Style Thief: How To Dress Like Dr. Jillian Holtzmann

feature image via Superhero Hype.

I’ve shown you homogays how to dress like Marceline The Vampire Queen. I’ve shown y’all how to dress like Mr. Rogers. But it is with great pride and joy and I now show you how to dress like Dr. Jillian Holtzmann. I am currently in a place where I’m ready to toss my entire wardrobe and just be Holtzmann. This isn’t cosplay. This is just plain wardrobe. Here are the Holtzmann style rules as I see them.

Give Absolutely No Fucks

Let’s look at Holtzmann’s first outfit for this rule. See how she mixes brown and black leather? See how her overalls are covered in paint and aren’t focused on being sexy overalls, a thing overalls were never meant to be? See that completely chill smile even while Abby is in panic mode? The number one rule of dressing like Dr. Jillian Holtzmann is a complete and total unabashedness in your choices.

first outfit

The Outfit:

Levi’s Lightweight Chambray Rain Denim Overalls, $50. I tried to get even bigger and baggier than this, but for some reason all the overalls I could find in this light a wash were skinny??? Why, why are there skinny overalls? That is not what they’re for, fashion people. That. Is. Not. What. They. Are. For. Also cuff ’em. Cuff all the pants, that is what Jillian Holtzmann would do.

ASOS Cropped Leather Biker Jacket, $243. I actually don’t know if the jacket is cropped or not, I can’t tell from the photo and I didn’t make a note of it when I took notes while watching, so here’s one that’s not cropped for $162 and here’s a plus size one for $243. OPTIONS.

Forever 21 Ribbed Knit Crop Top, $7. The earth tones are key, here. The shirt doesn’t necessarily have to be hunter green, but greens, browns, warm greys and reds are very Holtzman-esque. It does have to be a crop top, though. Because give no fucks.

Steve Madden Charrie Combat Booties, $99. The important part about this is the unlacedness of them. That and that your socks cannot match, in pattern, color or length. Grab one pair of high grey and black striped socks and one pair of low, grey polkadot socks. Et voilà.

Wide Legs, High Waists, Waist Coats

High waists and wide legs are the name of the game here, almost like Holtzmann is gunning for a healthy mix of Victorian Mad Scientist and thrift store 1970’s vintage.

high-waist-brown

The Outfit:

Free People Pinstripe Flare Overalls, $32. If the overalls aren’t your thing, here are some high-waisted pants. The important thing is the high waist. Basically every waistline Holtzmann wears is high OR covered by something so you can’t tell where exactly the waistline is.

Malene Birger Striped Blouse, $82. What’s important about the blouse is that it’s flowy in the top. Even the tee-shirts Holtzmann wears are, by and large, loose fitting (though the crop tops aren’t). A flowy top compliments a high waist and gives that Dr. Frankenstein silhouette.

Paisley Silk Scarf, $27.

Bed Stu Lita Oxford, $163.

jillian-holtzmann

suit-waistcoat

The Outfit:

Calvin Klein Grey Plaid Slim Fit Suit, $300. This is a nice versatile purchase because the waist coat can be worn in other outfits, see below.

Red and white Oxfords, $37.

Teal button down, $30.

Vintage silk scarf, $45.

In both of these outfits, we see silk scarves tied as ties. Here’s how to do that:

Graphic Tees

ghost-busters-hearse

At any point, one can pair the waist coats and the wide-legged pants with any of these science-inspired tees, tanks and repeating pattern button downs. Greys, beiges and vintage prints are a plus. Holtzmann also pairs tees, tanks and crops with suit waistcoats, which frankly I think more people in the world should be doing.

graphic-tees

The Pieces:

Classic wool waistcoat, $63.

One Of The Boys Tee, $31. This is the closest I could get to the exact one she wears.

X-Files Tee, $20.95. Side note, a friend and I were just discussing, and how great would it be to have Kate McKinnon play James Bond and Gillian Anderson be her Bond girl?

Springfield Isotopes Tee, $20.

Kepler 1638B Tee, $20.

A Brief Interlude About The Time I Saw Kate McKinnon

Apropos of nothing, here is a story. One time I was at a Halloween event at in a cathedral. There was a parade of dancers dressed as ghouls marching down the aisle and they were reaching out and grabbing for the audience as we departed for the evening, which is exactly my jam. One person got startled and screamed, and my fiancée leaned over and whispered, “the person who just screamed is Kate McKinnon.” And with absolutely no chill, I shouted, “KATE MCKINNON IS WHO WHERE?” at the top of my lungs. Abby was mortified and I don’t think we’ve gone anywhere in public since. I am usually a normal person in front of people whose work I admire. The only other time I lost it like that is when Ta-Nehisi Coates walked into my favorite coffee shop. I promise I am the good kind of weird and if you’re reading this, Kate McKinnon, I am sorry I screamed your name at the top of my lungs in a cathedral while Halloween was frightening you.

This will probably get cut. End of anecdote.

