Do you or anyone else have additional photos of the Galgliardi blazer? It's hard to get a sense of the brown color from the website and some of these outdoor pictures. Most of the linen blazers I have found are just too light for the chinos. There's even less contrast than there is with Bond's Brunello Cucinelli outfit in the film.
Also looking for feedback on how this jacket fits. Thanks.
The contrast is sometimes hard to appreciate in natural light/photos; but it is there believe me and although not as good as the SA BC (obviously) it's a good budget option.
I've included a couple of photos of mine to try to show the contrast. The chinos are SA BC's to give you an indication of contrast
Do you or anyone else have additional photos of the Galgliardi blazer? It's hard to get a sense of the brown color from the website and some of these outdoor pictures. Most of the linen blazers I have found are just too light for the chinos. There's even less contrast than there is with Bond's Brunello Cucinelli outfit in the film.
Also looking for feedback on how this jacket fits. Thanks.
I am away for a couple of days but will try and post some when I am back - what I would say is that the jacket compares quite well with the SA as far as I can tell from looking at lots of pics of the SA with the SA chinos as well - it really varies in pics and light - but is not a beige/pale cream like so many of the other options.
As for fit I went for a slim/short fit to get a more SA fitted look and went for a 42" - I would say that the sizing is about right but go for the Slim fit to get the right look - they do regular and tailored as well. I called them and talked through sizing and they were really helpful and sent 2 different sizes to try. I get lots of comments on the jacket and it is a quality piece for the price I would say - better than M&S etc and worth the £150 - if you can get the offer price even better!- Hope this helps.
Do you or anyone else have additional photos of the Galgliardi blazer? It's hard to get a sense of the brown color from the website and some of these outdoor pictures. Most of the linen blazers I have found are just too light for the chinos. There's even less contrast than there is with Bond's Brunello Cucinelli outfit in the film.
Also looking for feedback on how this jacket fits. Thanks.
Hi all,
New post is not Bond related, but still has the Daniel Craig connection: Affordable alternatives for the Steve McQueen stone colored Harrington jacket. I included some sand/beige options as well for the DC look.
Hi all,
New post is not Bond related, but still has the Daniel Craig connection: Affordable alternatives for the Steve McQueen stone colored Harrington jacket. I included some sand/beige options as well for the DC look.
On the subject of Harringtons, I broke down and got myself the garment-dyed Barracuta G9 in faded black. The G4 is the better match to the QOS Tom Ford, but what I liked about this one is that it has the beat-up look of the TF at the end of the movie — which is the look we all prefer, right? Even the color is good that way: somewhere between a faded black and a navy. (The blue tone doesn't show in this particular photo, but it's definitely there.) Atom Retro is just about out of stock with these but you can find them around for considerably less than the other Barracutas.
Very nice Chevarian! I just picked up a G4 in sand for myself.
Just a heads up: I'm having some trouble balancing the updates of the older posts with creating new content (which is where I really want to focus). So I added a page called "Best Affordable Bond Alternatives" that summarizes the best options from the more popular posts (it's not complete yet). You can check it our here:
I definitely will NOT give up on looking for new alternatives for the older content, but where before I was trying to do monthly updates, now I will be trying to do them every 2 months.
I also changed the menu around to keep it clean and organized and make space for the new page. All of DC's films are now under "Daniel Craig's Bond" in the top menu. Thanks all!
Finally got to take the Florsheim Constable Chukka (black) out for a spin and I can't speak highly enough! The quality is great and the goodyear welted soles make it worth the $119 sale price. These are solid boots. After walking around New York all afternoon and evening, these broke in nicely and they are now really comfortable. If you are a true half size like me, I would suggest sizing down. I went from 11.5 to 11 US. They come with nice shoe bags as well. I'm a professional musician and wore these with black chinos on a job and got several compliments. Canoe2, I left this feedback on the website. I will try out the brown suede version soon and give a review on those as well in the upcoming weeks.
Great drum007! Glad they worked out for you and thanks for the feedback in the comments!
Quick and dirty post on the upcoming Nordstrom Anniversary Sale. Went through and looked for things that have potential as affordable alternatives. Really only relevant to those of us with a U.S. shipping address.
