Adam Sandler Reacts to Gen Z Fashion Trend (Exclusive)

Adam Sandler didn’t ask to become a fashion icon.

At the Tuesday, Aug. 20 New York City premiere of his new standup special Love You, the 57-year-old star responded to the Gen Z fashion trend inspired by his signature, laid-back “Sandlercore” style.

“You know, this is an accidental thing,” he told PEOPLE exclusively, “but here I am wearing goofy clothes, and I don’t know. I don’t think about it.”

The Grown Ups actor also learned that the trend has been dubbed “Madam Sandler” by those who pair the comedian’s trademark long, baggy shorts with a crop top.

“Crop top, I used to wear when I was young,” he said. “I used to wear the half shirt. Now, it would not be great for anybody, but I get it. Comfortable. That sounds like a good outfit.”

On the red carpet, Adam posed with his wife Jackie Sandler. The comedian stuck with his usual casual aesthetic in a yellow polo shirt and red pants, while Jackie, 49, opted for an elegant black mini dress and pointed-toe flats.

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Adam’s fashion sense has been a hallmark of the comedian’s decades-long career. His go-to style, characterized by items like colorful sneakers and Hawaiian shirts, has inspired a recent wave of equally comfort-focused fashion often referred to as “Sandlercore.”

During a March 2023 appearance on the Drew Barrymore Show alongside Jennifer Aniston to promote their movie, Murder Mystery 2, the star explained the process behind choosing his outfits.

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“I go into my closet, I got a bunch of t-shirts and shorts, kinda they’re all the same … I usually go t-shirt first … I just want to cover that quickly. I’m like what the hell, grab anything,” he told host Drew Barrymore. “Then I go with shorts and I throw them on. Sometimes they’ll be slightly too tight. I go let me take those off and get the triple-X shorts on.”

Barrymore, 49, then brought up Adam’s 2008 movie You Don’t Mess with the Zohan, saying he wore some very “form-fitting” clothes for his role.

“When I was the Zohan I wore a large and then I wrapped the Zohan, a week later I was in the XLs,” he said. “What did you do?” Aniston asked, to which Sandler responded: “I had pizza at [George] Clooney’s house.”