Science-y Utility

jillian-t-shirt

Dr. Holtzmann’s defining characteristic is being a quirky mad genius, a scientist and engineer. While also being fashionable, her clothes have a purpose to them. Pockets, shades that protect her eyes from all them particles she’s physiking, comfort and the ability to chase things.

science-utility

The Outfit:

Jack Spade Trench Coat, $299. It’s not exactly as I would want it—I’d want it a shade lighter, in my ideal world. But the idea behind this is that you can pop the collar all cattywhompus-like and march about your lab.

Stay Curious Tee, $20.

Sportmax cropped pants, $292.

Another pair of Bed Stu Oxfords, $149. Because a) I’m obsessed with their shoes, b) I feel like they’re quirky enough for Holtzmann and c) because I couldn’t decide which colorway to recommend to y’all, so I’ll just include two colorways.

ASOS 70s Round Sunglasses, $20. This is probably the most Holtzmann item there is. The thing that’s instantly recognizable as Holtzmann. You can and should wear them with every outfit on this list and also every outfit you already own. Speaking of accessories—

Accessorize Your Holtzmann

holtzmann-accessories

Here are some accessories inspired by things Holtzmann wears frequently. Pair them with anything.

Bull Necklace, $10.53. 3D Printed Screw U Necklace, prices vary or print yourself. Citizen Men’s AT0200-05E Eco-Drive Watch, $176.25. Large oval belt buckle, $7. Open Knuckle Brown Fingerless Gloves, $15.

I think the most important part about Dr. Jillian Holtzmann is the attitude, though, and not the glasses, the amazing modern mad scientist jacket that I’m missing or the perfect-width pant leg. So put a straw in all your drinks, practice your wink and take this, you’ll need it. Go forth and Holtzmann.

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A.E. Osworth

A.E. Osworth is part-time Faculty at The New School, where they teach undergraduates the art of digital storytelling. Their novel, We Are Watching Eliza Bright, about a game developer dealing with harassment (and narrated collectively by a fictional subreddit), is forthcoming from Grand Central Publishing (April 2021) and is available for pre-order now. They have an eight-year freelancing career and you can find their work on Autostraddle (where they used to be the Geekery Editor), Guernica, Quartz, Electric Lit, Paper Darts, Mashable, and drDoctor, among others.

A.E. has written 542 articles for us.

60 Comments

  2. Also I’ve already bought those yellow glasses (to go with the other yellow sunglasses I have that are less Holtzmann and therefore are demoted down from being my faves)

  3. I definitely thought you were recommending calipers as a Holtzmann-esque accessory when I first saw the picture! I mean, the necklace is cool too, but…

  5. To Kate McKinnon, if you happen to read this: Dude, this corner of the internet loves you a lot. We were so psyched when you joined SNL, and you haven’t disappointed at all. With Holtzmann, you’ve earned a spot in the gay canon forevermore. We’re so proud of you, and also you’re really hot! May you always come back here and bask in unconditional love if bad reviews or the rest of the internet get you down.

  6. Once again I realise I’m secretly a costume shop masquerading as a person because I can pull this style together.
    Minus 1 crucial item.

  10. I feel like you have given me a style crisis. Maybe my cute fifties sun dresses need to go?? I am so in love with how cool and zany Dr. Jillian Holzmann is…

  11. Do you have any idea how much I lost my mind at the fact that after this week, I GET TO LEGIT WEAR A LAB COAT. Like oh my god.
    Also I am not proud of how long it took me to figure out the ‘screw you’necklace.

    • OKAY thanks to your comment I JUST FIGURED OUT that her necklace is supposed to say “screw you.” YOU ARE NOT ALONE

  12. I agree with the author- skinny overalls are stupid. They are supposed to give you room to move. You can find men’s stonewashed light overalls that are regular legs- not skinny. I think farm and garden supply places online also carry traditional overalls.

  14. I legit work in a lab coat and have to wear boots because of various molten metals/plastics/chemicals.

    I’m so happy I can now base by work fashion from this and get my bi-girl engineering work persona on.

  15. We have been truly blessed with this article today… Ali, you are excellent, Holtzmann’s style is excellent, and this article is excellent.

    • Those exist? Thank goodness. The second time I watched the movie last week I mostly did the following:

      1. Squeal and giggle every single time Holtzmann appeared on screen
      2. Study her hair and fail to figure out how the heck they did that

  18. Fighting really hard to keep my credit card in my wallet and not buy those Oxfords

  19. This style is amazing because it hits all the best style points: vintage, sciency, casual, dapper, fearless. If I pursue academia after my degree, this is the kind of doctor I will be.

  21. This is beautiful. I feel like if I actually had style, this would be what I aimed for. Also, I found out if I take a curling iron to my hair, I’ve got a pretty good Holtzmann-esqe ‘do.

