Across twelve seasons of The Big Bang Theory, Raj Koothrappali (Kunal Nayyar) remained one of the show’s most recognizable characters — and not just for his charming awkwardness. His wardrobe was just as memorable, though not necessarily for the right reasons. Raj’s signature look rarely changed: a sweater vest layered over a button-down shirt with an oversized collar, topped with a zip-up jacket and paired with khakis or cargo pants.
As it turns out, even the actor behind Raj wasn’t a fan of his on-screen fashion. In a recent appearance on The Official Big Bang Theory Podcast, Kunal Nayyar admitted that wearing the same quirky combination for over a decade completely ruined his taste for it. After spending years in those sweater vests and patterned shirts, Nayyar confessed he can’t bring himself to wear anything similar anymore — proof that sometimes, even TV fame comes with a few “hideous” side effects.
Kunal Nayyar Knew Raj’s “Hideous” Fashion Was Perfect for His Character
On The Official Big Bang Theory Podcast, Kunal Nayyar opened up to Jessica Radloff about his honest reaction to Raj’s now-iconic wardrobe. Unlike his on-screen alter ego, Nayyar is a genuine fashion lover. “I love fashion, to be honest. It’s one of my favorite things,” he said. “And then I was like, ‘Oh my God, I’m gonna have to wear these clothes.’”
Despite his personal distaste for Raj’s style, Nayyar understood exactly why the choice worked. Raj’s “ridiculously hideous” fashion sense wasn’t random — it was an extension of his personality. Introduced in Season 1 as a brilliant but painfully awkward astrophysicist at Caltech, Raj famously couldn’t speak to women unless he was drinking. His colorful sweater vests and oversized collars perfectly captured that awkward charm — a man too brainy for small talk and too shy to dress like anyone else.
By embracing that goofy, mismatched look, Nayyar helped make Raj one of The Big Bang Theory’s most relatable and endearing characters — proof that even the worst wardrobe can tell the best kind of story.
Raj’s Wardrobe Ruined Those Vibrant Clothes for Kunal Nayyar
After twelve years and 279 episodes, Raj Koothrappali’s wardrobe had an unexpected side effect — it completely ruined Kunal Nayyar’s love for similar clothes. The actor admitted that wearing Raj’s signature mix of vintage sweaters, cargo pants, and zip-up jackets for over a decade left him unable to even look at those styles again. “They’re ruined for me,” he confessed, explaining that the daily repetition of those colorful, mismatched layers eventually became exhausting.
To be fair, Raj’s outfits were never about fashion — they were about character. The combination of sweater vests, oversized collars, and athletic jackets made him look adorably awkward, perfectly matching his quirky, shy personality. Still, it’s ironic that the same eccentric style that helped define Raj on The Big Bang Theory ended up driving Nayyar away from an entire clothing category. Perhaps, just as Raj eventually overcame his fear of talking to women, Nayyar will one day make peace with vintage sweaters and cargo pants.
Fortunately, there may be another chance to see him in a whole new look. The upcoming Big Bang Theory spin-off, Stuart Fails to Save the Universe, will follow comic book store owner Stuart Bloom (Kevin Sussman) as he travels the multiverse — encountering alternate versions of familiar faces from the original series. That means fans could see Nayyar return as a very different Raj — one with sharper style, smoother charm, and maybe even a killer fashion sense. Now that would be a twist worth watching.
