▁any ▁real ▁progress ▁in ▁the ▁simplest ▁endeav ors . ▁Much ▁of ▁their ▁comedy ▁involves ▁mil king ▁a ▁jo ke , ▁where ▁a ▁simple ▁idea ▁provides ▁a ▁basis ▁from ▁which ▁to ▁build ▁multiple ▁g ags ▁without ▁following ▁a ▁defined ▁narr ative . ▁ ▁Stan ▁La ure l ▁was ▁of ▁average ▁height ▁and ▁weight , ▁but ▁appeared ▁small ▁and ▁slight ▁next ▁to ▁Oliver ▁Hard y , ▁who ▁was ▁ ▁tall ▁and ▁we ighed ▁about ▁ ▁in ▁his ▁prime . ▁They ▁used ▁some ▁details ▁to ▁enh ance ▁this ▁natural ▁contrast . ▁La ure l ▁kept ▁his ▁hair ▁short ▁on ▁the ▁sides ▁and ▁back , ▁growing ▁it ▁long ▁on ▁top ▁to ▁create ▁a ▁natural ▁" f right ▁w ig ". ▁At ▁times ▁of ▁shock , ▁he ▁would ▁simultaneously ▁cry ▁while ▁pulling ▁up ▁his ▁hair . ▁In ▁contrast , ▁Hard y ' s ▁thin ning ▁hair ▁was ▁past ed ▁on ▁his ▁fore head ▁in ▁sp it ▁curl s ▁and ▁he ▁sport ed ▁a ▁to oth br ush ▁m oust ache . ▁To ▁achieve ▁a ▁flat - fo oted ▁walk , ▁La ure l ▁removed ▁the ▁he els ▁from ▁his ▁sho es . ▁Both ▁wore ▁bow ler ▁h ats , ▁with ▁La ure l ' s ▁being ▁nar ro wer ▁than ▁Hard y ' s , ▁and ▁with ▁a ▁fl atten ed ▁br im . ▁The ▁characters ' ▁normal ▁att ire ▁called ▁for ▁wing ▁col lar ▁sh ir ts , ▁with ▁Hard y ▁we aring ▁a ▁neck ▁tie ▁which ▁he ▁would ▁tw iddle ▁and ▁La ure l ▁a ▁bow