Fame icon costumes are a popular topic that comes to mind when we think about iconic television costumes, such as a cape for a superhero, a royal gown for a queen, or a fancy sci-fi costume. However, one of the most memorable TV outfits of all time is not any of these. It is a brown tweed jacket, a thin burgundy tie, a cream shirt and a pair of trousers that are just really short. It has been over 30 years of keeping people laughing and instantly recognising a character and it belongs to Mr. Bean. That outfit is the Mr. Bean suit and it has become one of the most recognised costume looks in television history. You can spot it on Halloween, at fancy dress parties, and at themed events all over the world without a single word of explanation needed.
What gives this deliberately humble suit its extraordinaryness? Let’s take a look at the breakdown.
A Costume That Does All the Talking
Rowan Atkinson’s Mr. Bean is a character who hardly speaks. Which is why his appearance must be able to say it all, his awkwardness, his childish attitude to the world, before he even says a word. And the suit does just that.
The brown tweed jacket is not quite the right colour for a formal outfit. The legs of the trousers end just a little too short at the ankle. The tie is too thin and not quite the same size as the neck. All the elements of the suit are nothing to complain about, but taken in combination, they convey a message that the man is trying to be a part of society but falling short of the goal every time. It’s like arriving at a dinner party a bit too sloppy in your attire, only to discover you are a bit under-dressed.
That’s genius level character design.
The Details That Make It Work
The uniqueness of the Mr. Bean suit lies in its “wrongfulness”. All elements have been carefully considered to evoke a particular impression.
The jacket is made from a brown tweed fabric which is more of an old fashioned fabric that is less fashionable than others but more functional. It looks like it was boxed on the body like a man who simply purchased it for its function and overlooked it.
The tie is thin, dark burgundy. It appears to be passed down from a relative or purchased without thorough consideration. It’s close, almost as bad as not matching at all.
It’s the trousers that are the big moment. They are only a little too short, leaving a piece of ankle bare. It’s like you catch a beat after you know it, and that’s what most of Mr. Bean’s comedy is about.
These shoes are very simple, dark and absolutely unspecial. They’re the shoes of somebody who has made the decision that shoes are a solved problem.
Put together, they give an instantly comprehensible feel, even for a new viewer of the show.
Why It Has Lasted 35 Years
The majority of clothing from the 90’s, is out of style, today. Whether they are shoulder pads, acid-washed denim or oversized blazers, they can be put in their decade just about right away. The Mr. Bean suit, however, can hardly be dated. And that is because it wasn’t fashionable to start with.
The suit has been designed with a clear intention that it won’t go out of fashion and that is what it actually did. It isn’t 90’s, and it isn’t 80’s, it isn’t 70’s, and it isn’t 60’s. It’s a category all on its own, that of “slightly wrong formal wear”, which is why it makes just as much sense now as it did on New Year’s Day 1990 when it was first broadcast.
Whether done on purpose or not, this is one of the cleverest moves the costume team in the show ever made.
A Cultural Icon That Crossed Every Border
The coolest thing about Mr Bean as a character, and his suit, is the ability to travel. The show has been broadcast in over 200 countries. Mr. Bean speaks very little so there is practically no language barrier. The suit also conveys his identity so strongly, that he is known just by his outfit.
In Japan, Brazil, Nigeria or Norway you can show a picture of that brown jacket and trousers and they will recognise it. This kind of visual recognition is hard to come by. The majority of characters require background. That’s all Mr. Bean needs is his tweed.
Rowan Atkinson was the Mr Bean at the 2012 London Olympics opening. A brief introduction was not necessary. The suit came in and the audience knew it all.
What It Teaches Us About Costume Design
The Mr. Bean suit is a dress code of restraint. He could have been made to look very obviously eccentric by wearing a bow tie, a novelty jumper, a funny hat. The show, however, didn’t succumb to that. Rather, the costume is still “normal enough” to be plausible within real world settings, yet “silly enough” to make it funny as soon as you catch on.
It is very difficult to make that balance. The suit enables Bean to be a plausible person on a high street, in a hotel, at a dentist’s office anywhere in the world where someone with normal abilities would be. If Jack is not a jester, he is not the only one.Jack is not a joker. He looks like a guy that could be a joke and it’s in the uncertainty that the comedy is.
Want to Wear the Look Yourself?
The Mr. Bean costume is one of the most sought after costume ideas for Halloween, fancy dress parties and theme parties all over the world. And it’s no wonder that it’s instantly recognisable, easy to put together and really funny without any explanation or accessories.
If you are looking to obtain the style correct, Wilson Jackets has actually created an accurate recreation of the iconic outfit. The Mr. Bean Suit from Wilson Jackets is a complete event with the brown tweed-style jacket, matching trousers and the burgundy tie, all of which work together to make the costume complete. It’s offered right now on 52% off and one of the most affordable approaches to channel the most beloved comedy character in Britain.
If you are going to a costume party or simply want to pay tribute to one of the greatest visual jokes in television history, it’s worth a look.
Final Thoughts
The Mr. bean suit is an example of the fact that the best costume is not always the most elaborate one. It’s the one that is just as, if not more, right for the character in this case, precisely, carefully, intentionally wrong.
Those brown tweed jackets and those rather short trousers are still at work, 35 years since their first appearance on screen. Before he says a word, they tell you all you need to know about a man. There is no more significant award than that in costume design.
If you are interested in achieving this style yourself, then look no further than Wilson Jackets. If you would like to experience the television history through clothing then there are many options to choose from, such as the Mr. Bean suit, to be worn on screen.