This is the second post about a big sale I've done (first was for Amazon). Does anyone find them useful? If not, I'll stop doing them. It's a little time consuming wading through 3000+ items and I'd rather use my time to write stuff you guys want to read.
Taking the duffle and budget outfit on its first trip!!!
Excellent work again! All good with the pic in the Gallery? Do you still have the link for the ebay seller of the jacket? I'll add it to the post. If you want to add any comments about the quality, I'll add those as well.
New post: review of the Spier & Mackay polo alternative for the Sunsel Riviera
Taking the duffle and budget outfit on its first trip!!!
Excellent work again! All good with the pic in the Gallery? Do you still have the link for the ebay seller of the jacket? I'll add it to the post. If you want to add any comments about the quality, I'll add those as well.
New post: review of the Spier & Mackay polo alternative for the Sunsel Riviera
I have the same jacket as Mr Ice Guy and I can't recommend that manufacturer enough.
As for Spier and Mackay I walked into their store a little while ago to check things out, having read about them online for quite some time. The best thing was that they were open to making shirts with a cocktail cuff. After the disaster of ordering one from Magnoli I've been trying to find a better way (I'd love to get one from M&S but they don't have custom-made available for Canadian customers) and this could be a good alternative. I'd recommend that others here contact them about cocktail cuff shirts to show them the interest.
From a purely practicle point of view I can see these becoming the "next big thing" if someone only takes the initial plunge. Turned back cuff without the excess fabric and cufflinks getting in the way when typing on a computer? It's like they were designed for the modern office worker.
Just wanted to mention that warrior clothing has a sale (they call it an online outlet) which includes their harrington jackets but unfortunately not the beige one mentioned on the blog.
I should also let folks know that I've unfortunately already had some loose threads on the Onfire Harrington I recommended. I still think it's a good budget alternative but I can't really vouch for its quality (you get what you pay for).
"I'm afraid I'm a complicated woman. "
"- That is something to be afraid of."
There is a new kid in the block with Mark Weldon, US/Canada only brand with the Vesoer Polo.. obviously I direct lift off the Sunspel Riviera. Actually quite 007 inspiration too!
Greetings fellow aficionados. New member but long time lurker.
Came across a gem at Old Navy this past week. The classic polos that David favored in the Frugal Bond video - I came across the navy version now with navy buttons, even more so resembling the Sunspel. They also had a light blue with white buttons that almost mirrored Connery's Thunderball polo so I picked up a double bonus.
For some odd reason the website doesn't have the polo listed with navy buttons but it's definitely in the stores!
There is a new kid in the block with Mark Weldon, US/Canada only brand with the Vesoer Polo.. obviously I direct lift off the Sunspel Riviera. Actually quite 007 inspiration too!
I'm going to have to think about including that one in the list. Obviously, looks-wise, it's a fantastic alternative. But, as you say, it's such a blatant rip-off the Sunspel and they're playing up the Bond connection so hard that I'm not sure if I'm comfortable with the ethics behind it. I mean, making and acknowledging that you're making an homage piece, the purpose of which is replicate the work of another designer, is one thing. Does anyone see what Mark Weldon is doing as any different?
New post from Mr. James Brosnan is up! Options for the Stemar Venetian Loafers Brosnan wears in the Cuba clinic in DAD:
There is a new kid in the block with Mark Weldon, US/Canada only brand with the Vesoer Polo.. obviously I direct lift off the Sunspel Riviera. Actually quite 007 inspiration too!
I'm going to have to think about including that one in the list. Obviously, looks-wise, it's a fantastic alternative. But, as you say, it's such a blatant rip-off the Sunspel and they're playing up the Bond connection so hard that I'm not sure if I'm comfortable with the ethics behind it.
I don't see any reference to Bond on their website. Is it just Maxim that is making that connection?
I don't see any reference to Bond on their website. Is it just Maxim that is making that connection?
It's called the Vesper Polo, and almost every bit of press they've received includes mention of how the design was "inspired by the modern Bond's look."
