Do you dress 'like' Bond or dress the 'same' as Bond?

nms75

I was wondering how far some AJB members take their desire to dress as Jamed Bond. Do you like to copy his outfits and dress the same as him or do you prefer just to dress in the style like Bond might wear?

Hope that makes sense...

NMS

danjaq_0ff

I like to dress as Betty at the weekends :v

nms75

danjaq_0ff wrote:

I like to dress as Betty at the weekends :v

Betty Crocker's Fudge Brownies? :v

NMS

danjaq_0ff

More like Betty Swollocks )

nms75

I thought you had seen your doc about that one? )

NMS

Wilde

You raise a question which is always considered but largely ignored by modern consumers.

I included the seduction of Bond in my dissertation when I was an undergraduate. I'd rather not get bogged down with it on here, but it's a subject which has interested me for years, not just Bond; more generally material identity.

It's good to remember that originality is commonly frowned upon in society and the shameless consumption of material goods is a way in which we display our identity, even if it is 'uniform individuality'. In short, our identity is almost always borrowed.

The Bond look provides a veneer which may suggest membership to his kind of lifestyle and so people, especially males, will make every effort to imitate this due to the connotation the style implies.

Personally though, I'm with Jaq_0ff, pink suspenders all the way... )

nms75

Pink suspenders all-round -{

NMS

danjaq_0ff

and big granny knicker

nms75

Don't forget the wrinkled stockings )

NMS

pyrat

Wilde wrote:

You raise a question which is always considered but largely ignored by modern consumers.

I included the seduction of Bond in my dissertation when I was an undergraduate. I'd rather not get bogged down with it on here, but it's a subject which has interested me for years, not just Bond; more generally material identity.

It's good to remember that originality is commonly frowned upon in society and the shameless consumption of material goods is a way in which we display our identity, even if it is 'uniform individuality'. In short, our identity is almost always borrowed.

The Bond look provides a veneer which may suggest membership to his kind of lifestyle and so people, especially males, will make every effort to imitate this due to the connotation the style implies.

Personally though, I'm with Jaq_0ff, pink suspenders all the way... )

A bit off topic, but I found your comments interesting. Dress as an expression of membership in a social order was exactly why Fleming dressed and equipped Bond as he did. Fleming's associates in Naval Intelligence and in fact, the Donovan crowd at the OSS were largely members of the same social class and dressed in a similar manner. Fleming equipped Bond to be recognizable as of a similar background. So in fact, to copy Bond is to copy the style of dress Bond copies, and therefore emulating this group rather then the individual.

I think the original question posed in this thread identifies two distinct and different types of collectors, those who like the "style" represented by Bond, and those who want to collect the exact outfits, Dave Z's amazing collection of Bond clothing comes immediately to mind. I tend to fall mostly into the first category, but I'd love to have one of the leather jackets from the preamble to Tomorrow Never Dies.

Wilde

pyrat wrote:

Wilde wrote:

You raise a question which is always considered but largely ignored by modern consumers.

I included the seduction of Bond in my dissertation when I was an undergraduate. I'd rather not get bogged down with it on here, but it's a subject which has interested me for years, not just Bond; more generally material identity.

It's good to remember that originality is commonly frowned upon in society and the shameless consumption of material goods is a way in which we display our identity, even if it is 'uniform individuality'. In short, our identity is almost always borrowed.

The Bond look provides a veneer which may suggest membership to his kind of lifestyle and so people, especially males, will make every effort to imitate this due to the connotation the style implies.

Personally though, I'm with Jaq_0ff, pink suspenders all the way... )

A bit off topic, but I found your comments interesting. Dress as an expression of membership in a social order was exactly why Fleming dressed and equipped Bond as he did. Fleming's associates in Naval Intelligence and in fact, the Donovan crowd at the OSS were largely members of the same social class and dressed in a similar manner. Fleming equipped Bond to be recognizable as of a similar background. So in fact, to copy Bond is to copy the style of dress Bond copies, and therefore emulating this group rather then the individual.

I think the original question posed in this thread identifies two distinct and different types of collectors, those who like the "style" represented by Bond, and those who want to collect the exact outfits, Dave Z's amazing collection of Bond clothing comes immediately to mind. I tend to fall mostly into the first category, but I'd love to have one of the leather jackets from the preamble to Tomorrow Never Dies.

