On MTV’s “The Hills,” Justin “Bobby” Brescia risks it all for fashion, layering hat and hood. (Courtesy MTV)
On Monday night’s Los Angeles chamber drama, “The Hills,” many well-lighted video moments were devoted to Justin “Bobby” Brescia, the love interest of blow-up doll Audrina Patridge. Justin Bobby lives in Venice, a part of Los Angeles 27 minutes from Hollywood where Audrina lives. It’s a different world there and the geocultural distance is emphasized by J.B.B.’s outré personal style. In the opening minutes of the episode, we see him costumed in a ratty oversize white thermal shirt (like the kind Paulie Walnuts might wear), brown cutoff pants and a truckeresque cap. Nothing transcendent. But the next time Mr. Brescia appears, something stylish happens.
The scene: Medusa, an Asian fusion lounge. The look: patchy facial hair, chapped lips, black hoodie, black felt wide-brimmed hat, black leather jacket. Critical styling note: J.B.B. wears hat and hood together at once — indoors! And unlike, say, the protagonist in Under My Hood I Have a Hat, Mr. Brescia’s hat is worn over his hood. The effect: Justin Bobby as part Aramis, part Christ from the Tomb, part Zorro, part Dash Snow, part Hasid, part gone-off-the-Depp end. We approve. He’s making a sly reference to the Gothic men’s wear designs of Robert Geller, rocking asymmetrical zippered leather à la Rick Owens and shooting a devilish wink at Anne Demeulemeester. (Remember, Justin Bobby knows fashion — he’s even modeled for a look book.) Given the expanse of bad taste that is “The Hills,” hats off to Justin Bobby’s layered head wear look. One question. What is he doing with the Chiclet-toothed Audrina? Where is the de Beauvoir to his sartorial Sartre? Could it be, as the next episode preview hints, Lauren Conrad herself?