  22. I was literally JUST wishing I could get her entire goddamn wardrobe. This is a thing of beauty.

  23. A whole article about how great Kate McKinnon’s costumes were and you never even mention the name of the costume designer?? Shame! Holtzmann is a fictional character, incapable of choosing her own clothes. All praise goes to the great Jeffrey Kurland who is the actual person who mixed those brown and black leathers, and who paired those tees and waistcoats. He knocked it out of the park and surely deserves a mention in a piece that is entirely about his beautiful work!

    • No wonder she looks like a steampunk Annie Hall! Jeffrey Kurland did the costume design for a TON of Woody Allen movies.

  25. This is excellent. excellent. excellent.

    But side-question: does anyone know where (or even what it is called) the red and black robe thing that Holtzmann is wearing in The Winking Scene?

  26. I read this while at work yesterday and looked down approvingly at my outfit. I was wearing oversized 1940’s mens cuffed overalls, a blue t shirt, Yellow and gray polkadot socks, green army boots, a galaxy print bandana around my neck and my messy curls were piled on my head in a very Holtzmannesque sort of way.

    Proudest day.

  27. YESSSS!
    My one quibble is that the bull skull necklace should really be a bolo. BOLO IS KEY. Like, you could get other types of bolos and it would still work very well.

  28. While I’m sure I can’t pull off most of the fashions listed here I desperately want that silver duffel with the warning tape strap. (also we loved the new Ghostbusters)

  29. This is all well and good except it only applies to a tiny segment of the population. See, deliberately messy/carefree looks are great on very hot people, but on everyone else, they just look sloppy and careless. If I wear overalls and untied combat boots, I look, at best, like someone who has completely given up, and at worst, more like I am off my meds.

    But by all means, the young, tall, slender, beautiful people should try this look.

    • Oof, easy of the self depreciation there, Kate. I think you missed the most important rule of Holtzmann style, the giving of absolutely zero fucks.

      While I agree with you that the andro-punk I-don’t-care-about-my-aesthetic-aesthetic does tend to work best on the Ruby Roses, Katherine Moennigs and Kate McKinnons of the world, that doesn’t mean that it can’t be adapted to suit multiple forms. The key takeaway is not an exact replica, but rather a blend of mensware, punk staples, functional accessories and a because-I-like-it affinity for certain pieces.

      For a long time I wanted to be able to pull off this kind of style but htought I couldn’t because I am a short femme with LOTS of curve. I figured my silhouette made the most sense in 40’s and 50’s dressed, pencils shirts, and a good pair of jeans for days off. But then I remembered Rosie the Riveter, and Katherine Hepburn and how amazing wide legs and high waists can be on curvy forms, especially when paired with silk floral blouses, a waist cinching vest or a wild accessory.

      The key, I think, to shifting your perspective is to find an entry point and go for it. The fashion industry is very much invested in making you beleive that certain things are only for beautiful people, but fashion is not its industry and fashion wants you to be the flame, not the moth. Once you remove “flattering” from the top of the list, the whole world can open up.

      Go forth and be awesome!!

    • Oof, easy of the self depreciation there, Kate. I think you missed the most important rule of Holtzmann style, the giving of absolutely zero fucks.

      While I agree with you that the andro-punk I-don’t-care-about-my-aesthetic-aesthetic does tend to work best on the Ruby Roses, Katherine Moennigs and Kate McKinnons of the world, that doesn’t mean that it can’t be adapted to suit multiple forms. The key takeaway is not an exact replica, but rather a blend of mensware, punk staples, functional accessories and a because-I-like-it affinity for certain pieces.

      For a long time I wanted to be able to pull off this kind of style but htought I couldn’t because I am a short femme with LOTS of curve. I figured my silhouette made the most sense in 40’s and 50’s dressed, pencils shirts, and a good pair of jeans for days off. But then I remembered Rosie the Riveter, and Katherine Hepburn and how amazing wide legs and high waists can be on curvy forms, especially when paired with silk floral blouses, a waist cinching vest or a wild accessory.

      The key, I think, to shifting your perspective is to find an entry point and go for it. The fashion industry is very much invested in making you believe that certain things are only for beautiful people, but fashion is not its industry and fashion wants you to be the flame, not the moth. Once you remove “flattering” from the top of the list, the whole world can open up.

      Go forth and be awesome!!

  30. The watch is actually a Montres Carlo watch (MC35011). The large black face works well the brightly colored silicon band.

    And the driving gloves are very simlilar to Riparo’s fingerless, cognac colored gloves. Also they look very nice for the price.

  31. You can use a lab coat instead of a trench. They sometimes come in weird colors or you can dye them.

  32. Hey hey Ali
    For those not so skinny overalls, I look to my roots at Tractor Supply!

    Thank you for the marvelous assessment of intelligent, dapper dressing!

  34. And what about the backpack she’s carrying when renting their headquarters? It only appears for like 3 secs but my girlfriend noticed it because I have one! It’s a Jansport Trans with kittens, rainbows, galaxies and cassettes printed all over it <3

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