Every Outfit Podcast: Episode 239
On the Emmys, New York Fashion Week, Jimmy Kimmel
Date: September 19, 2025
Hosts: Chelsea Fairless & Lauren Garrone
Episode Overview
In this zeitgeist-capturing episode, Chelsea and Lauren embark on their signature deep-dive into fashion and pop culture, pulling no punches as they dissect the 2025 Emmys, the state of American TV amid the Jimmy Kimmel controversy, and the highs and lows of New York Fashion Week. True to form, their conversation weaves in sharp critiques, fashion gossip, personal anecdotes, and biting humor. They also touch on current events and the shifting media landscape, making this a must-listen for anyone obsessed with both fashion and how it intersects with politics and entertainment.
Key Discussion Points
1. Personal Catch-up: Miami, Boats, Birthdays, and Mariah Carey Vibes
- [01:34] Chelsea recounts her trip to Miami for her and her wife's birthdays, enjoying South Beach, dinners, pool time, a gay club, and renting a boat.
- Lauren (new mom) watched from afar, joking about the parasocial relationship with her own best friend, and explains why she didn't make it (three-month-old at home).
- Miami Fashion: Chelsea raves about Miami's vibrant dressing style compared to LA's "athleisure hell," noting that LA is “full of people in aloe sets that look like shit.” [07:00]
- Gianni's (the Versace mansion) is covered: the crowd is “really cheesy” and features designer-outfitted toddlers and club kids. [07:49]
- Discussion of designer-named restaurants and the economics of iconic properties for sale (Versace’s mansion, David Lynch’s compound). [09:45]
2. State of American TV: Jimmy Kimmel Controversy
- [15:02] Lauren and Chelsea dig into the anxiety-producing current media climate, focusing on Jimmy Kimmel being pulled off-air for critical comments following the assassination of Charlie Kirk.
- “It’s so crazy because what he said was more dragging MAGA Republicans for using Charlie Kirk's death for political gain and making fun of Trump and his new ballroom that he's adding to the White House. Like, it really was not that bad.” — Chelsea [16:41]
- The corporate/media dynamic: Networks are “capitulating to Trump again not even a year into his presidency." [17:22]
- The centrality of the Nextar Media Group/Tegna $6.2B merger and the influence of FCC Chair Brandon Carr are discussed as pivotal to Kimmel’s fate. [18:01]
- Gun-shy media: ABC reportedly feared “retaliation from Trump” more than Kimmel’s actual comments. Sinclair, another media conglomerate, demanded an apology and donation to Turning Point for Kimmel to return. [19:38]
- Reflections on speech, censorship, and the future of media: “Thank God it’s a good time to be a subscriber-based independent media organization.” [19:27]
- The contrast with right-wing complaints about “cancel culture” versus what’s actually happening is made explicit.
- “It really scares me…sometimes I have insomnia and I can’t sleep and I have racing thoughts about, like, everything bad that could happen in my life slash the world. And it’s distressing.” — Chelsea [17:05]
3. 2025 Emmys: Hosting, Format, Winners, and Fashion
Hosting and Gimmicks
- Host: Nate Bargatze, "comedian for unproblematic suburban dads" (Lauren) [20:24].
- Main gimmick: $100k to Boys & Girls Club, with money subtracted per second of speech over 45s, added if shorter—resulted in awkwardly rushed speeches and “very confusing math.” [21:47, 22:11]
- “Funny the first time, not funny the 20th time.” — Chelsea [22:11]
Notable Segments & Reunions
- Country-themed Golden Girls tribute with audience support (“or at least Colin Farrell”) [24:01]
- Gilmore Girls and Law & Order reunions—Chelsea admits never watching the original Law & Order, only Criminal Intent [25:34].
