Home Improvement, which ran from 1991 until its cancellation in 1999, continues to withstand the test of time as one of the most well-remembered sitcoms in American television history. It’s witty dialogue, colorful (but secretive) cast of characters, and truly funny moments sold viewers on it from day one and continues to regularly renew interest in the decade-old program. However, there’s more to the show than most give it credit for, since, upon further inspection, it’s incredibly detail-oriented when it comes to its visuals. In fact, in the case of one of its main characters, those small details hide a larger story that goes beyond the Home Improvement universe itself.
The lead character of Home Improvement is Tim “The Tool Man” Taylor, a family man and host of the fictional, in-universe DIY program Tool Time, alongside his co-star, the famous recast Al Borland (Richard Karn). Despite being a mild television star, Taylor doesn’t present himself as a stereotypical celebrity, often donning a fairly casual wardrobe that doesn’t give him an over-the-top appearance. At his core, he’s an everyman, and the actor behind the home-improvement guru, comedy icon Tim Allen, found a fun way to sell audiences on that label, while also providing some free yet discreet advertising space in the process.
Tim Taylor’s casual attire is entirely Michigan-based
When he’s not teaching audiences how to spruce up their home on Tool Time in a button-down shirt, dress pants, and tie, Tim Taylor lounges around at home in less formal threads. During the portions of Home Improvement, where he’s spending time at home or working in his yard, sweatshirts and t-shirts are more his speed. At first glance, a detail like this isn’t worth thinking about, since it’s so common for people to dress more comfortably at home. However, the clothes themselves share one characteristic with an interesting story behind them — they all include some mentions of Michigan-based universities or sports teams.
According to Living Magazine, the decision to keep Taylor’s outerwear consistent came from Tim Allen himself, who wanted to represent his home state (he was born in Denver, Colorado, but moved to Birmingham, Michigan, when he was 13) on the national television series. series. While that was the original reason, later on, it became apparent that the comedian worked the creative decision in his favor, since he could just bring clothes from his personal wardrobe to wear during filming. Once fans caught on to this trend, Allen’s closet began to expand as many Michigan colleges sent him stuff to wear on Home Improvement as a method of getting their name out there.
At the end of the day, Tim Allen’s adjustment to his on-screen persona went a long way in fleshing the character out as a true average Joe. Not to mention, it provided nearly a decade worth of advertising for some of Michigan’s finest higher education offerings.
