The Wardrobe of Bond – Part 1

by Sheila James

Nobody does it better or looks as great as James Bond. It is part of the Bond movie appeal to see well-dressed handsome men in this iconic role. I thought I would share thoughts on some of my favorite pieces of wardrobe. The first  three Bond actors display a classic look  that catches this female’s adoring eyes.

For Sean  Connery, I love nearly all of his wardrobe in the film  “Goldfinger”. A standout is the three-piece suit  made by Anthony Sinclair Bond wears in Kentucky while overhearing Goldfinger’s plan. A description from the  website “The Suits of James Bond” states that  “it is not a solid light grey but a fine glen check in dark grey and white.” The suit is set off by a dark tie  and the white shirt shows just the right amount of cuff. A  white linen handkerchief completes the look. There’s even a blog on the website about the attempt to replicate this suit for Steven Spielberg’s 2002 movie Catch Me if You Can. In the film, Leonardo DiCaprio’s character watches Goldfinger and decides to get the “exact same suit that Connery wore in the movie.”  Only, The Suits of Bond points out that it actually isn’t the same suit.

Stepping it up  a notch, Sean Connery wears a classic 1960’s tuxedo in  the pre-title with white dinner jacket with peaked lapels,  single button closure and black trousers, topped off with a  red carnation. The tuxedo is complemented by a white shirt  with a white satin stripe. Having just transitioned from the water to land, Connery appears debonair and leaves this  female shaken and stirred. This look will be used again by  Harrison Ford in “Indiana Jones and the Temple of  Doom” and by Daniel Craig in “Spectre”.

The  one outfit from “Goldfinger” that makes me respond  “You must be joking” is the blue terry one piece  and the one that is a “Grand Slam” is the Anthony  Sinclair suit.

George Lazenby, a former model, looks great  in all of his wardrobe in “On Her Majesty’s Secret  Service”. OH WHAT HE DOES TO ME. With suits made by  Dimi Major, he becomes a debonair James Bond. The white  suit he wears when he arrives at the Hotel Palacio is wonderfully tailored and George looks like he is on a  fashion show runway. A notable exception of something  looking out of date is the ruffle shirt that accompanies the  tuxedo the star wears in the casino. But for this female  fan, George looks gorgeous. Indubitably! If any of the  outfits leave me saying that his tailor “had a lot of  guts” is the golf outfit. I don’t dislike it but I  choose it as my least favorite. George looks great in the  turtleneck and it is a casual outfit for a golf game. The  beige jacket and pants together are just okay. The one that  certainly “lives up to my usual high standards” is  the tuxedo Mr. Lazenby wears in the casino. It is my  absolute favorite.

Roger Moore was a one time model and had  movie star good looks. He looks exceptionally cool in  “Live and Let Die” wearing a dark turtleneck and appearing ready for covert operations. In his debut Bond film he is young, fit, and ready to take down the villain.  My favorite  tuxedo worn by Roger Moore to me was in “The Spy Who Loved Me”. The jacket is a  midnight blue six button with two to close and has two  peaked lapels and no vents. As Bond and Anya fight off Jaws, Roger  keeps his gun at the ready. He is the well dressed hero. A  close second is the white tuxedo he wears in  “Octopussy”. Which pieces Roger’s wardrobe do  I think would have “outraged tailors”? That would  be the clown suit in Octopussy. I know he needed a disguise to get into the circus but it is my least favorite.

Agent 009 was undercover as a clown at the beginning of the film  and I do like that Roger in a clown suit bookends that  scene. I want to see Roger’s handsome face and not under  clown makeup. Which of his outfits reaches an “All time  high” with me? The tuxedo from TSWLM. Roger was the handsome hero and was the best at the poses that can be seen  during the title song of “Nobody Does It Better”.

article by Sheila James