15 Outfits Robert Downey Jr. Has Worn That Have Made Us Question His Fashion Sense

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There's no question about just how much people love Robert Downey Jr., arguably because of his role as one of Marvel's most powerful and financially successful character Iron Man. We are waiting with baited breaths for Marvel's Avengers: Infinity War to hit the screens in a few short weeks and we hope it will be as good as or even better than their most recent film, Black Panther. Unlike in Black Panther, we know we will see Robert Downey Jr. in action as Iron Man in this film, and we know he will defeat any villains, as he always does.

However, though he's such a great guy and actor, Robert Downey Jr. has a past that he might not be so proud of, and we're not talking about his problems with substance abuse or with the law— it's his fashion sense. Although at the time, none of us thought he had a problem, back in the '80s and '90s, he had an outrageous sense of style. It's almost impossible to look at images from his past and not break into laughter. The weird thing is that these days, he still manages to turn heads wherever he goes, and it's not always because he's such a huge star.

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Here are 15 outfits, dating a few months back to a few years ago, that make us question his fashion sense. He will often wear an amazing outfit but then wear the wrong shoes with it, or have some weird accessory added to it that just ruins it.

Weird Attire

It's hard to imagine that there was a time Robert Downey Jr. (RDJ) and Sarah Jessica Parker (SJP) were the 'it' couple. Back in the '80s, RDJ dated SJP from 1984 to 1991. They broke up since she couldn't take his drug addictions and numerous troubles with the law at the time.

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In this picture, it's safe to say that even SJP isn't comfortable with RDJ's dingy look. It's hard to take him seriously in this weird, green outfit. We may be tempted to forgive him because it was back in the '80s, but the outfit is too outrageous either way.

First of all, it's green, the odd shaped jacket and the green wrestling belt fanny pack combo on his waist is confusing us, and his knee-length boots make the outfit more clown-like than fashion savvy. As if that's not weird enough, he accessorizes this with some kind of odd-shaped, blue, western bow tie? This whole look is weird, confusing, and ridiculous. RDJ, here we say no.

Getting Coffee

Robert Downey Jr. has had more than his fair share of troubles with drugs, jail, and many other menacing encounters. It's amazing how much trouble he has caused but we have forgiven him, just because he's melodramatic, he's fascinating, and he is Iron Man. We almost feel sorry for the person who'll attempt to fill his shoes when his contract with Marvel ends.

In this picture, for instance, many celebrities would be roasted alive if they were caught walking on the street like this. Only RDJ can stroll comfortably in an oversized t-shirt, odd-fitting, ankle-length shorts, and granny sweater.

He looks as though he woke up in the middle of the day, slapped on his wife's oversized shorts and gardening sweater, put on a weird stripped knitted hat, and went out for coffee. We cannot even talk about his brick brown sneakers. The only good part of this outfit is his signature sunglasses, everything else is a fashion fail.

Dancing On The Red Carpet

Some celebrities like keeping a low key, so you'll hardly ever find them doing things that are out of the ordinary, however, Robert Downey Jr. isn't one of those celebrities. Often, you will find him in situations that draw everybody's attention to him.

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In this photograph, RDJ is dancing on the red carpet at the Iron Man 3 premiere in Munich, wearing a unique outfit. This interesting outfit is a folk costume known as Lederhosen. It originates from Bavaria Germany and is associated with hard manual labor.

Only RDJ would wear an 18th-century costume associated with riders and hunters on the red carpet. As if this outfit isn't strange enough, he decided to pull it off with green socks, a green bandana neckpiece, and a tan jacket. This outfit may have looked good for the people in Munich, but to the rest of the world, it's just a hilarious fashion fail.

Shiny Suit

RDJ seems to have had more difficulties in his career and his personal life more than any other celebrity in his league has. He has seen the inside of jails, rehab centers, hospitals, courtrooms, and many other institutions, where his sanity may have been put into question. He may have recently gotten a bill of good health from all the above, but when we look at this picture, we have to question his sanity at the time.

Who in his right mind wears a see-through, V-neck shirt with a shiny-looking suit? This suit is so shiny it looks as if it comes with a charging port and lithium-ion batteries. His V-neck shirt is see-through and made of shiny mesh. The only way we can forgive him for wearing this shirt here was if he was signing up for a drag queen competition. The fact that we can see his hairy chest, as well as his bellybutton underneath his shirt, is not okay.

Furthermore, there's absolutely no reason a man should wear a suit that could also be used as a road safety reflector, unless if he's riding a bike on the road at night. His boots and sunglasses are somewhat okay, but who can see them if the suit has already burned every cornea in the room?

