Cosmo Kramer marches to the beat of his own drum. This "hipster doofus," as Elaine Benes calls him, stands out in a crowd with his upright, curly hair, and vintage duds. It's often hard to tell if Kramer knows what year it is, let alone what planet he's on.
Whether or not Kramer is an alien from another galaxy (leave that to the Seinfeld conspiracy theorists), he's a singular character with a singular sense of style. Brought to life by actor Michael Richards, when Kramer's vibing on New York and feeling good about life, his outfits reflect his mood. However, when Kramer is feeling down, his clothing choices suffer. As he screams after starting a smoker's club in his apartment, "Look away! I'm hideous!"
This list rounds up not just the most hideous, but also the most charming, of Kramer's many wardrobe choices.
Worst: Kramer The Golfing Yuppie
Kramer is a man who enjoys a golf game. There's nothing wrong with that, but the golf player aesthetic never really caught on among chic folks.
Not very fashion-forward, Kramer's appearance here exists somewhere on the spectrum between teenage caddy and out-of-touch business exec. With his tablecloth patterned pants, yellow polo, and matching cap, Kramer looks like a parody of a golf player. These duds probably won't do him much good on the course, either
Best: Kramer The Cop
In the Season Two episode "The Statue," Kramer poses as a police officer in order to track down a statue Jerry believes was stolen by a man hired to clean his apartment. Instead of donning the typical police uniform, Kramer takes a few queues from Philip Marlowe, Raymond Chandler's famous noir detective.
Dressed in a disheveled wool suit and cap, accented with a plain tie and suspenders, Kramer looks straight out of the 1950s New York underbelly. He plays the role, too, adding affectations and gestures to make this outfit all the more memorable.
Worst: Dr. Martin Van Nostrand
Kramer uses this alias throughout the show to help his buds execute some pretty ridiculous plans. He attempts to steal Elaine's medical records so she can erase negative comments included in it by her doctor. He poses as Dr. Van Nostrand the dermatologist in another episode. In yet another, he assumes this alternative identity in order to steal back his favorite jacket.
Dr. Martin Van Nostrand is no Cosmo Kramer when it comes to style. Stuffy and pompous, Van Nostrand's clothes look like they belong on a stereotypical British stage actor.
Best: The Brown Suede Jacket Lined With Fleece
Kramer's brown suede, fleece lined jacket is one of his finest pieces. Equal parts timeless and contemporary, this beautiful piece of winterwear makes Kramer look like quite a charmer. "Well, here's to feeling good all the time."
When he wears it over light shirts, its strong brown tones stand out. It also compliments his complexion. Cosmo Kramer never has a problem with the ladies, and his ability to sport a jacket like this so flawlessly proves why.
Worst: "I Think I Cooked Myself"
In Season Nine, Kramer reveals one of his beauty secrets: Butter. Things get a bit out of hand when he decides to try tanning while covered in it, especially when he falls asleep on the apartment building's roof.
Extra crispy and browned, Kramer looks like a cooked turkey in this episode, making anything he wears look silly and stupid. "I'm fried," Cosmo bemoans. "Stick a fork in me, Jerry. I'm done."
Best: The Lobster Shirt
In Season Five's "The Hamptons" episode, Kramer gets a little festive for the occasion and rocks one of the most popular shirts from any season of Seinfeld: The lobster shirt. This short-sleeved button-up made of a breathable cotton blend has been reproduced and sold by stores ever since.
On the beach, Kramer has no issue making new friends. When he tells the gang, "I'm gonna go see if there are any girls on the beach," the show soon cuts to him hanging out with a group of women. What a stud.
Worst: Kramer The Leather-Clad Pirate
In Season Six, Kramer announces to the gang, "I want to be a pirate," after seeing a cop with an eye-patch.
Starting with an eye patch of his own, what Kramer becomes is something out of a fetish magazine, wearing a cheetah print lined leather jacket and a red ascot around his neck. Matched with the eye patch, Kramer manages to pull together one of his worst looks. He'd fit right in at a leather convention, though.
Best: Kramer The Muse
Nina, Jerry's girlfriend in Season Three's "The Letter," sees something in Kramer and decides to paint him. The portrait epitomizes Kramer in and out. From the gray leisure suit blazer to the light blue, collared undershirt, Kramer's fashion sense comes alive in Nina's work.
The painting catches the attention of elderly art patrons who come check out Nina's gallery. They can't take their eyes off Kramer, in fact. "He is a loathsome, offensive brute, yet I can't look away." Turns out Kramer is quite the muse.
Worst: Kramer The Pimp
The worst outfit on this list is definitely Kramer's pimp get-up in Season Seven. What was this hepcat thinking?
The outfit came together for Kramer after meeting a friend of George's fiancee who works on a production of Joseph and the Technicolor Dreamcoat. He borrows the Technicolor Dreamcoat, uses a Peterman cane, and finds a floppy hat on the street. When the look is complete, Kramer doesn't look cool. He looks, to bring back Elaine's term, like a "hipster doofus."
Best: Classic Kramer Duds
Kramer looks best when wearing his everyday attire: Vintage mod polos and slacks. The quintessential Cosmo Kramer outfit is straight out of a 1955 bar scene, and no one pulls it off quite like him.
Cosmo's style gets even better when he accessorizes with parlor sweaters and overcoats. From head to toe, outfits like this demonstrate Kramer's appeal. When he does it right, Kramer is a total stud. He knows the ladies dig it, too. "She needs a little Kramer," he tells Jerry.