In honor of the Home Alone 25th Anniversary. (Yes, it was released in 1990.)
Kevin MacCallister was a sartorial prodigy. He had a knack for knitwear and a penchant for flannels. He wore khakis and corduroys with great aplomb. He didn’t let trends interfere with his natural intuition: he found his uniform at an early age, refined it quickly, then stuck with it.
Some critics of Kevin’s style (likely those jealous grinches who have a hard time believing in the magic of fashion) will argue that he was dressed by his mother. After all, wasn’t she the one who bought his clothes? Sure. But the young man was old enough to dress himself!
Consider movie number one, the first time he’s home alone. He chose a sweater reminiscent of an early Proenza Schouler knit, added a bit orange for interest, then balanced with a slouchy cargo.
Now ask yourself — and answer honestly, “When I am home alone…what do I wear?”
Raise your hand if you just admitted to sweatpants, a weird tee-shirt, or nothing.
The kid just had that natural style.
Here he is in Home Alone 2 looking like a photographer who works at Opening Ceremony on the weekends (for the discount more than the paycheck).
I take it back: the kid doesn’t just “have style.” He exercises it.
Still, we cannot discount his mother. After all, if we’re talking nature versus nurture — and we’ve already agreed he’s naturally nailed the art of dressing awesome, we shouldn’t forget that nurture likely enhanced his inherent gift.
I mean look. At. His. Mom’s. Coat!
You cannot tell me that this very scene didn’t inspire Adele’s “Hello.”
(Let us not forget the mom’s neck scarf or the earrings, either.)
Yes. Kevin MacAllister’s family may have been a tad bit…(according to parenting magazines and various child protective service veterans)…awful. But they showed their love in other ways. All families are weird. This one in particular shared their love via clothes.
Do we not sort of do the same?
And if the family photo above does not convince you that A) robes are the new blazers and B) glasses can add dimension to any outfit, then I don’t even know what fashion week is for anymore.
He is wearing a cardigan as a waist coat. That, my friends, is refined.
Now zoom in on the short one. Here, I zoomed in for you:
That sweater-as-a-scarf! That coat! That hat.
Of course, one must always attribute at least a bit of style to surroundings. Where we grow up directly affects our aesthetic. Where we spend time influences our minds.
Which is why the real style hero of the Home Alone franchise isn’t really Kevin MacAllister, after all.
It’s his lived in, loved on, floral furnished and grandmother-wallpapered house.
Home for the holidays, indeed.