That's a great reply, Pyrat.

Le Samourai

Going back to the original question, I dress 'like' Bond in the sense I try to dress comfortably with some style, class, and dignity.

I dress the 'same' as Bond only in the sense that there are certain items of clothing or ensembles that the cinematic 007 wears that appeal to me. This is especially true of the more casual looks of Daniel Craig, which are far more applicable to my daily life. For example, I've always liked cardigans, but never really thought about having one with a shawl collar until seeing CR. Now I have one and love it.

I think, like many men, I take my style cues from a variety of sources. For example, George Clooney is always stylish, and I particularly liked his look in 'The American.'

To me, it's all about being inspired by a different people and using those inspirations to make your own, unique look.

jz007

James Bond style was not an option to me, financially, before Daniel Craig's tenure... and by this, I am referring to the budget-alternative Bond.

His casual Bond reminded me of, well... me. It's encouraged me to find budget alternatives for some expensive items, while keeping true to style I'm both familiar with, and a fan of. The nods to Steve McQueen certainly don't hurt, either.

I've also learned a lot about quality clothing, fabric and style, so it's not just about looking good. I'm one who has to be comfortable in what he is wearing, and the lessons I've learned about fabrics that breathe, are lightweight and soft (depending on the article of clothing in question) have been very valuable.

Mr Beech

To answer it simply, I am a fan of the Craig era styling, with a few hints of other Bond's and a bit of a love for The Deathly Hallows Part 1 for some weekend/wandering wardrobes. I simply don't see there being enough attainable outfits in the Craig era to fill a wardrobe (plus there aren't lots of affordable pieces to grab either). This leaves me straddling the two categories of collector.

I like to make a whole wardrobe of things that go in line with my favorite Bond looks, but I will pull the trigger on a few screen used items as well. The difference is big in comfort though, because I feel entirely at ease wearing my Bond-style clothes because they are common, relatively affordable, and have little loss to me if they are damaged or unusable at some point. The actual Bond-used pieces would get special treatment as they are rare, special, and unlikely to be replaceable. The benefit of getting similar clothes in a large and full wardrobe is that you get the ease of wearability and joy of looking damn good and there is no concern, just how I like it. Get plenty of nice and classic things you can wear in the Bond style, then have some fun by owning the occasional collectible clothing piece. I like to wear whatever I get.

So I am a follower of Bond style, but there are select Bond used items that I will gladly obtain as special pieces along the way.

minigeff

i don't dress like james bond because i'm not, i'm mr minigeff. i have a trusted 4 year old leather jacket, an aston martin cap, some jeans and an old pair of comfy vans.

i can't afford to dress like DC, i don't want to, i don't need to and it'd not practical for the work i do.

imho, dressing up like bond is fun for parties etc but to wear the whole correct outfit, get the hair cut the same etc etc, and to be doing it seriously would be a bit too much for my liking. i'm my own person and choose to look how i'm ok with, and don't need to pretend that i'm james bond.

on the flip side,i do have an omega seamy, and a dunhill lighter and few other bits and pieces, but where as bond would casually walk into the shop, buy them, use them once then blow them up, i have to save for months to get them. but i buy them not just because they're in bond, the watch i love the deaign of, the lighter is a quirky design too and always throws people (how the hell do ya light this thing?!) plus they're quality stuff that lasts. theres plenty of stuff in bond that i don't like the look of. aviator glasses for instance don't suit me, neither do i like some of DC era footwear. i just pick and choose stuff, but not obsess and go for the whole outfit.

each unto their own, its whatever makes you happy aint it? but the whole DC bond outfit just isnt for me. besides, i'm more of a Q.

danjaq_0ff

Your too sexy for your shirt Singe

David Schofield

In my yoof, I used to want to dress exactly like Bond.

Continually tried, continually failed; Bond is tall, dark and handsome, which I'm not. A mousey head sticking out of a Connery/Lazenby/Dalton/Broz outfit never worked.

But now as Dan's a shortish, ugly looking fucker like me, I like his gear.

Coldheart96

I remember reading once when Clark Gable appeared in a movie (cannot remember which one) without a T-shirt, afterwards sales of T-shirts in the US dropped dramatically. The cinema and entertainers have always had a large influence on men’s fashion (James Dean, Steve McQueen, Clint Eastwood, etc).

