Spoiler alert! This story contains spoilers for The Bachelorette Season 20 episode that aired July 3, so make sure you’re caught up before you keep reading!
Brayden Bowers made a strong first impression on The Bachelorette’s Charity Lawson in the season premiere, even earning the First Impression Rose after quite the makeout sesh, and he continued to make his mark on the season in Episode 2. The travel nurse from California made a bold fashion statement — adorning a decorative scarf and dangling earrings — which elicited an F-bomb from host Jesse Palmer and some hilarious reactions from Bachelor Nation on social media.
When Jesse Palmer arrived at Bachelor Mansion to welcome Charity Lawson’s 19 remaining suitors in the July 3 episode, he was apparently taken aback by Brayden Bowers’ fit, and after he spoke to a few guys about their experience with The Bachelorette so far, he had to address the best-dressed elephant in the room, cracking:
Can I just ask you real quick, Brayden? What’s up with the outfit today? What are we going for? … I feel like Brayden was like, ‘I got the First Impression Rose, fuck it.’
Look at Jesse Palmer taking shots before the bar’s even open! It was pretty funny, although if Brayden Bowers really did feel comfortable enough around Charity Lawson after getting the all-important Night 1 rose to let his full fashion sense show, more power to him. He took the host’s razzing in stride, too, explaining:
Dude, I just try to mix it up, man. Like I woke up this morning, I was feeling the scarf, and it looks like a tablecloth or whatever, I know, but I like to have fun.
I am all for some more unconventional fashion choices on The Bachelorette this season, because it’s been awhile since we’ve had a fashion king the likes of Jordan Kimball serving looks. Some fans on Twitter seemed to be having childhood flashbacks, as one nailed where they’d seen Brayden Bowers’ look before:
no one:elementary school art teachers:#TheBachelorette #bachelorette pic.twitter.com/teRchPqdGyJuly 4, 2023
Others were impressed at Jesse Palmer’s reaction, pondering whether the later time slot might mean things will be a little looser this season:
Jesse Palmer bringing out the after 9pm words #bachelorette pic.twitter.com/Xx7vlgAzkiJuly 4, 2023
One Bachelor Nation fan noted that we’d never have heard such an exchange from the previous host of the franchise:
I swear Chris Harrison would never do what Jesse Palmer just did #TheBachelorette pic.twitter.com/5NBKbNcfJyJuly 4, 2023
All in all, The Bachelorette viewers weren’t quite sure how they felt about Brayden Bowers’ sense of fashion, as he continued to sport different earrings of various sizes throughout the episode.
Some of the naysaying, though, was definitely a response to his actions rather than his look, as the travel nurse took issue with Charity Lawson’s group date that had her breaking the Bachelor franchise record for longest kiss. This led to a beef with fellow contestant Adrian Hassan, and you just know the viewers had jokes about that too:
When Bradyen gets into a fight with one of the guys… #TheBachelorette #Bachelorette pic.twitter.com/si5nUuJJmtJuly 4, 2023
Two weeks into Charity Lawson’s season, and I’m loving the energy from the Bachelorette; I’m loving the individuality of her men; and I am living for the good-natured saltiness from Bachelor Nation’s social media users:
Brayden’s scarf #TheBachelorette #Bachelorette pic.twitter.com/giokdqfMcvJuly 4, 2023
Charity Lawson eliminated another handful of guys in the latest episode, but if you’re still overwhelmed by the number of men pursuing the leading lady, head on over to our spoilers to see who her rumored final four are. The Bachelorette will be back at 9 p.m. ET next Monday, July 10, on ABC, and is available to stream the next day with a Hulu subscription.