At Captain America: Civil War Premiere 

It's a good thing that Robert Downey Jr. has cleaned up his act and got his career back on track because his participation in Captain America: Civil War was spectacular and he deserves a standing ovation for it. However, during the U.K. premiere of the movie, his fashion choice had us wondering if he had a fight with his stylist before his suit was done.

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In this picture, it looks as though his tailor managed to do an almost perfect jacket and shirt, but quit halfway while making the pants, leaving RDJ to do a DIY flare bottom as if we're back in the '70s. Why does RDJ's grey suit have flare bottoms made from black panels that look like they were cut from a different suit?

These take us back to the '70s when people used to cut the bottom of their jeans and sew in panels of fabric to make DIY raver pants. We don’t know what kind of look RDJ was going for here, but whatever it was, it didn't work although his stylish, grey paisley tie may have saved him this one time.

Interesting Trousers

When Sarah Jessica Parker broke up with Robert Downey Jr., she said she could no longer stand his use of drugs, problems with the law, and menacing behavior. She likened their relationship to raising a troubled teenage son. In this picture, they're all cuddly in each other's arms and smiling for the camera and it almost seems as if these two were meant to last forever.

As much as they looked cute together, we cannot get past whatever RDJ is wearing here. This shirt looks five sizes bigger than a man his size should wear, it's the kind you'd expect a man the size of Dwayne "the Rock" Johnson to wear.

Also, what's the deal with those pants? These pleated, high-waist pants look as if you can undo them and make two more pairs of pants from the material. The way RDJ has tucked in his shirt and put his hand in his massive pleated pocket makes his whole outfit look hilarious, which is why we can't take him seriously in this.

RDJ In A Weird Suit

Robert Downey Jr. and his wife Susan got married back in 2005, and as you can tell from the image, they're a very happy couple. This picture was taken back in 2014 when he and his then-pregnant wife attended the Toronto International Film Festival. His wife later gave birth to their daughter in November of the same year.

In this picture, RDJ is rocking a bold pinstripe suit with "Lily of the Valley" flower print all over the fabric. This Dior masterpiece was showcased on the runway during the 2014 fall collection. Who else could wear a Dior runway piece to a Warner Bros Pictures and Dolce and Gabbana TIFF cocktail party? The fact that he paired it with a V-neck shirt shows us he knew it wasn't that serious. He wasn't out to be formal, he just wanted to have fun.

This look may have been weird for 2014, but in current times, people have opened up to bold prints. It's somewhat allowable in today's fashion circles. We may have doubted his fashion sense in 2014, but it's safe to say it was a futuristic outfit, given it would be perfect today.

Very Long Tie

Robert Downey Jr. has evolved so much over the years, but despite all the ups and downs, he has managed to remain relevant in Hollywood. Even though he had trouble with substance abuse and the law when he was younger, he has cleaned up his act and we barely get scandalous news from him these days.

RDJ's fashion sense has also changed a lot with time. Back in the day, he seemed to enjoy standing out from the crowd by wearing the most outrageous things that he could find. This picture was taken back in October 1987, when he and SJP were departing from the SNL show.

Besides his obviously oversized brick red jacket, we can't take our attention off his long, printed tie. This whole outfit looks like it was borrowed from someone who is much taller, bigger, and obviously less fashion savvy than RDJ. However, the long tie is making a major comeback even among global leaders.

What's He Wearing 

When Robert Downey Jr. was just six years old, his own father introduced him to drugs. It's sad to hear him say that he thought the only way to bond with his father was through indulging in drugs together, a situation that even his own father claims to deeply regret. His introduction to drugs and his father's role undeniably played a huge role in his troubled earlier years.

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In this picture, we aren't sure what he's wearing. We only hope he's getting ready to go to sleep, but that doesn't explain the sunglasses. Why is this man wearing such shorts and a matching robe? If this is meant to be his "hanging around" outfit when he is in the house, he should lose the sunglasses.

On the plus side, we can tell from the band on his shorts that this weird combo is from Versace. This could have been a lot better if the shorts weren't riding high on his thighs. Only RDJ would get shorts and a matching bathrobe combo from Versace.

RDJ At The Premiere Of Doctor Strange

RDJ often does speeches on behalf of Marvel, given he has a large following and arguably plays the role of everyone's favorite superhero. He's creative and charismatic and his fans love him for these qualities. We have also come to accept the fact that he will steal the show every time, whether in fiction or in real life.

This was no different when he showed up at the Los Angeles premiere of Doctor Strange in a weird fabric-blocking suit. Why on earth did RDJ think it was stylish to have a jacket that's half formal and half military combat with two Illuminati symbols at the bottom?

