. I’d be sweating my arse off with all those layers. And why don’t Leonard and Raj ever take off their jackets indoors?
That pulls me out of the show as well. I think someone mentioned here that the show was supposed to be set at MIT, which is colder, at least in winter.
Sheldon’s roommate agreement does mention the temperature the apartment is supposed to be kept at, but I don’t think it’s cold enough for the way the boys are dressed.
