Pete Davidson doesn’t give a damn about most things—and he’s especially unapologetic about his personal style. The comedian told Cosmo that he’s practically made it his mission to show up at fancy events in what he calls the “worst possible clothes.” “It’s me and Sandler,” he jokes during his interview. Now, as the face of Crocs’ new “Do Your Thing” campaign, which celebrates being wonderfully unordinary, Pete wants to make it known that comfort and ignoring society’s made-up fashion rules are, in fact, power moves.
Crocs aren’t just shoes to him. They’re proof that comfort can be cool, even when everyone else is judging you. Becoming a dad—he and his girlfriend, Elsie Hewitt, welcomed daughter Scottie last December—has only reinforced that mindset. Scottie has given him a fresh perspective on life and even style: Stop stressing about what others think, and focus on what works for you. Even with access to the world’s best stylists and designers, he’s adamant about sticking to his own playbook.
Cosmo got to talk with Pete about how a beat-up pair of Crocs his Uncle Steve wore turned into a lifelong obsession, why socks are nonnegotiable, his “escape room” aesthetic, and how he sneaks the iconic casual shoe into his own uniquely dressed-up outfits. He reminds us that style isn’t about approval—and that chasing it won’t get you anywhere.
Everyone has a Crocs origin story. What’s yours?
My Uncle Steve used to wear Crocs, and everyone used to make fun of him. His Crocs were beat to shit, and my aunt would make fun of him. But he didn’t care. He was comfortable, and that was it.
Then I got a pair when I was 12, and I’ve had Crocs ever since. I appreciated how little he gave a shit about what my aunt had to say about his shoes. I was like, “That’s cool. Uncle Steve doesn’t give a fuck. That’s awesome.” Then I started getting some hazing. And about four or five years ago, something happened—they became cool. I was so hurt. It’s like when you hear a song you found long ago and someone else suddenly “discovers” it, you’re like, “Yes! I knew it first. How dare you find this?” That’s how I feel about Crocs: I’m proud they’re flying and soaring so high but also sad because they were my dirty little secret.
So between when you were 12 years old and now, even when they weren’t considered “cool,” did you still wear them?
Yeah! I have to fly a lot, so I like Crocs for that. I always do the socks-and-Crocs thing.
Well, let’s settle the debate: With Crocs, are socks mandatory? Are you letting the toes breathe?
I’m a sock guy. I am a sock-and-flip-flops guy. Dudes should not be sockless. You should never see a guy’s feet. They’re horrible. They ruin my day. They are awful. You don’t want to see guys’ feet, so I think socks with Crocs are necessary. But hey, if you’re a foot guy, do your thing. But everyone is grossed out.
I might get that tattooed on me.
Yeah! Have you ever seen a pair of guys’ feet and been like “Woo”?
I've been traumatized many times, for sure! So, I know you love sneaking Crocs into some more formal outfits, which is honestly so good and hilarious. How do you pull that off?
You slow-roll it. Wear a blazer, pair it with sweatpants and a T-shirt, and then throw Crocs in there, and it all goes together. You can’t wear a full-on suit and Crocs. You have to sneak them in carefully.
I think people really stress themselves out about what to wear, and no one cares. If I see you in all designer, I’m not gonna be like, “Look how cool they are!” I don’t give a shit. What’s cool about dressing like a whole asshole is that people who talk to you are genuine. Those are the types of people that I want to attract. People who don’t look at what I’m wearing and think, like, That guy has money because he’s wearing full designer.
It truly doesn’t matter what’s on the outside at the end of the day, right?
Yeah, it helps weed people out.
Have you ever shown up to a formal event in a blazer, sweatpants, and Crocs, and people were like, “What the...”?
Yeah! As a person in the public eye, I feel like it is my job to show up to any fancy establishment in the worst possible clothes—as a tip of the cap to everyone in there. It’s my job to show up to any formal event looking like a complete jackass for America.
We need more people like that in the world.
It’s me and [Adam] Sandler. Join the club.
With the campaign being based on being “wonderfully unordinary,” is there anything in your life lately that’s surprised you or caught you off guard in a good way?
Being a dad is fucking awesome. It gives you this amazing skill: not giving a shit about anything anymore. I was very OCD, caring about what people thought of me, wondering whether this person would be my friend and why they didn’t respond to my texts. Have a baby—that’ll solve that. You won’t have time to even care about that stuff. And it’s a great gift. It’s a good equalizer for someone like me.
What is the most memorable piece of style advice anyone’s ever given you?
I don’t know if anyone has ever really given me advice other than “don’t try so hard.” I used to try really hard. There are some humiliating photos of me on the internet. That is the price to pay when you get known in your early 20s, but you don’t have to try so hard. No outfit is gonna get you fucking anything. It’s not gonna get you a girl, a movie, or a free parking spot.
You’re known for your eclectic, free-bird style. When you’re getting dressed, would you say you’re a planner, or do you vibe it out?
I vibe it out. I just grab whatever’s clean. Elsie will laugh. She’ll be like, “I don’t know how that somehow works. Did you think about this?” And I’ll be like, “No, it’s just that it was clean.” If you dress so poorly, it’s almost good. It works in my mind. This is how I dress! It’s escape room wear.
That’s going to be a new TikTok trend: escape room core.
How I would go to an escape room is how I dress all the time.
And my last question: If you had to style your dream pair of Crocs, which Jibbitz would you put on them—whether they exist or not?
I’d go with the Staten Island Ferry, the Wu-Tang symbol, Tony Soprano’s pinkie ring, and the Back to the Future car.
Megan Uy is an associate shopping editor at Cosmopolitan, where she searches for the best products in all things fashion, home, beauty, sex, gifts, and more, so you don’t have to. When she’s not writing for the site, she’s whipping up some cool and trendy content for the fashion section of the print magazine. She’s been with the brand since 2019 (when she was an itty-bitty editorial fellow), and she's also written for Delish, House Beautiful, and People. Follow her on Instagram to get some BTS of the editor life and chaotic NYC content. Also, feel free to hit her up if you ever wanna discuss the madness that is TikTok.
