Funny People
Some of Australia’s most masterful comedians trade the stand-up stage for the coats of the season
PHOTOGRAPHY by MICHAEL COMNINUS
STYLING by ANNALIESE DOIG
ZIMMERMANN coat, $1450, and pants, $750. SPORTMAX necklace, $1740.
LIZZY HOO @lizzyhoo
Can fashion be funny?
Of course. I saw a guy with a T-shirt recently that said, “Life is like a dick; it can be hard sometimes,” and I laughed a lot.
Describe this look in three words...
Russian oligarch’s wife.
Who are you channelling?
Someone with more confidence.
In life, do you set trends or follow them?
Is wearing your pyjamas outside the house trend-setting?
I wish I could wear more...
Tourist T-shirts.
I wish I could wear less...
Fake Birkenstocks.
Most regrettable fashion moment?
Cargo pants with way too many pockets and choker necklaces.
What were you like in high school?
I thought I was cool.
In my high-school yearbook, I would have been ‘most likely to’...
Climb the corporate ladder.
Hardest thing about being funny?
Telling people you’re a comedian.
When was the last time you belly-laughed?
Yesterday in a green room. I’d get cancelled for sharing.
What’s the best thing about making other people belly-laugh?
Approval.
Lizzy Hoo’s new show Déjà Hoo is touring Australia, from March 4 in Adelaide.
H&M coat, $449, and earrings, $34.99. HARRIS TAPPER pants, $677. VERSACE boots, $2500.
JORDAN BARR @jbarr_666
Modelling versus live comedy – which is harder?
Comedy. I watched so much Next Top Model growing up I feel like I was born for it. I had the time of my life doing these photos that I forgot I should be promoting my comedy show, not just posing like I’m the new face of Versace. I was so serious. Does anyone want to sign me? @fordmodels, @elitemodelmanagement, @bondsbabysearch?
Is it cool to try hard, or does that make you a try-hard?
It’s cool to try hard. But don’t try too hard. It’s a fine balance that should keep you up at night wondering if everyone is mad at you.
What were you like in high school?
Hot, popular and sporty.
Most regrettable fashion moment?
My early 20s were spent deeply committed to working against the cowlicks in my hair rather than working with them. I regret that.
In my high-school yearbook, I would have been ‘most likely to’...
Be charged with aiding and abetting.
In life, do you set trends or follow them?
I follow them. I’m a fashion coward. Depop did a little ‘Depop Wrapped!’ at the end of 2023 and had the audacity to create a little slide saying, “This year you loved... basic tees.”
I wish I could wear more...
Miniskirts. I wear them a lot, but I wish I could wear more. Cake’s song “Short Skirt/Long Jacket” was deeply influential to me.
I wish I could wear less...
Bras. My tits are too big to go braless. They’re not huge, but if I try to go braless, I change. I’m immediately that woman in Beauty and the Beast screaming, “I need! Six eggs!”
Describe this look in three words...
Air sign bitch. Ich bin Nosferatu. A gay bat. Fetch the paddle.
Fashion trend you’d never wear...
Peplum tops! What are you scared of? My womanhood? My joy? My soft lower tummy? Cowards. If you wear peplum tops, that’s fine; I understand you’re fighting inner battles. I have no issue with the wearer; I hate how they were introduced to the culture and to trends.
Can fashion be funny?
You’d never guess by the way I dress but I care deeply about fashion. I still think it’s funny, though. It’s funny how we find little ways to dress and style ourselves as ways of showing people who we are. Cutting out the middleman with a tattoo, a haircut or an oversized jacket is a real gift to those of us in the small-talk community.
What do you wear when nobody’s watching? When no one’s watching I wear oil-stained tops and novelty socks. I have so many novelty socks gifted to me by family members that will never see the light of day. I don’t know what part of my personality screams, “She’d love a novelty sock,” but it must be loud.
Hardest thing about being funny?
Reading the room.
Who makes you laugh without trying?
Mary Cosby from The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City.
Do jokes ever write themselves?
The jokes write themselves on topics like women’s safety, health and reproductive rights. Doesn’t sound funny but I guess it’s cathartic to laugh at all the misinformation and how glaringly obvious the shitheads are sometimes.
Jordan Barr’s new show Dog Why is touring Australia, from March 27 in Melbourne.
DEERING coat, $800. H&M top, $34.99. WEEKEND MAX MARA pants, $615.
LOU WALL @thelouwall
Who are you channelling in this shoot?
Every woman I’ve ever seen in a trench. The girlies always look good in a trench. Put that on my gravestone.
In life, do you set trends or follow them?
I’m absolutely a follower. I have come to understand myself as someone with horrific taste – but I’m wise enough to know my faults and smart enough to follow the hotties who do it well.
I wish I could wear more...
Dad-joke slogan tees. You know, the classics – “I’m with stupid >>” in all-caps on a foul neon-yellow T-shirt with material thinner than a home-brand pad. Why are they only acceptable on old white men who love Ted Lasso? Pop me in a “My wife says I have two faults: I do not listen and something else” scoop neck and I’d be bloody hot to trot.
I wish I could wear less...
Beanies. I live in London and it’s freezing and for some reason all beanies make me look like I’m a Womble of Wimbledon. I don’t understand this reference but it feels right.
Most regrettable fashion moment?
No regrets. Every cloth that’s ever graced my being can be boiled down to either ‘iconic’ or ‘ironic’.
