Breaking Bad is so universally revered it's tempting to look for cracks in the porcelain, but I just rewatched most of it and, well, shit, it’s brilliant throughout. To talk about the clothing in such a dense show might seem trivial, but that density is exactly why the style is worth examining in the first place. In a drama where every single detail is intentional, the wardrobe choices must be significant, right? Yeah, that makes sense! But what do the clothes signify? Fuck if I know, man. This isn’t some obvious, trendy Mad Men type shit. Breaking Bad takes place in 2006-ish New Mexico. The characters live in Real America, where the earth tones are as nuanced as the inner workings of your sociopathic neighbor. But it is my duty as a supreme bullshitter to throw some fancy words out and attempt to analyze the series’ most notable fashionable moments. Won't you join me in pretending to gain some understanding of the grand design behind the wardrobes of Walter White and Co. before everything comes to an end starting on August 11th?
Angelo Spagnolo is a writer living in Portland, Oregon. Read his blog here and follow him on Twitter here.