If you click on a link and make a purchase we may receive a small commission. Read our editorial policy.
What's the deal with the puffy shirt from Seinfeld? Its going up for auction, that's what
It is somehow fashionable and unfashionable at the same time. We love it.
Popverse's top stories of the day
- The Fantastic Four: First Steps Silver Surfer follows the example of 1999 comic book series Earth X in giving new life to a longstanding Marvel character
- MEMBERS ONLY: V.E. Schwab, Ella McLeod, & Veronica Roth face off in Celebrity Author Trivia at London's MCM x EGX
- WATCH NOW: From Starship Troopers to Batgirl & SAW, Dina Meyer dishes on her favorite roles - and her favorite song to dance to
There are three kinds of people who wear shirts with puffy sleeves – pirates, medieval gentlemen, and Jerry Seinfeld in that one episode of the iconic sitcom, Seinfeld. You know the one. It was called The Puffy Shirt because Jerry (the fictionalized version from the show) accidentally agrees to wear the shirt on national TV because he couldn’t hear what Kramer’s “low-talker” girlfriend actually said. As is typical in the show, hilarity ensues as a result of a minor, easily overcome misunderstanding that culminates in serious bodily harm to one of its characters.
It’s a situation we’ve all been in, obviously, which is what made Seinfeld so relatable. Just ordinary people in ordinary situations, right? Now you can make it part of your ordinary life by purchasing the actual puffy shirt in question. This ostentatious piece of television history will be up for auction on March 12, 2024. Whether you’re an aspiring pirate or simply the victim of a low-talker in your life, you’ll certainly be clothed when you wear this shirt.
While Jerry’s shirt in the show eventually got donated to charity, you’ll probably have to shell out around $20,000 for one that was featured in the iconic episode. Which is, admittedly, a lot, but can you really put a price on fashion? In the absence of any potential Seinfeld reunion, we don't think so.
Of course, The Puffy Shirt was historic not just for its fashionable clothing. It also featured the first appearance of Jerry Stiller as Frank Costanza, a role that would rejuvenate the legendary comedian’s career later in his life. Unfortunately, there isn't much memorabilia out there for Stiller unless you count his son, Ben, so we’ll have to settle for an ugly shirt instead.
Want to know what's coming up next in pop culture? Check out Popverse's guides to:
Follow Popverse for upcoming event coverage and news
Find out how we conduct our review by reading our review policy
Let Popverse be your tour guide through the wilderness of pop culture
Sign in and let us help you find your new favorite thing.
Comments
Want to join the discussion? Please activate your account first.
Visit Reedpop ID if you need to resend the confirmation email.