Again, it may just be me that feels a little weird about this. I mean, they're not the only company making a navy blue self collar polo with a chest pocket (as the IA Sunspel alternatives post clearly shows). But they are the only company pushing the whole 007 connection for a product that looks exactly like one made by another company that has profited greatly from its own real connection to Bond.
Edit: Re-read my last sentence and realized it is probably the MOST confusing thing I've ever written. So, to simplify: copying the design of another company is one thing. But Mack Weldon is also trying to steal Sunspel's Riviera Polo marketing, piggy-backing on a reputation and relationship they didn't earn. That's what I'm uncomfortable with.
I have no idea if they ever read this thread, but I'd be very interested to hear the opinions of Silverfinger and Indy on this.
I agree, it seems they have taken the bond link too far....maybe they have just though "well, if TF can rip off Sunspel, then so can we", and perhaps they justify it as a mixture of the TF and Sunspel shirts.
Whatever, they don't deliver to NZ, and even if i use a postage forwarding service, they are not much cheaper than i can get a Sunspel for (they are $68 before postage etc., i can get Sunspels into NZ direct for $90)
Indy Magnoli lives an hour away too, so can just pop over and grab a shirt from him for less too!
I agree with canoe2, I love sunspel, they are a good honest company, offer a first rate service and tbh they aren't that expensive. The Sunspel riviera is a far superior polo than the tf one, at a fraction of tf price. This new mw polo may be a decent slightly more frugal option but they have unfairly used misleading marketing and are using sunspels marketing cues.
Well, here's a quick update and review on this find...
The shirt arrived in the UK in just 10 days. Not bad. Especially as it was delayed by Her Majesty's Customs and Post Office.
My first impressions - this is a quality shirt!! It's made of Rayon - apparently a semi-synthetic material chemically altered from natural materials. Which means it's lightweight, very soft and very comfortable. Like a very smooth, light cotton. Apparently Rayon doesn't hold the heat like cotton though, therefore ideal for tropical shirts to be worn in Hawaii. Or Cuba B-)
The shirt is designed to be worn loose and has a straight bottom/hem. The buttons are made from bamboo but could easily be changed to white to reflect the original if needed. The pattern on the pocket matches the pattern on the shirt and the colour is less dark, slightly more mid-blue than the website picture suggests. Sizing - this is a large, loose fitting shirt. Check the size chart before ordering.
Overall, I'd say this is a very comfortable, quality made shirt and excellent value for money. In my opinion, this is about as close as we'll get to the Cuba shirt and certainly offers the same look.
Comments
M&S sunnies were my own find though!
Do you or anyone else have additional photos of the Galgliardi blazer? It's hard to get a sense of the brown color from the website and some of these outdoor pictures. Most of the linen blazers I have found are just too light for the chinos. There's even less contrast than there is with Bond's Brunello Cucinelli outfit in the film.
Also looking for feedback on how this jacket fits. Thanks.
I've included a couple of photos of mine to try to show the contrast. The chinos are SA BC's to give you an indication of contrast
As far as fit goes it's a slim fit.
If you get one I'm sure you'll be happy.
I am away for a couple of days but will try and post some when I am back - what I would say is that the jacket compares quite well with the SA as far as I can tell from looking at lots of pics of the SA with the SA chinos as well - it really varies in pics and light - but is not a beige/pale cream like so many of the other options.
As for fit I went for a slim/short fit to get a more SA fitted look and went for a 42" - I would say that the sizing is about right but go for the Slim fit to get the right look - they do regular and tailored as well. I called them and talked through sizing and they were really helpful and sent 2 different sizes to try. I get lots of comments on the jacket and it is a quality piece for the price I would say - better than M&S etc and worth the £150 - if you can get the offer price even better!- Hope this helps.
New post is not Bond related, but still has the Daniel Craig connection: Affordable alternatives for the Steve McQueen stone colored Harrington jacket. I included some sand/beige options as well for the DC look.
http://www.iconicalternatives.com/2016/07/20/steve-mcqueen-baracuta-g9-harrington-jacket/
On the subject of Harringtons, I broke down and got myself the garment-dyed Barracuta G9 in faded black. The G4 is the better match to the QOS Tom Ford, but what I liked about this one is that it has the beat-up look of the TF at the end of the movie — which is the look we all prefer, right? Even the color is good that way: somewhere between a faded black and a navy. (The blue tone doesn't show in this particular photo, but it's definitely there.) Atom Retro is just about out of stock with these but you can find them around for considerably less than the other Barracutas.