What were you like in high school?
I thought I was straight and I had a crush on Redfoo. Is this enough to go off?
In my high-school yearbook, I would have been ‘most likely to’...
Become Prime Minister. And that’s why you should never trust teenagers.
Fashion trend you’d never wear...
I’d give anything a go once. YOLO, as the millennials say.
Can fashion be funny?
Absolutely. Fashion is art and all art has the potential for humour. Generally, my fashion is less of a ‘laughing with’ and more of a ‘laughing at’ situation, but I’ll take a cheeky ‘teehee’ where I can.
What do you wear when nobody’s watching?
I love to put a hoodie on backwards, pull the hood up over my face and just disassociate. I should probably tell my therapist this, but InStyle will do for now.
When was the last time you belly-laughed?
During this shoot, while surrounded by the best in the biz. Hot take — comedians are actually funny in real life! Crazy!
What’s the best thing about making other people belly-laugh?
The contagion of it. I love to see a belly-laugh sweep a room. Honestly, no higher high. Even better than that one time I broke my arm and got the green whistle.
What’s the hardest thing about being funny?
Modelling.
Let us in on a joke...
Never. Unless you Venmo me 100 mill in crypto. Then perhaps I’ll spill.
Lou Wall’s new show Breaking The Fifth Wall is touring Australia, from March 18 in Adelaide.
H&M X ROKH coat, $499. H&M shirt, $109. MATTEAU pants, $340. MAX MARA shoes, $915. SAINT LAURENT BY ANTHONY VACCARELLO
bag, $5500.
ZOË COOMBS MARR @zoecoombsmarr
Describe this look in three words.
Borrowed. Dad’s. Coat.
Who are you channelling?
Inspector Gadget meets Charlie Chaplin for a nice day at the shops.
Fashion trend you’d never wear...
All the trends that were trends when I was in high school and are trends again now. Low-slung bootleg jeans, spaghetti straps, boob tubes, chunky belts with big leather butterflies on them, yucky little handbags, too many hairclips. They were bad looks the first time around and they’re still bad now.
I wish I could wear more...
Tailored suits.
I wish I could wear less...
Tracksuits.
What do you wear when nobody’s watching?
I choose my clothes based on two questions: can I chase a dog? Can I climb a fence? The viewer really doesn’t come into it, so I think I always dress like nobody’s watching. Which, incidentally, is also how I dance.
Most regrettable fashion moment?
I went to see Episode I of Star Wars at the cinema dressed in a full Darth Maul costume and makeup. Hated the movie. Truly regrettable.
In my high-school yearbook, I would have been ‘most likely to’...
Publicly embarrass myself.
Is it cool to try hard, or does that make you a try-hard?
The least cool thing is when people try really hard to be cool by trying not to try hard, which, in my opinion, makes them a try-hard and, thus, not cool. If you know what I mean.
Modelling versus live comedy – which is harder?
Oh, modelling is easy. Obviously. I just do the comedy because modelling seemed like the easy route for me and I like a challenge.
When was the last time you belly-laughed?
I saw someone do a really good pratfall on TV. It doesn’t matter how clever or well written a joke is, literally nothing is funnier than people falling over. I will always rewind for a good stacking.
Who makes you laugh without trying?
Well, none of the slags in this shoot. What a bunch of bores.
What’s one thing you can’t joke about now?
Comedians doing fashion shoots. I’m implicated.
Zoë Coombs Marr’s new show The Splash Zone is touring Australia, from March 8 in Hobart.
DEERING coat, $800. HARRIS TAPPER pants, $426. SPORTMAX earrings, $555.
BRONWYN KUSS @bronwynkuss
Describe this look in three words...
Farm to table.
Who are you channelling?
I think if I named anyone they’d be offended.
In life, do you set trends or follow them?
I finish them. Once I’m onboard, it’s already over.
Most regrettable fashion moment?
Probably the time I had one dreadlock.
What were you like in high school?
I was pretty mature for my age, actually. My whole high school experience got flipped upside down one day when I went to a Chinese restaurant with my family. Long story short, my mum and I swapped bodies, and suddenly I had to juggle a full-time job and take care of the family. You grow up real quick when that happens.
In my high-school yearbook, I would have been ‘most likely to’...
Have a Freaky Friday.
Fashion trend you’d never wear...
Tiny hats.
Can fashion be funny?
Yes, that’s why they made Zoolander and tiny hats.
What do you wear when nobody’s watching?
Watching? That’s so creepy. I’m drawing all the curtains. But if you must know, I am sans pants and in an oversized T-shirt that is moments from disintegrating.
Let us in on a joke...
My girlfriend thinks she can do a Scottish accent and I keep encouraging her. It’s not even close; she kind of sounds like Borat.
When was the last time you belly-laughed?
When Jordan [Barr] told me you guys might have to replace her ugly toes with some AI feet.
What’s the best thing about making other people belly-laugh?
Hopefully they buy a ticket to your show.
Who makes you laugh without trying?
My dog – she falls over a lot.
Do jokes ever write themselves?
All my jokes write themselves – I can’t be held responsible for any offence caused.
What’s one thing you can’t joke about now?
You can’t joke about anything, nothing is funny and no one has laughed since 2018.
Bronwyn Kuss’ new show I’ll Allow It is touring Australia, from March 11 in Adelaide.
HAIR Travis Balcke at Saunders & Co
MAKEUP Jaque Di Condio at Saunders & Co
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