- “When the curtain pulled up and they revealed Mariska in the sequin gown, I screamed like a Jonas Brothers fan.” — Chelsea [26:22]
Memorable Acceptances
- [31:30] Hannah Einbinder: “Go birds. Fuck ICE and free Palestine.” [31:45]
- Chelsea: “I was like, go Birds. What is this bitch talking about?” [31:45]
- Jeff Hiller (“Somebody Somewhere”): Chelsea praises the “important representation,” unique portrayal of a small-town gay man, and gushes about the “our friends are our soulmates” thesis. [28:42]
- Adolescents’ kid winner: “So charming, but also so precocious…Buddy, you were 12.” — Lauren [33:08]
- Ted Danson and Mary Steenburgen Humanitarian Award: Chelsea laments why Danson isn’t as lauded as Jeff Goldblum or Kyle MacLachlan. [33:55, 34:51]
Best & Worst Dressed
Best Dressed Highlights:
- Jenna Ortega (Givenchy): Lauren loves her goth persona, but Chelsea finds her glam “a little extreme for the Emmys, maybe a little more VMAs.” [37:10]
- Colman Domingo (Valentino): “Perfect muse for Alessandro Michele’s vision.” — Lauren [37:54]
- Chloe Sevigny (YSL): “She’s never looked bad at an award show in her life.” — Chelsea [38:40]
- Gwendoline Christie (Tom Ford by Haider Ackermann): “Giving this woman the Diane Keaton Award for white pantsuit excellence.” — Chelsea [39:40]
- Owen Cooper (Gap): Praised for accessible, Prada-inspired look. [39:11]
Worst Dressed Lowlights:
- Pedro Pascal (Celine): Off proportions, “something off…maybe it’s the white shoes.” — Lauren [40:48]
- Christopher Meloni (John Varvatos): “Nightmare Jacquard… made him look gay, but not in a cool way.” — Chelsea [41:25]
- Sydney Sweeney (Oscar de la Renta): “Just boring…Like we’ve seen it a thousand times.” — Chelsea [46:11]
- Carrie Coon (Chanel): “Great hair, but dress felt too dated.” [47:03]
- Meg Stalter: White T-shirt and jeans, “going for worst dressed as a strategy,” with “Ceasefire” tote. [47:50]
- “If Joan Rivers had lived to see this, it would have killed her.” — Chelsea [48:15]
4. Fashion Industry Drama: Quality, Luxury, and TikTok Exposés
- [49:07] Viral story: TikToker/model Wisdom K spends $18,000 at Miu Miu — suffers repeated garment malfunctions (zippers and buttons fall off), exposing the grim reality of declining luxury quality.
- “Everything is way more expensive and the quality is way worse.” — Lauren [51:12]
- “They have the audacity to sell us jelly sandals [for] $500…the Row is making $800 flip flops that are just foam.” — Chelsea [51:12]
- Hosts advocate for vintage, resale, or supporting young designers over current “bastard people” luxury industry. [51:41]
5. New York Fashion Week: Runway Gimmicks, Highlights, & Critiques
Runway Gimmicks and SponCon
- Andrew Cuomo walks in the bipartisan “Style Across the Aisle” fashion show, drawing wisecracks about the spectacle (“feels like an event Sam Jones would have done the PR for”). [52:05]
- Susan Alexandra & Rachel Antonoff: Return of the dog show/fashion show hybrid, featuring adoption-ready dogs as models. [54:36]
- “Performance art…sponsored by Milkbone… the funniest corporate sponsor in history.” — Chelsea [55:05]
- Raising Canes’ chicken finger-inspired fashion show at The Standard, with garments “evoking a chicken finger being dipped into cane sauce.” [55:15]
- Tanner Fletcher x Etsy: Models emerged from a moving truck with Etsy decor, “as well executed as you can do” sponsored content. [58:12]
Show Reviews
- Calvin Klein (by Veronica Leone): Panned for “nothing authoritative,” recycling ideas from other designers (Marc Jacobs, Bottega, Raf Simons, Balenciaga, Prada), and uninspired branding. [63:47]
- “It’s sad when this should be the biggest show in New York, but it feels like a lot of these younger designers that are influenced by Calvin Klein are beating them at their own game.” — Chelsea [65:03]
- Lee by Zane Lee: Praised as “sporty and chic…avant-garde but not so conceptual as to be unwearable.” [70:48]
- Eckhaus Latta & Rachel Comey: Celebrated for their authenticity, diverse casting, and a sense of “real New Yorkers.”
