How to dress like James Bond this summer
From Sean Connery’s 1960s-inspired beachside style, to Pierce Brosnan’s colourful way of beating the heat, here’s how to turn up the temperature like 007
Words: Jonathan Wells
James Bond. Men want to be him. Women want to be with him. Tailors want him to walk through their doors. The man is as suave as he is skilled with a Walter PPK, and dresses as sharply as he corners in his Aston. Yet, every summer, temperatures rise beyond all dinner-jacketed levels of comfort and the superspy has to face off against his most intimidating foe; summer dressing.
Of course flip-flops and ill-fitting shorts are no match for Bond, who has brushed such cop-outs aside for 24 films and instead delivered a series of sun-soaked style hits (no-one mention Lazenby’s kilt). So, let’s take a whirl back down the gun barrel of 007’s summer exploits, and see what style inspiration we can glean from his warm weather wardrobe…
Sean Connery’s Bond was the softest superspy*
*When it comes to texture, of course. We wouldn’t call someone who kills people in bathtubs with electric heaters and bludgeons others to death with fire extinguishers soft. But, thanks to Connery’s penchant for terry towelling, he was the fluffiest, fleeciest and most absorbent of all Bond’s incarnations.
And the retro style has seen a comeback just in time for summer. So, whether it’s a dip into Aurélien’s extensive towelling range — which features light blue and bright white, among their many towelling t-shirt options — or a relaxed Sunspel polo, maybe it’s time to take some inspiration from Connery’s Bond. Just without the violence…
Go on a summer safari with Roger Moore’s 007
It takes a bold Bond to pull off a safari suit. But then, it takes a bold Bond to dress up as a clown, pilot a crocodile-shaped submarine and drive half a car through the streets of Paris — and Roger Moore did all of that. Suddenly, his penchant for pockets doesn’t seem so strange.
In fact, it’s another has-been style that this year is fighting its way out of the jungle and back into mainstream fashion. So take inspiration from the longest-serving 007, and head to Private White V.C., where this Cotton Safari Jacket will do as handsome a job as A Day’s March’s Ripstop offering. Or you could look to Ralph Lauren, whose Ventile Wading Jacket evokes as much style, sophistication and suavity as the very best 007 ensembles.
Like Timothy Dalton’s Bond, never get hot under the collar
Ah, T-Daltz. He may not be the greatest, longest-serving or most-liked Bond, but at least his fashion was terrible. No, no, come on now — we actually rather like Dalton’s grungier take on the secret agent, despite the fact almost all of his clothes were two sizes too big.
But one style move Dalton got right for summer was the open-collared shirt. Throw on a lightly coloured or constructed suit with a crisp white shirt and you’ve got instant sophistication. Just ensure you choose right: whether that’s New & Lingwood‘s tailored-fit button down, Emma Willis’ luxurious soft cotton offering, or Turnbull & Asser‘s suave design with three button cuffs. There you go; spoilt for choice.
Pierce Brosnan’s Bond came out of the blue
There comes a point in every summer — and in every film franchise, come to think of it — when you must throw caution to the sweltering lack of wind and abandon all sense of conventional style. Your newfound recklessness may lead to invisible Aston Martins and ice palaces (bad) or it might lead to dressing your leading man in something other than a dinner jacket (good).
Welcome to the Pierce Brosnan age of baggy, patterned blue shirts. From hooning around Bangkok in a navy linen number to lounging on the beach in Cuba with Halle Berry, Brosnan’s Bond had a stellar collection of azure button-downs. And, from Sunspel and Love Brand to Emma Willis, we’ve found the best shirts if you’re inspired by his style.
With swim shorts like Daniel Craig’s, you’ll dive another day
And so we come to Mr Trunks. Daniel Craig not only made Bond history when he waded out of the ocean in his skimpy swim shorts, he made action hero history. Suddenly, every leading man had to look as good in their swimmers as 00-Daniel. And, while hours of gym time and the right diet have a lot to do with that, those teeny tiny trunks played their part, too.
So why not upgrade your swimwear to be on par with Craig’s? Love Brand have some mean Staniel Swim Shorts, perfect for surveilling a supervillain’s lair. Apnée Swimwear’s Enzo Reflects shorts pair nicely with a loaded harpoon gun. And Ripa Ripa’s bold Bond-blue shorts are ideal if you’re jetting off to some exotic locale this summer.
Haven’t got your fill of summer styling? Don a pair of Dockside boat shoes this summer, thanks to the Sebago x Russell & Bromley partnership…
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