How I Discovered Susie’s ‘Outrageous’ Fashion on Curb Your Enthusiasm

Opposite to common perception, Susie Essman is nothing like her Curb Your Enthusiasm character (who, not-so-coincidentally, can also be named Susie). Equal elements brash and outspoken, with a penchant for bad-mouthing Larry David, Susie Greene has graduated from supporting character to fan favourite over the present’s 21 years in existence, not least due to her garish outfits, which have been known as all the things from “ridiculous” to “deranged”—significantly in the newest season. Right here, Essman talks to ELLE.com about Susie’s wild sense of fashion, designer closet, and making Larry chuckle.

Larry by no means had enter into my clothes. Solely when he says, “No. It’s an excessive amount of.” Certain, he’ll touch upon my outfits, however in all 11 seasons, I solely bear in mind one time that he made me change. I don’t bear in mind what [the outfit] was—I simply bear in mind he checked out me and mentioned, “You look insane. You went too far.” I feel at this level he accepts it. [The clothes are] a part of the character and who she is. It’s comedy!

As a feminine stand-up comedian, how I dressed on stage was all the time crucial to me, ‘trigger the male comics would look filthy, soiled, and disgusting. I all the time felt like I used to be presenting myself; I might by no means do a routine with out having some make-up on. The problem was placing a steadiness between wanting good and never too sexually provocative, as a result of it’s approach too complicated for males within the viewers—they don’t know in the event that they need to chuckle or in the event that they need to fuck you. So I attempt to look fairly and attractive, however not too attractive, at any time when I carry out. I might by no means put on something too brief or with quite a lot of cleavage.

Susie’s type has undoubtedly advanced over the course of the present. Within the first season, the Greene’s home was very stark and fashionable with black leather-based furnishings. Susie was screaming and yelling and cursing in her first scene. I bear in mind pondering, This girl takes possibilities. She thinks she has the best style in the complete world and listens to nobody—no decorator, no stylist, nobody. She doesn’t see any demarcations—it’s all a part of her character: large, take-no-prisoners, no second ideas. She’s utterly safe about each opinion and each alternative, particularly with regards to vogue.

Trend is Susie’s inventive outlet. That’s how she expresses herself. She’s extraordinarily over-coordinated—all the things is matchy-matchy. However on the identical time, she contrasts. She’s acquired her personal sense of what works. What involves thoughts is that cowboy outfit in episode 5 the place she’s acquired the fringed denim with the cowboy boots. She loves a theme. She thinks Cheryl is the dullest dresser ever—no character, no pizazz.

And by the way in which, Susie’s garments are all very costly. I bear in mind giving [costume designer] Wendy [Range Rao] an thought of how I wished her to decorate, and he or she requested, “The place am I gonna discover that stuff?” I mentioned, “Effectively, you’ve gotta go to the again room of Loehmann’s.” So we took a bit of discipline journey and I confirmed her the type of stuff that she would put on and [Wendy] was like, “This place is a goldmine.” Then [costume designer] Christina Mongini got here in, and he or she acquired it. And [costume designer] Leslie [Schilling] actually will get it. She places all of it on the market and lets it fly.

Normally, the way it works is Leslie and I begin with one piece and create the outfit from there. She’ll deliver a complete bunch of stuff to a becoming and we’ll play dress-up. My fittings can final for hours and hours and hours. We chuckle the entire time. Then, we ship footage to our EP Jeff Schaffer and he both approves or disapproves—however I’ve by no means recognized him to disapprove. After which all of the outfits are ready for me in my trailer the day I present as much as work. It’s all the time a factor once I stroll on set. It’s all the time a presentation.

I don’t know if there’s something Susie would by no means put on. She wouldn’t put on fur, as a result of she’s very political. She’d put on fake fur. She tries to all the time purchase issues which might be sustainable, blah blah blah. She provides her garments away, largely to her housekeepers. Through the years, sure issues have advanced out of necessity. For instance, about six years in the past I broke my ankle, so I can’t put on heels anymore. Now I’ve bedazzled slip-on sneakers.

I feel Susie acquired an increasing number of assured in her look as she grew to become a extra essential a part of the material of the Curb household. There’s an unconscious security internet there, so she’s gotten extra outrageous along with her decisions. The opposite factor to think about is that Jeff [Garlin, who plays Susie’s husband, Jeff Greene] is serially dishonest on Susie, so a part of her cope with that’s, she doesn’t give a shit: give her the jewellery, give her the home, give her the luggage, give her no matter she desires. That’s her factor. She is going to spend absurd quantities of cash on her clothes.

There have been so many outfits that I liked, it’s arduous to select a favourite. I bear in mind one season, I had these Versace pants with a gold appliqué belt. It was so terrible, nevertheless it was nice. Or these bedazzled sweatshirts from season three. I don’t maintain any of my wardrobe, however I steadily maintain one piece as a memento. An expression Leslie and I’ve is “simply round the home,” nevertheless it’s nonetheless Susie Greene. It’s not one thing I might ever put on.

I don’t costume like Susie in any respect in actual life. As a matter of truth, I’ve to be further cautious, as a result of typically I’ll see one thing, like a cute leopard-print sweater, and I’m identical to, “No, I can’t. It’s too Susie Greene.” I’ve gone the opposite approach utterly. I’m a denims and T-shirt type of lady. I maintain it easy. The difficulty with Susie is that fairly often one piece is okay, nevertheless it’s the combo. It’s layering one on prime of the opposite on prime of the opposite and simply going and going. I’m cautious to not costume like her, as a result of as it’s, individuals already assume I’m her, and I’m nothing like her. I’m performing. I don’t must put that out into the world.

We by no means know season to season if we’re coming again—that’s all Larry. If I used to be a playing particular person, I might say we’re. The explanation I feel so is as a result of we actually have enjoyable. It’s all about making Larry chuckle. He has such a joyous chuckle; his entire face lights up. And I make Larry chuckle, which could be very fortunate as a result of that’s why I’ve been working for the previous 21 years. If I didn’t make him chuckle, I don’t know if I might’ve ever had this half.

This interview has been calmly edited and condensed for readability.