The Insatiables

Over at Dressing in the Dark, I’m focusing on style and inspiration from films. This puts me to shame.

In the 007 films, Sean Connery wore lightweight wool (a favorite of Bond author Ian Fleming). Lightweight suits were not in style in the 1950s or 1960s, but Fleming acquired a liking for them after spending some time in Jamaica (where Dr. No took place).

In Dr. No, he had a two-button, single-breasted, mid-grey lightweight suit made by the director’s tailor, who had an office near Savile Row. It had a ‘pared-down look’ made by a slanted breast pocket, narrow notched lapels, and besom pockets (they look like thin slits that lie flat and unobtrusive on the fabric and have no flaps over them) just above the bottom button. This look is known as the ‘Conduit Cut’. (Connery’s tailor, Anthony Sinclair, had a shop on Conduit Street). In Dr. No, they have two vents at the bottom on the sides towards the back, although at least two of his suits in From Russia With Love (the light and dark grey ones) had only one in the middle. One vent in the middle is a sign of a cheaper suit; it’s arguably better to have no vents. The two side vents are usually a sign of a higher quality suit.

In From Russia With Love, he had four suits: a dark blue solid one and a dark grey solid one, which he wore in the opening scenes; a light grey 7-stripe glen plaid (note the detail on the jacket’s cuff buttons in the photo) which he wore in Istanbul; and a navy one with white 1” pinstripes which he wore in Venice at the end. All four suits had flaps on the jacket pockets, instead of the besom pockets of Dr. No.

In Dr. No, Bond claims that his suits are made by his “tailor, Savile Row”.

Connery’s shirts were made by Turnbull & Asser. Bond continued wearing these shirts until Brosnan wore Sulka shirts and ties in Goldeneye. Brosnan also wore Brioni shirts and custom-made Turnbull & Asser shirts and ties. In From Russia with Love, he mostly wore very pale blue ones with the grey suits and a white one with the navy pinstripe.

In later films, Roger Moore and Pierce Brosnan took more liberties with Bond’s clothing. Brosnan used an Italian tailor, Brioni. Although he kept some of the Savile Row touches, such as slim notched lapels and twin vents, his suits looked flashier but not quite as well-tailored. Anyone can put on an expensive suit, but Connery’s Savile Row suits simply best complemented his and Bond’s personality and character. (via)