Why this photo of Adam Sandler made women all over the world so angry

When Adam Sandler showed up on a red carpet at a movie premiere last week wearing a hoodie and what appeared to be tracksuit pants, the internet went wild.

Sandler is well known for his ‘relaxed’ style of dressing, but many thought turning up to his wife’s movie premiere looking like he had just come from a casual coffee catch-up with his mates was ‘embarrassing’ for Jackie, an actress who has starred in a raft of films.

While Jackie Sandler, who was dressed in a black ensemble, looked every inch the movie star at the premiere of her new Netflix film Office Romance, her husband’s dressed-down appearance drew criticism. 

Whether Sandler’s lack of effort angered his wife of almost 23 years is hard to say. They looked happy enough, even sharing a sweet yet not passionate kiss as they posed for photographers.

It is quite possible a little private cajoling went on before they stepped out the door. Maybe she suggested a different shirt or pants, or both – even if, as Sandler told Complex last year, his wife has always been “nice to me about my clothes”. 

“Even when we were young, others would say, ‘Would you put on something better than that? Your wife’s dressed so beautifully’,” he told the media outlet.

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“My wife would say, ‘He’s comfortable like that. Let him do that. Leave him alone’.”

But what many social media commentators and celebrity reporters failed to mention was that Sandler does dress up occasionally.

Case in point: When he appeared on the red carpet at Elle’s 2025 Women In Hollywood Celebration in November 2025, it was a very different-looking Sandler who was pictured with close friend and long-time collaborator Jennifer Aniston.

On that occasion, Sandler looked dashing in a blue suit which he paired with a crisp white shirt and a purple tie.

He also wore a suit, which he paired with a matching shirt and tie, for the People’s Choice Awards held in Santa Monica in February 2024, when he was presented with an award by none other than Aniston.

He appeared to wear the same slate grey suit when he again cosied up to Aniston to promote their film Murder Mystery 2 in Paris in March 2023. 

Another couple whose clothing styles rarely align are Justin and Hailey Bieber.

While Hailey, a model and businesswoman, is often dressed to the nines, her musician husband regularly turns out in trackies and the like.

During one memorable outing in New York in February 2025, the Rhode skincare founder was dressed smartly in a pinstripe suit while her husband trailed behind in an oversized hoodie that looked more like a blanket.

The apparent style discourse between the pair has led to many comments over the years. GQ even asked her to weigh in on their wildly different styles during a 2023 interview. 

“It’s so funny because I see so many people talk about this,” she said.

“He may want to wear baggy sweats to dinner, and I might want to wear a tiny little dress just because that’s how I’m feeling. We can’t sit there and be like, ‘So I’m going to wear this and you’re going to wear this’.”

But are Sandler and Bieber being disrespectful to their wives by refusing to toe the line and dress up on command, or is it a sign of a healthy relationship that their wives accept them as they are?

And what can we make of Sandler’s apparent aversion to wearing a tie for his wife, but dressing to impress when with Aniston?

Melissa Ferrari, a Sydney psychotherapist who specialises in couples counselling, said while it was very difficult to draw conclusions about the health of a relationship from a photo or a red-carpet appearance, it appeared each couple had developed their own agreement.

“For some, making a coordinated effort for public events is important. For others, individuality and self-expression are valued more highly,” she said.

“Neither approach is inherently better. What matters is whether both people feel respected, understood and comfortable with those agreements.”

Ferrari said in the cases of both actors, it depended “less on the clothing itself and more on the conversations that have happened around it”.

“In healthy relationships, couples talk about what matters to them,” she said.

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“If one partner says, ‘This event is really important to me and I’d appreciate you making an effort’ and the other dismisses that without consideration, hurt feelings can understandably follow.

“Equally, if the couple have discussed it, understand each other’s views and have reached an agreement they are both comfortable with, then there may be no issue at all.

“The strength of a relationship is not measured by whether two people wear matching outfits. It’s measured by their ability to communicate, understand each other’s needs and find solutions that work for both of them.”

Ferrari said “being able to be yourself ” was an “important ingredient in a healthy relationship”.

This could be especially important considering both men are celebrities who are revered by the public, despite not knowing them personally.

“Acceptance creates emotional safety and allows people to feel loved for who they are rather than who they think they should be,” she said.

“However, acceptance and consideration are not opposites.

“Healthy relationships often involve a balance between authenticity and thoughtfulness. You can be true to yourself while still making occasional efforts that are meaningful to your partner.

“The strongest relationships tend to be those where both people feel free to be themselves and are also willing to show care in ways that matter to the other person.”

Ferrari said while we don’t know enough to make a fair assessment about Sandler’s reason for wearing a suit and tie while out with Aniston, it would be fair to assume his wife “would naturally feel hurt” if she perceived her partner was “willing to invest effort for someone else but not for them, particularly on a night that felt important”.

“But again, this comes back to communication. If there was a clear reason why he dressed up for one event and not another, and that had been discussed and understood within the relationship, then there may be no issue at all,” she said.

“Ultimately, what matters is whether couples are checking in with each other, being open and honest about how they feel, and making sure both people feel considered.

“It is when we make assumptions, or leave feelings unspoken, that resentment can start to build.”