THE BEAR SEASON 3: DRESSING FOR THE JOB

Our current era of “office siren” and “corpcore” reflects an increasing effort to simultaneously incorporate self-expression in the office and extrapolate new fashion trends from traditional workwear. In either case, the workplace offers a unique and recursive forum for us to grow through professional pursuits and incorporate our own flair in the monotony of a 9-to-5. As ever, this notion is exemplified through stylistic choices made by main characters in The Bear.

Cousin richie: suited for self respect

I feel it is important to maintain a sense of individuality, and through that lens I examine how certain professions can define and control not only what we wear but also who we are (for better or worse). We see one such example in Richie from The Bear, who in earlier seasons wore various stained versions of the “Original Beef” and the “Original Berf” (a misprint of his own misdoing) t-shirts. Following a transformative experience of shining forks at a fine-dining restaurant (a fictionalized version of Chicago’s Ever, to be specific), we see Richie transform with a newfound sense of self and a deeper understanding of his role within the restaurant industry. As a sartorial reflection of this shift, Richie starts wearing well-fitting suits and hasn’t stopped since. In this way his visually stark transition starkly reflects inner growth, not an externalized pressure to dress to trend.

Richie wears a wool two-piece black suit by Boss

Sydney: scarves, silks, and slates

In the first season, Sydney’s commitment to work-appropriate clothing is apparent. She wears white coats and shirts, a standard in chef-wear, and the only hint of personality she expresses is through her colorful scarves. Still, she wears the scarves as a necessary measure to protect her hair in the bustling kitchen. Outside work, she often dons vintage t-shirts with seemingly little particularity for fashion expression. In some ways it seems the hurriedness of her dress reflects her absorption of The Beef’s kitchen chaos.

However, by the end of Season 2, in a touching moment Carmy gifts Sydney a luxurious Thom Browne white chef coat. The garment exudes sophistication and commands reverence. Carmy knows this, of course. This gift is both an acknowledgement of the respect he has for and promise he sees in Sydney and a call to action. From this moment on, we see Sydney’s wardrobe evolve to reflect a sophisticated style filled with Comme des Garcons, silks, and slate color palettes. These clothing choices accentuate key moments throughout Season 3 when we find Sydney wrestling with hefty career decisions.

Carmy: structured and stuck

On the other hand, Carmy’s stagnancy is reflected in his well-crafted yet monotonous clothing choices including the classic Merz B. Schwanen white t-shirts, vintage denim, black work pants, and blue aprons. Outside of the kitchen, he repeats the same cycle of neutral colors which signals his incapacity to evolve. Season after season we see his recurring visions and flashbacks of the same situations and people which keep him stuck in his past. Carmy sticks with familiarity, even to his detriment.

Carmy wears a Rakph Lauren Cotton Deck Jacket in Season Three of The Bear

The Bear is a restaurant-centric show about hard work, discipline, camaraderie, and…fashion. Fashion is a key tool used for character development. While working in a restaurant requires uniformity and conformity, it is also an environment for transformation. In the workwear trends of today, I see young people attempting to wield power and control over their positions in the workplace by arming themselves with the latest trends. These aesthetics are deployed to grapple with the pressure of entering the workforce by attempting to maintain a sense of self and identity. Through this conscious choice, people have a chance to define themselves within the rigidity of the workplace.

Head to Montage to explore and shop styles seen on Season Three of The Bear.