Why did Chandler's clothes never fit him?

[T'Baio]

So, as I've been studying for finals, I've been procrastinating and such by going through the seasons of Friends. I'm currently in the middle of Season 4, and I can't get over something.

Chandler's clothes never fit him.

Now, I don't think it's the style of the times, because everyone else's clothes fit.

I don't think it's because of Matthew Perry's fluctuating weight, because, especially by the 4th season, the show was by far popular enough to afford a decent tailor and should have been able to tailor his clothes per episode, if they had to.

But Chandler's clothes are always huge and bulky and sometimes bordering on mumus. The character is supposed to be one of the one's with the most money, but his suits are awful. Two sizes too big for him awful.

What's the deal? I must know...

 

[John Picard]

Um -- because Friends became utterly craptacular after Season 3?

 

[Admiral James Kirk]

^That's not a helpful answer. My opinion is that his clothes are a metaphor for Chandler the man. Chandler as a character is a mess who needs fixing. I mean look at his apartment for Christ's sake. Look at his relationship with... Janice. Look at his parents! Kathleen Turner is his fuckin' father for fuck's sake! Chandler Bing is not a well man! Could he be... any more fucked up?

 

[Admiral Buzzkill]

^ This.

 

[Jetfire]

^
Agreed.

 

[Holdfast]

So, as I've been studying for finals, I've been procrastinating and such by going through the seasons of Friends. I'm currently in the middle of Season 4, and I can't get over something.

Chandler's clothes never fit him.

Now, I don't think it's the style of the times, because everyone else's clothes fit.

I don't think it's because of Matthew Perry's fluctuating weight, because, especially by the 4th season, the show was by far popular enough to afford a decent tailor and should have been able to tailor his clothes per episode, if they had to.

But Chandler's clothes are always huge and bulky and sometimes bordering on mumus. The character is supposed to be one of the one's with the most money, but his suits are awful. Two sizes too big for him awful.

What's the deal? I must know...

I noticed this as well (well, I would, wouldn't I) and think it's for several reasons. Firstly, I think they were trying to hide Perry's weight fluctuation (hence why the suits weren't tailored to fit properly, but rather bought too big... plus his fluctuation some of the time is rapid enough that wardrobes bought and tailored early in the season wouldn't fit by the end) and secondly that in the early seasons Chandler the character doesn't really "get" suits/dressing.

It actually improves (a little) towards the end of the series. I suspect partly because Ralph Lauren's involvement as Rachel's in-story employer (and the subsequent heavy RL product placement/style choices in the Friends wardrobes) and also because Chandler as a character becomes more comfortable in his own skin.

Ross wears some pretty decent outfits at various points in the second half of the series. There are some real eye-sores mixed up in there too though.

 

[biotech]

I noticed his weight going up and down, but never noticed the clothes.

I did notice Joey started wearing a lot of loose jumpers/sweaters towards the later seasons, as I imagine he had put some weight on around the tummy area and was trying to hide it.

 

[Trekker4747]

Chandler's mom was a slut who wrote grocery-store rommance novels, his father was a Las Vegas show drag queen.

He may not of had the best of fashion sense.

 

[Holdfast]

Chandler's mom was a slut who wrote grocery-store rommance novels, his father was a Las Vegas show drag queen.

He may not of had the best of fashion sense.

Well, not when it comes to men's fashion, sure...

 

[Crusher Disciple]

Perry probably wasn't willing or able to go in for fitting, either. So wardrobe had to make some allowances.

 

[JustAFriend]

a) Cocaine weight loss

b) It was a style at the time.

Probably more A than B... you do the math...

 

[WillsBabe]

^ I thought the weight-loss was painkiller addiction.

 

[Trekker4747]

^ I thought the weight-loss was painkiller addiction.

It was, to my knowledge Perry never did any hard, illegal, drugs. Like many people who suffer an injury or are for some-reason put on prescription pain killers he got addicted that way and needed rehab.

He could've grown a bit of scruff and a sour dispositiion and never ironed his clothes, but...

 

[Mark_Nguyen]

I also only noticed the weight.

And I'm not about to review "Studio 60 On the Sunset Strip", but did his wardrobe fit in that show? He *did* gain weight through its only season, I remember that much...

Mark

 

[Trekker4747]

It's really noticable in the first half of Seson 6 or 7 (whichever one deals with Monica and Chandler's wedding) at the end of the previous season Chandler proposes to Monica and everyone comes over to celebrate the engagement. The first episode of the following sesason takes place literally moments later and Chandler -in the span of seconds- has suddenly lost like 60 pounds. And he's very, very noticably thin through the first half or so of the sesason and, for me, it kind of changes the way his character comes across.