Just a heads up: I'm having some trouble balancing the updates of the older posts with creating new content (which is where I really want to focus). So I added a page called "Best Affordable Bond Alternatives" that summarizes the best options from the more popular posts (it's not complete yet). You can check it our here:
http://www.iconicalternatives.com/best-affordable-bond-alternatives/
I definitely will NOT give up on looking for new alternatives for the older content, but where before I was trying to do monthly updates, now I will be trying to do them every 2 months.
I also changed the menu around to keep it clean and organized and make space for the new page. All of DC's films are now under "Daniel Craig's Bond" in the top menu. Thanks all!
Quick and dirty post on the upcoming Nordstrom Anniversary Sale. Went through and looked for things that have potential as affordable alternatives. Really only relevant to those of us with a U.S. shipping address.
http://www.iconicalternatives.com/2016/07/21/affordable-bond-nordstrom-anniversary-sale/
This is the second post about a big sale I've done (first was for Amazon). Does anyone find them useful? If not, I'll stop doing them. It's a little time consuming wading through 3000+ items and I'd rather use my time to write stuff you guys want to read.
Nailed it MrIceGuy! What jacket is that? Looks great.
CR/QoS, TLD, DN, GE, TSWLM, LTK, TND, TWiNE, TMWTGG, TB
http://www.iconicalternatives.com/author/james-brosnan/
https://www.instagram.com/shawn.michael.bongiorno/
Very nice!
What was the brand of the bag again?
Safe travels!
I looked everywhere for a similar model, but never came that close.
Well done!
Excellent work again! All good with the pic in the Gallery? Do you still have the link for the ebay seller of the jacket? I'll add it to the post. If you want to add any comments about the quality, I'll add those as well.
New post: review of the Spier & Mackay polo alternative for the Sunsel Riviera
http://www.iconicalternatives.com/2016/07/21/spier-mackay-shirt-collar-polo-review/
I have the same jacket as Mr Ice Guy and I can't recommend that manufacturer enough.
As for Spier and Mackay I walked into their store a little while ago to check things out, having read about them online for quite some time. The best thing was that they were open to making shirts with a cocktail cuff. After the disaster of ordering one from Magnoli I've been trying to find a better way (I'd love to get one from M&S but they don't have custom-made available for Canadian customers) and this could be a good alternative. I'd recommend that others here contact them about cocktail cuff shirts to show them the interest.
From a purely practicle point of view I can see these becoming the "next big thing" if someone only takes the initial plunge. Turned back cuff without the excess fabric and cufflinks getting in the way when typing on a computer? It's like they were designed for the modern office worker.
http://www.warriorclothingengland.com/dept/harrington-jackets-for-sale_d01135.htm
I should also let folks know that I've unfortunately already had some loose threads on the Onfire Harrington I recommended. I still think it's a good budget alternative but I can't really vouch for its quality (you get what you pay for).
"- That is something to be afraid of."
There is a new kid in the block with Mark Weldon, US/Canada only brand with the Vesoer Polo.. obviously I direct lift off the Sunspel Riviera. Actually quite 007 inspiration too!
Came across a gem at Old Navy this past week. The classic polos that David favored in the Frugal Bond video - I came across the navy version now with navy buttons, even more so resembling the Sunspel. They also had a light blue with white buttons that almost mirrored Connery's Thunderball polo so I picked up a double bonus.
For some odd reason the website doesn't have the polo listed with navy buttons but it's definitely in the stores!
I'm going to have to think about including that one in the list. Obviously, looks-wise, it's a fantastic alternative. But, as you say, it's such a blatant rip-off the Sunspel and they're playing up the Bond connection so hard that I'm not sure if I'm comfortable with the ethics behind it. I mean, making and acknowledging that you're making an homage piece, the purpose of which is replicate the work of another designer, is one thing. Does anyone see what Mark Weldon is doing as any different?
