Haute and the City

It seems everyone is going a bit bonkers over all of the Lady GaGa-inspired outfits on this week’s episode of Glee, and rightfully so. The girls plus Kurt fashioned a number of Lady GaGa’s now iconic looks, including the Armani Privé Grammy’s dress, the bubble dress and even a sad attempt at the highly-debated Jean-Charles de Castelbajac Kermit the Frog cloak from his Fall 2009 collection. Kurt’s GaGa outfit is arguably the most fun: the Spring 2010 Alexander McQueen outfit GaGa used in her Bad Romance video.

Today, however, I’d like to bring your attention to the “normal” outfit Kurt wore in this episode. As you may remember, Glee got pretty awkward when Finn lost his temper with Kurt and threw around the F-word (and you know I’m not talking about the one with four letters!). Despite being the most uncomfortable moment of the season, Glee’s costume designer, Lou Eyrich, cleverly dressed Kurt in a supremely British ensemble so he looked absolutely perfect.

I mean, who the hell wears cufflinks and studs to redecorate a room? Does he not get sweaty when he moves furniture? Lucky.

This outfit, while clearly of modern fit and styling (big heart for those pinstripe pants), evokes images of an innocent English country boy with the conglomeration of herringbone, tweed, browns and the perfectly placed pocket watch. Lou fashions Kurt as the ideal of innocence (even though redecorating their room as a Moroccan loveden was totally psycho) just in time for Finn to rip him to shreds.

Heartbreaking. And perfect.

Photo sources: Facebook and GleeImages.com

There are moments when you watch TV and you see what a character is wearing, it really strikes a chord. This happens very frequently with Chuck Bass’s outfits on Gossip Girl. It happened weekly on Sex and the City. Occasionally, shows like Modern Family will throw you a bone.

Because I am wont to notice the little gems that the costume designers of Hollywood throw into a character’s wardrobe to make you gasp/weep/cringe/laugh/bleed, I’ve decided to start a new column called “Wardrobe Watch”, so we can all appreciate these gems together.

Plus Glee spends it’s entire costuming budget (and perhaps some production costs) on Kurt Hummel’s character, so really they deserve a pat on the back for it.

Chris Colfer portrays the loud-and-proud Kurt Hummel, a divo so glam that his character has even inspired women’s fashion. Seriously. This kid is so rigid in his label-heavy, hair-parted-to-the-side and enough-collared-shirts-to-make-Karl-Lagerfled-twitch-with-jealousy style that it’s hard not to admire his commitment. In last evening’s episode, Laryngitis, Kurt experiences that sad feeling every teenage gay boy eventually goes through: the desire to supress his sexuality for the approval of others. Jealous of his father’s bonding with Finn (the straight lead singer of the Glee club, for those of you who live under a rock don’t know), Kurt stifles his normally glittery disposition under the weight of flannel and John Deere-esque baseball caps.

Like any self-respecting cosmetic addict who’d die with out the warmth of a spotlight on his shimmering skin, Kurt can’t stomach pretending to know who John Mellencamp is for very long. Oh no. After a while, the flannel builds up an anxiety attack so great that Kurt simply can’t help but burst into a rendition of Rose’s Turn so divalicious Patti Lupone would be proud, all the while belting in a blue Alexander McQueen scarf.

How fitting that Kurt would choose a gaudy McQueen scarf to help him belt out all of his feelings. It’s a slight departure from his normal crisp buttoned-up look, but totally rebellious for him to be seen in skulls. [But glamorous skulls, of course!] Paired with the plaid pants and combat boots, Kurt is ready for emotional action, while paying tribute to the late great Lee McQueen (which he would totally do, especially in a time of pain).

alexander mcqueen scarf