It’s a Mean Girls reference, c’mon.
Paul Mescal is an A-list celebrity now. Yes, he is. It’s not worth arguing.
The Maynooth native was catapulted into the harsh spotlight of sudden fame and thirsty fandoms following the release of the touching, emotional, and all round incredible Normal People.
Mescal stars as Connell in the series, and although audiences have been quick to applaud his incredible performance throughout the Sally Rooney adaptation, they’ve also been fairly hung up on Mescal himself – most notably his penchant for neckwear and lockdown fashion choices.
Earlier this week, Paul was spotted strolling around London wearing some O’Neill’s shorts, an Adidas top, and a pair of shades.
He was also carrying two cans of pink gin, a bottle of Crabbies, and a bag of prawn cocktail crisps.
The images in question can be viewed in all their glory here (click through for the full #look):
No man has ever done so much for O'Neills in such a short space of time pic.twitter.com/PClnn32u6V
— Aifric Ní Chríodáin (@aifreckle) May 26, 2020
Sunday morning at a festival chic? Maybe. Daytime in Workman’s vibe? Could be. A look that not one of us would ever be even remotely into if it wasn’t Paul Mescal sporting it? Honestly, yes.
The lad’s been trending on Twitter every other day at this stage – and fair play to him. He has become the Covid-19 distraction that the world needs, dressed in O’Neill’s and gasping for a Gordon’s.
The photos of Paul’s stroll around London went, unsurprisingly, viral, triggering a selection of memes, followup images of Mescal sporting similar #looks, and 2,000 word thinkpieces, probably.
it would be disingenuous to claim that paul mescal's universal magnetism is down to "vibe" alone… but i can't remember the last time i witnessed a vibe this gigantic. you don't drag on a fag or grasp a crabbies with this much purpose unless you KNOW you're on some king shit pic.twitter.com/3F85n9KqXb
— egg (@emmaggarland) May 26, 2020
paul mescal wearing the same pair of o'neill short shorts [insert timothee chalamet sniffing swim trunks meme here] pic.twitter.com/qxKbp7GZVl
— david (@Ioversdiscourse) May 26, 2020
Paul mescal I've blocked my boyfriend and I'm free tomorrow please respond https://t.co/v4StJLmDwr
— Rebecca (@saverickandroll) May 26, 2020
The worst thing about Paul Mescal becoming an overnight Irish sex symbol is that it has normalised GAA lad culture. A crying shame
— Quarantine Quarantino (@RobertFrogert) May 26, 2020
I think the funniest thing about the Paul Mescal pic is the non Irish accounts critiquing his outfit choice like this was some kind of fashion statement and not recognising that he’d likely been ordered to go to the shop and threw on whatever was handiest https://t.co/8BhwMM0BEy
— Ciara McShane (@Ciara87C) May 27, 2020
My new goal in life is to be as fucking cool as Paul Mescal in this jacket, carrying a cider, two gin & tonic cans, and a bag of prawn cocktail crisps pic.twitter.com/uV6dAGnJJb
— Andrew Gruttadaro (@andrewgrutt) May 26, 2020
tired: Connell’s chain
wired: Paul Mescal’s short shorts pic.twitter.com/Uob2ss7wXX— Kate Halliwell (@katehalliwell) May 26, 2020
Paul himself even got in on a bit of the action – albeit retweeting a Rory’s Stories tweet but listen, we won’t hold it against him.
Arriving to training the tuesday after kicking a point from corner back… https://t.co/LdgYnv6GWI
— Paul Mescal (@mescal_paul) May 26, 2020
This newfound adoration for Mescal’s, ahem, bold fashion choices comes after the actor announced that he was raffling off one of his personal chains in aid of Pieta House.
“I am delighted to be able to help Pieta by raffling off one of my own chains,” said Paul.
“Pieta is a cause very close to my heart, having experienced loss due to suicide in my local town while growing up.
“Suicide and depression are themes directly linked to Normal People especially around episodes nine and 10 which is why I want to help those in similar situations.”
You can find out more, or make a donation, here.