Style Icon: How to dress like Marlon Brando
Take a lesson from the star who revolutionised both fashion and film
Words: Gentleman's Journal
Even a cursory look into Marlon Brando’s history as an actor and will show you how he commanded the silver screen with both style and acting skill. Brando starred in a host of classics, from A Streetcar Named Desire and The Wild One, to The Godfather and On the Waterfront.
The American tackled complex and challenging roles – character which others would think twice about before taking on – including a paraplegic in The Men, a Mexican revolutionary in Viva Zapata! and a Roman general in 1953’s Julius Caesar. Even aside from winning several Academy Awards for his work, and forging a reputation as a sex symbol of his time, it isn’t difficult to see why Marlon Brandon is still admired today – and he owes this adulation to his wardrobe.
But what is unusual about the story of Brando’s rise to a cinematic legend is this that he did things completely on his own terms. Hollywood is an industry so often burdened by clichés and individuals imitating those already in the limelight – those hoping to fake their way to fame – but Brando never compromised on being completely himself.
In his personal life, the actor never sought to tame his explosive character or penchant for seducing women, whilst in his professional life Brando went about debunking popular notions of what was considered a “proper” screen performance.
He worked up to become one of the key figures in ‘method’ acting and, in the words of James Franco, “revolutionized American acting precisely because he didn’t seem to be ‘performing,’ in the sense that he wasn’t putting something on as much as he was being.”
This unflinching reality is also inherent in Brando’s sense of style. Absent of any fuss or ostentation, the actor’s wardrobe relied on sartorial classics that he imbued with his devil-may-care attitude. Who else could pull off a plain white t-shirt with such raw appeal?
So, to honour Brando’s incredibly authentic stance on fashion, Gentleman’s Journal have curated a selection of threads that are inspired by some of his most notable looks. Even if you’re not looking to directly emulate the star, why not purchase one of these pieces and then find a way to make it your own – just as Brando would have wanted.
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