New post from Mr. James Brosnan is up! Options for the Stemar Venetian Loafers Brosnan wears in the Cuba clinic in DAD:
http://www.iconicalternatives.com/2016/07/26/die-another-day-perforated-venetian-loafers/
I don't see any reference to Bond on their website. Is it just Maxim that is making that connection?
It's called the Vesper Polo, and almost every bit of press they've received includes mention of how the design was "inspired by the modern Bond's look."
Mack Weldon’s Vesper Polo Is Inspired by 007: http://coolmaterial.com/style/mack-weldons-vesper-polo-is-inspired-by-007/
"A polo inspired by the crisp, clean, effortlessly cool style of 007": https://the-style-guide.com/2016/07/23/style-pick-of-the-week-mack-weldon-vesper-polo/
"If there’s anyone who knows how to wear a great polo, it’s 007": http://www.gearhungry.com/2016/07/mack-weldon-vesper-polo.html
"Inspired by the modern style of the recent 007 films": http://www.mr-mag.com/mack-weldon-launches-vesper-polo/
"with inspiration drawn from the most recent series of James Bond films": http://www.coolhunting.com/style/mack-weldon-vesper-polo
"we’re not writing about James Bond, but merely providing context for Mack Weldon’s 007-inspired Vesper Polo.": http://www.clad.com/mack-weldon-vesper-polo/
"Design-wise, the Vesper polo is based on the aesthetic of James Bond": http://offthecuffdc.com/vesper-polo-mack-weldon
Again, it may just be me that feels a little weird about this. I mean, they're not the only company making a navy blue self collar polo with a chest pocket (as the IA Sunspel alternatives post clearly shows). But they are the only company pushing the whole 007 connection for a product that looks exactly like one made by another company that has profited greatly from its own real connection to Bond.
Edit: Re-read my last sentence and realized it is probably the MOST confusing thing I've ever written. So, to simplify: copying the design of another company is one thing. But Mack Weldon is also trying to steal Sunspel's Riviera Polo marketing, piggy-backing on a reputation and relationship they didn't earn. That's what I'm uncomfortable with.
I have no idea if they ever read this thread, but I'd be very interested to hear the opinions of Silverfinger and Indy on this.
Whatever, they don't deliver to NZ, and even if i use a postage forwarding service, they are not much cheaper than i can get a Sunspel for (they are $68 before postage etc., i can get Sunspels into NZ direct for $90)
Indy Magnoli lives an hour away too, so can just pop over and grab a shirt from him for less too!
Where? Cheapest I thought was out there was $95 from END.
I just bought a MW polo - $54 shipped with discount code. I have a Sunspel so I can compare when I get it
Sunspel will send direct to New Zealand for £68, (tax free) which is US$90.... Depending on exchange rates!
New post! Magneto's (yes Magneto) very Connery Bond look from the Argentina scene in X-men First Class:
http://www.iconicalternatives.com/2016/07/27/x-men-first-class-magneto-in-argentina/
Well, here's a quick update and review on this find...
The shirt arrived in the UK in just 10 days. Not bad. Especially as it was delayed by Her Majesty's Customs and Post Office.
My first impressions - this is a quality shirt!! It's made of Rayon - apparently a semi-synthetic material chemically altered from natural materials. Which means it's lightweight, very soft and very comfortable. Like a very smooth, light cotton. Apparently Rayon doesn't hold the heat like cotton though, therefore ideal for tropical shirts to be worn in Hawaii. Or Cuba B-)
The shirt is designed to be worn loose and has a straight bottom/hem. The buttons are made from bamboo but could easily be changed to white to reflect the original if needed. The pattern on the pocket matches the pattern on the shirt and the colour is less dark, slightly more mid-blue than the website picture suggests. Sizing - this is a large, loose fitting shirt. Check the size chart before ordering.
Overall, I'd say this is a very comfortable, quality made shirt and excellent value for money. In my opinion, this is about as close as we'll get to the Cuba shirt and certainly offers the same look.
I'd happily recommend it B-)