There is nothing flattering about this outfit. The pants are too big, not to mention the sides are made of combat material, his shoes look tiny because his pants are too wide at the bottom, and it wouldn't have hurt to put on a proper shirt. RDJ may have thought of combat material to save face from this drab get, but he should know we can see him, and we're not pleased.

The Far RDJ Has Come

Robert Downey Jr. is a fashion icon for many men in the world today since he's not afraid to explore new ideas and be himself. He often shows up in the loudest suits for events, and he'll make no apologies for it. We don't usually see him dressed in just the normal suit or tuxedo like his male colleagues often are, especially on the red carpet. He likes to make it pop with a clothing item which will most definitely standout such as a unique suit, tuxedo, sunglasses, non-conventional shoes, ties, you name it.

In this picture, however, we're not sure of what we're looking at. We understand this is an old photo, given that his face seems just a few years past his pubescent phase, however, this isn't an excuse for him to go ahead and wear this.

Why is RDJ in a jacket that's five sizes bigger than him, matched with girly pedal pushers from the '90s, and a funny western bow tie? The whole outfit sits weirdly on him and makes him look like he is shadowing Johnny Bravo. Another thing, what is with those fishing man boots? We have to agree that although RDJ has become a fashion icon in Hollywood today, he obviously had a slow start.

Horrible Shirt Tie Combo

Robert Downey Jr. is a comedian and a great actor who is good at his job. Over time, we have learned he doesn't take things too seriously. His dress code is a good representation of the life of a fun and carefree person who doesn't necessarily follow the rules.

This picture was taken during the premiere of Captain America: The First Avenger back in 2011. Most of the people there had worn patriotic red and blue as you can see behind him. The carpet was even more patriotic than he was, with the red blue and white tones on it.

However, RDJ showed up in this funny, bold-printed shirt and shiny suit combo. This look would be okay if he was going bowling with his friends from the neighborhood dads association, but it was a hard miss on the red carpet. He seems to know his shirt is outrageous and weird given his choice of pose. You just don’t wear such a bold print, with a shiny suit, and a tie with such an elaborate print.

Why Two Pairs Of Glasses

We know RDJ can command a crowd whenever he gets a chance. He's not afraid of the attention he gets on screen and off screen, and is often photographed doing funny things everywhere he's at. He could be walking on the street minding his own business, but if at any point he spots a camera, he immediately turns on the charm.

The paparazzi never get enough of him since he is a good sport most, if not all, of the time. In this photo, RDJ seems to be on a plane, which makes us wonder why he is wearing his reading glasses and his sunglasses at the same time.

He could argue that he was on a plane and the glare from the sun was making it difficult for him to read. Most normal people have their reading glasses recalibrated to double up as sunglasses. RDJ is, therefore, not normal. Hence, he makes a spoof out of his glasses by wearing them both at the same time.

RDJ's Man Purse

In most cases, high-profile celebrities keep appearances low during filming so they do not to give too much information away. Most superhero movies require their lead actors to maintain a good diet and keep in shape during the entire filming period and at times, throughout the promotion period as well.

However, RDJ is not most celebrities— he won't keep a low profile. This photo was taken right before the release of Spider-Man: Homecoming. RDJ wasn't hiding the fact that he'd been in beast mode for the movie. However, what catches our attention though is his choice of gym wear.

Trust RDJ to show up in bright colors, such as these white gym pants and the orange shirt he's wearing here—these don't say low-profile at all. The other thing we are wondering is why RDJ is wearing wedge sneakers? Finally, is he carrying a man's gym bag with little hearts printed all over it or is he carrying the bag for a friend? All we can say is ''Susan, someone confused your gym bag for his."

RDJ's Purple Shirt

RDJ is an example of an actor who really knows how to own a role. If they cast anybody else for the role of Iron Man, it wouldn't be the same. We have become used to his arrogant charm and humor, and he delivers every time.

Off-screen, RDJ is a very funny and charismatic man. He lives his life loudly and seems to enjoy most of what it has to offer. His fashion sense is one example we can use to describe him as the guy who's always bubbly and full of surprises.

One peculiar thing about his wardrobe is that he seems to have a thing for purple shirts. He wears purple on the red carpet, to the gym, as well as when he's socializing with friends. It seems as if he doesn't run out of purple shirts.

This one caught our attention because the whole outfit seems ill-fitting. His top is odd, his pants are too short, and his sneakers look interesting, though he tries to match them with his top. We will forgive this one on the count that he was working out getting ready for Iron Man 2, which of course, did not disappoint.

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