I was just curious why does monk always wear suit? Is it becuase of the germs thing or he just likes wearing it in genearl.

I didn't get a chance to watch alot of season 1 so I wasn't sure if they ever explained that.

yeah from time to time we see mr. monk wear like a sweater was just curious if it was just a phobia thing or he like to look formal. Maybe it's just becuase he is a detective.

I don't remember if it was ever explained why he wore a suit. It could be a little of both-phobia and looking formal.

I would figure it is because he was a detective...he did wear a uniform when he had a beat. Thats what I think..He did look great in the uniform but I guess we can't get that all the time

My guess would be that it's a lot like why I don't wear dresses; I feel so odd and like I stick out so much in them, and like it's not me when I wear a dress. Maybe he doesn't feel comfortable and like himself when he wears anything that isn't brown or like a suit and buttoned up shirt.

He did look really good in jeans in "On the Run" though.

Monk was out of "uniform" a lot in season six, I thought. He wore a helmet in Bad Girlfriend, a leather jacket, and later a beret in Masterpiece, had his top button undone through most of Out All Night, and then the jumpsuit and the jeans in On the Run.

I'm wondering what look Monk will be sporting in season 7...

I also imagine that his uniforms would be heavily starched and could stand errect without support

Very well said! This is something I was thinking but didn't quite know how to express. It's sort of part of the manner in which he dresses being 'him'.

And as BfloGal pointed out, there were a few times in this season where he didn't wear his 'uniform', though I'm not sure the helment actually fits into this category, he didn't want to wear it and only did so as a safety precaution. Most of the other times I can think of when he wasn't dressed like he normally is, like the jeans and tee-shirt in One the Run, the clothes in Bumps His Head, or in Cabin Fever, he was in a sense being someone else, whether because he was consiously pretending to be someone other than Adrian Monk, or because he just didn't know he was Adrian Monk. Even in Makes a Friend, he was trying to be someone else, in a sense. In Masterpiece, he was behaving like someone else, in a sense he was trying on a persona of an artists, or I suppose what he (and a lot of people) think an artist behaves, speaks and dresses like. It's similar to Randy's pimp suit in Fashion Show, he was trying out someone else.

I think it's kind of neat that the costume department makes changes to his manner of dressing to reflect what's going on inside him, to project who he thinks he is at the moment, who he wants to be, or even just alter his clothing in such a small way as having him open his top button or wear a windbreaker rather than a suit jacket in Makes a Friend. His top button in Up all night was open probably to reflect how tired he was, that he couldn't even be bothered to worry about that button.

That was one of my favorite things about Fashion Show, when Malcolm McDowell pointed out how much the way a person dresses projects their personality, and the things that they want, the person they want to be or that they want other people to think they are.

I always wondered if the top button would come unbuttoned if he felt more comfortable, but I only see it undone when he is tired (Up All Night) or depressed (Daredevil). So I guess it's not a good idea to gage any 'progress' by his wardrobe.

But I just meant to say we've seen more of a variety of clothing in season 6 than I think we have in the past, although we also have seen him in a Santa Suit. I'm not sure how Natalie managed that. I don't think I would wear a Santa Suit -- you never know where that thing has been.

I have also figured, that his tight and buttoned suit reflects his personality and obsession to keep everything in order. He wears usually a long coat because of tightness, and also because he wants to dress himself properly. He doesn´t wear a tie, because it is a bit unpredictable; it can be out of order (although otherwise a really fulldressed man usually wears a tie). Mr Monk doesn´t want to see too much naked skin, so his ordinary costume covers very much.

In Takes his Medicine first sign, that he wasn´t himself, was his top button unbuttoned. Indeed, it has been always a sign, that there is something wrong with him. I don´t remember what episode it was, but I think, that in one episode the top button was unbuttoned without any explanation. But maybe I remember wrong. And in Takes New York he got lost and his costume became messy during his roaming. At the end, his friends found him speaking in public and wearing a robe.


Liv put it excellently, why he is sometimes out of his ordinary suit. In The Run I mr Monk had to be very despairing, when he used a hobo´s dirty coat. It was a bit strange, why he didn´t want to use Mitch`s uniform after that. But yes, he looks terrible good in uniform! Although I think, he can wear anything and looks fine. (expect: I hope he needed ever again wear this orange jail costume).

I hadn't thought about how he would wear a hobo's coat, but he didn't want to wear Mitch's uniform. Maybe that was because that is one persona he really didn't want to step into. Like I have mentioned before about if there was ever anything romantic between Natalie and Monk, that it needs to happen in a way that it's certain he's not reminded of Trudy, he doesn't think of Trudy when he see Natalie. He doesn't want Natalie to look at him and make any sort of connection in any way to Mitch. As a non-shipper, I prefer to think he is hesitant because he doesn't want Natalie to think of him that way, but I suppose a shipper could see it like, if she ever sees him in that light, he wants it to be without the shadow of Mitch.

Not on it's own, at any rate. Now, at the very end of Very Very Old Man, in the flashback to him and Trudy sitting on the couch, he had his shirt button open and his shirt cuffs rolled up, but then again, when he stretched out his back, she asked him, "Are you tired?" and he nodded his head. So you could still see the top button as an indication of him being tired, but there were also the rolled up sleeves and his body language and posture in that scene that spoke volumes. In that scene, he was comfortable and happy. But also tired.