- Rachel Comey models did their own hair/makeup, which was praised for elegance over contrived sameness. [73:57]
- Sandy Liang: Praised for playful, surreal designs—"Like Romy & Michele designed for their store"—though hosts feel they’ve aged out of the core audience. [75:39]
- LoveShackFancy: Critiqued as “clothing for women who use the hashtag ‘rose all day’ and have gender reveal parties,” paralleling the style to cheesy LA restaurants. [78:21]
- Anna Sui: Lauded for consistent, non-offensive boho, and highlighted new book “Anna The 90s.” [81:03]
Industry Critique
- Rachel Tashjian’s “When Did Fashion Week Get So Boring?” (Washington Post) is invoked to discuss the dominance of “Carolyn Bessette chic” and brands catering to a narrow, wealthy, minimal-aesthetic market. [66:25]
- “Surely someone has another idea—even Phoebe Philo makes clothes that are a lot more interesting and subversive and cheeky and funny.” — Chelsea [67:35]
Gwyneth Paltrow & Branding
- Gwen (formerly Goop’s G Label): New branding, same aesthetic—hosts question the point of the rebrand. [59:06]
- Goop Kitchen revealed as a licensing deal; Gwyneth is not involved in food creation. [61:19]
Other Notables
- Poochi’s Miami store: Admired for transparent “heritage” print use, ideal resort style. [87:03]
- “If there was one brand, if I had to pick a brand…if I won the Powerball, I’m going to Pucci first.” — Chelsea [88:16]
- Balenciaga fragrances: A mix of traditional and odd—seaweed, “musky,” and incense-based. [89:05]
Memorable Quotes
- “Miami…they eat dinner late, they actually look good. People think that people dress up in LA, but really LA is full of people in aloe sets that look like shit.” — Chelsea [07:00]
- “It’s a good time to be a subscriber based independent media organization.” — Lauren [19:27]
- “Fashion that looks like this looks great. But surely someone has another idea.” — Chelsea [67:35]
- “Performance art sponsored by Milkbone—that is the funniest corporate sponsor in history.” — Chelsea [55:05]
- “If Joan Rivers had lived to see this, it would have killed her.” — Chelsea (re: Meg Stalter’s Emmys look) [48:15]
- “Everything is way more expensive and the quality is way worse.” — Lauren [51:12]
- “If I won the Powerball, I’m going to Pucci first.” — Chelsea [88:16]
Timestamps: Key Segments
| Segment | Timestamp | |-------------------------------------------|---------------| | MIAMI: Chelsea’s Trip | 01:34 – 09:33 | | Jimmy Kimmel Firing/Media Analysis | 15:02 – 20:01 | | 2025 Emmys Overview & Reunions | 20:16 – 28:42 | | Emmys Fashion: Best/Worst Dressed | 36:38 – 48:53 | | TikTok Luxury Fashion Drama (Miu Miu) | 49:07 – 51:53 | | NY Fashion Week Gimmicks & Highlights | 52:05 – 66:25 | | Industry Critique (Rachel Tashjian, etc.) | 66:25 – 69:47 | | Standout NYFW Shows (Lee, Eckhaus, etc.) | 70:48 – 77:08 | | Niche/Diffusion Brands, Price Points | 77:49 – 78:47 | | LoveShackFancy/Anna Sui/Culture | 78:21 – 83:56 | | Book/Pop Culture Digs | 83:56 – 86:31 | | Pucci Store, Balenciaga Perfumes | 86:31 – 90:27 |
Overall Vibe & Takeaways
Bitchy, hilarious, and never shy to mix critique with gushing fanhood, this episode is a time capsule of early-2020s American fashion and pop culture mania—Equal parts dread and devotion, vanity and values. As ever, Lauren and Chelsea tackle serious cracks in the media and fashion worlds, but with their trademark irreverence and encyclopedic knowledge.
If you want the inside scoop on who flopped, who slayed, and why the media landscape is as brittle as Miu Miu’s buttons, this episode is for you.