What's With All These Shirtless Celebs in Suits?

It has been warmer than usual in New York this December. As a result, I have witnessed a panoply of peculiarities in this normally frigid month: cargo shorts at the divine Emilio's Ballato (the horror), a packed Pinkberry (the surprise), and many choosing to dine outdoors instead of in (the logic, if only because of Omicron) are a few examples. But what really had me scratching my head happened early on, December 2 to be exact, was when I came across a photo of Jonah Hill at the premiere of the new Netflix movie Don't Look Up. There he was, the man that topped my list of scumbros, dressed in a fit that challenged me to hate it. I simply couldn’t. A strange start to the month, indeed.

Hill stepped onto the red carpet in a seafoam blue single-breasted suit. Amongst a clique that included Leonardo DiCaprio, Tyler Perry, and other tall, beautiful men decked in traditional navy, gray, or black two-pieces, Hill stood out—and marvelously at that. The look was by Gucci, the Italian label beloved by magpies and fervent fans of The Royal Tenenbaums, and the color was just the beginning: three pronounced brooches, a shimmering cyan necklace, and aquamarine jacquard mules by Manolo Blahnik finished it off. Hill also matched almost completely with his girlfriend, surfing instructor Sarah Brady. As if all that doesn’t sound peculiar already, intentionally missing was a shirt. Chalk it up to the warm-ish December night or Hill’s knack for dressing outside the proverbial box, his shirtless suit was on the money either way. So much so that the fit went viral, overtaking my Instagram feed.

Dior Men spring 2019, Iggy Pop, Gucci fall 2021

Some automatically mentioned Miami Vice, while others attributed the look to all things cowabunga. I, on the other hand, saw an echo of an Italian or Greek scion, the rebel of the family, bouncing from cabana to bar, making sure that all eyes were centered on him at all times. Hill’s stylist and friend, Ezra Woods, confirmed my suspicion. “There is this pic of the always-fab Lapo Elkann in a three-piece suit with no shirt,” Woods says. “He is always a big reference for me.”

Those that saw Malibu beach in the fit were also spot-on. “I wanted the moment to be authentic to where they both are at in their lives and to their lifestyle of surfing almost every day,” Woods adds. “And I love the idea of them being fancy and dressed up, while feeling really comfortable and free, like they’re in pajamas, being sexy in a not-obvious way.”

Covertly sexy: Is that what shirtless suits evoke? Is this the new trend in suiting? Is it viable? Are shirts over? One thing is certain: It is definitely out of the ordinary, a subversion of the norm that DiCaprio demonstrated. But taking a rebellious stance sartorially at press events has become so commonplace that we, as devourers of media, now expect it. Subversion is standard. “We've definitely seen a shift in what it looks like to be a leading man, where suiting isn't the only option for the red carpet,” says celebrity stylist Ashley Weston. “And that has, in turn, led to more experimentation with suiting—how it's worn, the silhouettes, the colors, and patterns—and how it can better represent a client's personal style.”

Heron Preston spring 2020, Harry Styles, Lil Nas X

There was the removal of cufflinks, then the vest, then the tie, and now the shirt. Colors, fabrics, cuts, and lengths, as Weston mentioned, are also in variety. And pants—yes, pants—are steadily being taken out of the equation. There are guidelines as to what to wear on certain occasions, but when it comes to Tinseltown, the more peculiar, the better. For these folks, suits without shirts are totally acceptable. “If it is a recording artist or a talent who is uninhibited, assured about their look, and loves to accessorize with jewelry—think Machine Gun Kelly—then it makes total sense,” says celebrity stylist John Tan. “It all comes down to individuality and personal style.”

Still, a celeb doesn’t necessarily have to be tatted, prone to antics, or a scumbro to have tried it out. Weston, for one, dressed her client Darren Criss, not exactly a lightning rod for fashion controversy, in a pink double-breasted suit from the Dior Men spring 2019 line back in 2018. “He had a tank on underneath, but the appeal to not go with a collared shirt stemmed from wanting to keep the overall look understated, sexy, and free,” she says. In fact, Criss wasn’t the only celeb that rocked a look from that Dior collection; Donald Glover wore one in navy for an event in New York. Jay-Z also went shirtless in a double-breasted fit by Peter Pilotto in the “Apeshit” music video. Harry Styles performed at the 2021 Grammy Awards in a leather Gucci number, complete with green faux fur boa. Lil Nas X has too many moments to count. And, lo and behold, Tom Holland graced Esquire’s February 2021 cover in a Prada suit, minus the shirt, obviously.

Julien Bouadjie, Jay-Z, Pedro Capó

I've noticed that the fashion industry at large has been promoting shirtless suits for a few years. Along with the aforementioned examples, Fendi showed some for fall 2022, Heron Preston for spring 2020, Zegna for spring 2019, Alexander McQueen for fall 2018, Dries Van Noten for spring 2017, and Maison Margiela for spring 2016. But after discussing this topic with Sasha Charnin Morrison, a fashion editor who has been in the game for decades and is a virtual walking encyclopedia, I discovered that shirtless suits have a much longer history. She cited Raf Simons in the ’90s, Vivienne Westwood throughout her entire career, and Jean Paul Gaultier’s inaugural menswear collection in 1983. The connecting thread between all these designers is their affinity for rock ‘n’ roll and punk, and penchant for spotlighting underground subcultures. Long before the runway or red carpet, the likes of Sid Vicious, Iggy Pop, and Johnny Thunders were wearing a jacket or sport coat, baring their chests on stage at sordid clubs and on the streets. The trend, as it would appear, is subversive at its core.

But what about you and me, the fellas that don’t inhabit Hollywood or seedy haunts? Is going shirtless to a swanky affair in the real world appropriate? Tan, though a proponent in general, says that it’s just not for him per se. He is also vehemently against it for the office, because, as he says, “corporate is corporate.” Several notable sources declined to comment, because they, too, don’t think it’s legit. And Woods, the man that spurred this topic most recently and has been personally experimenting with the style for a decade, wouldn’t “really say that this is a trend or that it will become a trend.”

Dior spring 2019, Ermenegildo Zegna spring 2019, Fendi spring 2022

On the other end of the spectrum is Weston. “A thousand percent it can be worn by the average man,” she says. “It's all about staying authentic and true to yourself, because at the end of the day, you should be wearing the clothes, and not the vice versa.”

Another advocate is Damien Paul, head of menswear at Matches Fashion and a man who, more than most, cares about what the masses actually want to buy. “Wearing your double-breasted suit with an open shirt, tank, or even shirtless feels modern—a fresh take on a wardrobe icon relevant for now,” he says. “This isn’t a new movement though. From rock stars of decades past to today’s red carpet stars, shirtless suiting is definitely here to stay, rather than a passing trend.”

As for me, I was admittedly hesitant at first. Yes, I really dig Hill’s shirtless Gucci fit, but I automatically shunned the idea for myself. Upon further inspection (over the course of writing this here story; meta, I know), however, I became a convert. I already wear my shirts unbuttoned—pretty close to my navel—which means I’m not worried about showing skin. And I’m very fond of taking chances with fashion. I have no shame and have a gig that allows me to feel that way. Also, after trying it out, I found that my neck looks longer and I feel less stuffy. It's much more flattering; go figure.

So, do I think shirts are over? No, not by a long shot. That’d be ridiculous. But should the look be considered for a night out? For sure. If you are not a wallflower, it is absolutely worth trying. Weston, though, does have one caveat: “There's definitely a wrong time to wear a shirtless suit: winter.”

Unless, of course, it’s an unusually warm December.