The Bimbofication of Timothée Chalamet is one thing I didn't put on my 2022 bingo card, but here I am, scrolling through breathless online homages to the Dune star, who attended the Oscars without a shirt.
The heartthrob hit the red carpet in a cropped jacket from Louis Vuitton's Spring/Summer 2022 women's collection, designed by Nicolas Ghesquière. The twist? He wore that sucker bareback, eschewing a top to show a sliver of skin.
Styled by Erin Walsh, the look elicited raving reviews from fans and press alike, who went so far as to declare that Chalamet "rewrote the Oscars dress code," among other similarly effusive proclamations.
But was the look really that groundbreaking?
It's not that Chalamet looked bad — to the contrary! Rather, I question the pandering headlines and unfettered fawning over a look that, at the end of the day, hardly subverted anything.
Men wearing clothing traditionally reserved for women (and vice versa) is nothing new. The LGBTQ+ community has always embraced gender-fluid fashion — some contemporary examples include Billy Porter's red carpet gowns and Bowen Yang's high-heels, sartorial choices that hardly garnered the same level of congratulatory praise that Chalamet (a straight, cis man) enjoyed.
As for his chest, he showed a little skin. He looked good. So did nearly every other female attendee. (Baring cleavage isn't exactly a novel idea.)
I much preferred Chalamet's Vanity Fair after party look, a leather biker jacket and matching leather pants by Alexander McQueen.
Since his entrance into the spotlight, Chalamet has made his penchant for slinky, slim-cut suits abundantly clear. It was refreshing to see him experiment something a bit rougher around the edges.