Yes, maybe because of that. He said as a excuse, that the uniform is dusty. But this Mitch´s uniform -thing is not a big problem for me. It is just one detail.
Shipper-concept is a bit odd for me, but I suppose, that I understand it. I am surely a shipper, then.

Now it could be good, if somebody explains this shipper to me. I thought, it means a person, who believes, that Natalie and Adrian could be together one day. I don´t think, that mr Monk´s possible future -how I can say it without offend anybody - romantic relationship should resemble Trudy. I just agree with you about that, Kawasakifan.
But it wasn´t my purpose to put this conversation to this direction at all here.

I think too much has been made of Monk saying that Natalie reminds him of Trudy. The context (from New Shrink) was they they were both symmetrical, as compared to the man with one arm. Not that they look or acted alike.

I'd like to see Monk and Natalie together, but not because Natalie reminds him of Trudy. That's a little strange.

Monica Waters reminded Monk of Trudy, and he was attracted to her immediately because of that. That's not a good thing. That's not a potential relationship -- that's like a surrogate. If Monk saw Natalie in that same way, something would have happened there a long time ago. And yet Monk's biggest battle there was not expecting Natalie to act like Sharona.

Thanks. I have no idea, I haven´t seen season 5 yet (what a pity!). No, then I´m definetily not a shipper! No way. I have never ever thought mr Monk thinks Natalie reminds him of Trudy. They are not alike.

Natalie remind him of Trudy because Trudy was symmetrical so is Natalie...
That's what Monk told his new shrink in Mr. Monk gets a new Shrink...

As was Dr. Kroger...

Here's the wikipedia definition for a shipping for convenience sake:

Shipping, derived from the word "relationship", is a general term for fans' emotional and/or intellectual involvement with the ongoing development of romance in a work of fiction. Though technically applicable to any such involvement, it refers chiefly to various related social dynamics observable on the Internet, and is seldom used outside of that context.

Shipping can involve virtually any kind of relationship — from the well-known and established, to the ambiguous or those undergoing development, and even to the highly improbable and the blatantly impossible. People involved in shipping (or shippers) assert that the relationship does exist, will exist, or simply that they would like it to exist.

That's what I think too. I think he wears the same color suit, the same type of suit because it's consistent. He doesn't like change so he wears the same thing.

Maybe he likes to wear a suit because it's easier to have it not creased...

Hmmm, interesting point. I feel sorry for the poor person who dry cleans his suits.

Have you ever seen Mrs. Kim, the Korean dry cleaner? She is very funny in the role. I remember she shows up in Mr. Monk Gets Jury Duty (season 4). She charges Monk more for his dry cleaning because he is so annoying!

I think Monk's wardrobe is really just one outfit in which he feels comfortable - and all the rest are the "back up outfits" designed to be exactly the same as the original.

I figure that he doesn't like decision making in addition to change. So everyday he puts the same basic thing on again and that makes his life just a little bit easier, and under control.

(Not unlike those of us who wear the same style pants and shirts eveyday, just varying the shades of navy, khaki and blue, with a denim jacket or shirt over it. Hmmmm. Anybody out there guilty?)

Just wanna add a correction: Mrs Kim appears on 12th Victim episode. But you weren´t that wrong, there is a jury invloved on the case at this episode.

hugs
Mi

That's right, I had forgotten about Mrs. Kim!! I would probably be annoyed too if I was Mr. Monk's dry cleaner. LOL

If I had been Mrs. Kim, I would have gone into an early retirement or found another professions...LOL...Out loud!!

That's right! I stand corrected.

The actress who plays Mrs. Kim has an ongoing role in "Men in Trees" and she is really over the top in that role, too. Very funny lady!

LMAO!!! That is one of my favorite Monk lines.

It's Mrs. Ling, isn't it?

You are right, it is Mrs. Ling...I feel so stupid...I knew that!!!

Hey, anybody else beside me want to see Monk in a tux some time this season? It would be really easy to write in a formal event.

(And Tony does look good in one. )

Oh my goodness!! Yes, I would love to see Monk in a tux this season. There are many different reasons Monk could be dressed in a tux. Tony does look Great in tuxes, as well...

Yes!! But I bet he would be uncomfortable - its much starchier than his usual.

I am sure Monk would be uncomfortable. He would probably never be able to get his tie tied exactly right, and get it perfectly straight in time for whatever the occassion that he had to wear the tux for.

I am the one who called her Mrs. Kim. I got both the name AND the episode wrong!
So much for my memory.
What's interesting is that SOMEHOW you ALL knew EXACTLY what I was reffering to!
Scary, isn't it?

I guess great minds think alike!!

He may be uncomfortable but man I would like to see him in a tux! I absolutely loved the bank episode when he was in uniform. I loves a man in uniform!

I like to remind everyone that he did wear something like a tux in At Your Service..it was a formal suit but it was different that his brown suit...he did look nice. But I don't think he would wear a bow tie maybe a regular tie. We can only dream...but Tony is hot in a uniform!

On Law and Order (and CI) the detectives wear suits. Don't Randy and the Captain wear suits? Why not Monk?