However, to answer your question, I think I probably dress similar to Bond vice dressing as Bond. Being in my mid –fifties and having a job as a civil servant in the Washington DC area, one tends to dress in conservative attire. Ironically, I have been buying bespoke Turnbull & Asser shirts (French cuffs are a must) for many years before I learned that T&A supplied shirts for the Bond films. For the last 20 yrs, I have had my suits custom made mainly because I always preferred the British styling to the typical American business suit and those have been very difficult to find here.

For me to dress exactly like Bond would most likely end up in with less than ideal results. Bond has black hair, mine is blond with the onset of gray, he is over 6 feet, I’m 5’8. We could discuss differences in physical build, skin coloring, etc, but I think you see my point. If you’re going to dress as Bond then at least you should probably have the physical look and demeanor of Bond. Remember, the costumers picked the styles and colors that look best on the actors for their appearance in the films. I wonder if anyone had ever researched all the costumes that were never used in the films.

If there is one thing I’ve learned the hard way is that quality garments and accessories do cost more but in the long run you’re further ahead because buying something that may cost a little more and is better quality will typically last longer and give you more satisfaction over time.

Unsolicited advice for those who wish to take it: If you want to dress to look like a person of distinction and means and you do not have a sense of style, hire an image consultant (typically the cost of a custom-made suit), sit down and discuss the look you want. You just might be pleasantly surprised.

Matt S

I dress like Bond, but not the same. But I do like to wear poplin shirts with turnback cuffs and navy grenadine ties like Connery always wear, I do extend the grenadines to other colours from navy, black and brown, and I wear striped shirts too. I also like my suit trousers with forward pleats and side-tabs like Connery's suits always had, but I don't have any suit that exactly copies what Bond wore. It's a lot of the little things I like, like the kissing cuffs on Roger Moore's suits in his first two Bond films, which I would go for if I got a bespoke suit. Bond's style has very much influenced my own, but not one single outfit he has worn is something that I'd want to copy exactly. Many come close, but for my tastes there is always something that isn't right for me.

BLU8

As several other posters here have noted, I don’t believe in blindly copying everything that Bond wears, but I can’t deny that he is probably the biggest influence on my own personal style. I have to admit that up until a few years ago, I didn’t really have a sense of style or any knowledge/care for clothing. But after seeing the sharp looks that Craig wore in Casino Royale, it made me sit up & take interest in what I wore. I began re-vamping my wardrobe, with a heavy 007 influence.

Now, like many, I can’t afford a closet full of Tom Ford cardigans or Brioni suits, but these items & outfits serve as a useful guideline for me to find the treasured “budget alternatives”. I also pick & choose items from the movies that match my own taste in colour & style, as opposed to a “gotta have it all” mentality (e.g. I’m not too fond of the Madagascar tropical shirt or the Kazan tie, & you couldn’t pay me to wear those La Perla swimming trunks!). I have heard that a good step towards discovering your own personal style is to find your own style role model, & James Bond definitely fits the bill for me!

Some other characters/people that I use as style guidelines include:

-Bruce Wayne & Harvey Dent from Batman Begins/The Dark Knight
-Don Draper from the TV show Mad Men
-Tom Ford

walther p99

Like many have said here already, i dont dress the exact same as Bond, unless at some special bond costume party or something, unless you have physical features similar to any of the Bonds or just good looking in general then dressing the same as Bond just looks silly. Even then, its quite sad if a fictional character takes over your life like that anyway. My wardrobe is influenced by DC's Bond since he dresses the most casual of all the Bonds. i have a few navy polos and Harrington jackets but thats about it.

The Bond Experience

To me the Bond lifestyle has been about discovery...I have always admired the seemingly effortless look of Steve McQueen (really good link here http://www.esquire.com/style/steve-mcqueen-0308?click=main_sr ) and I have admired Bond's look in a similar fashion. As I collect Bond wardrobe and lifestyle pieces as a hobby I have naturally worn many of the pieces which has lead me to an appreciation for certain items and looks. For example, as I type this I am wearing a shawl like sweater...As well my appreciation for Bond has lead me to articles and information that have provided me an education on FIT, TAILORING and the like and thus has lead me to certain looks and designers (TF, Brioni, T&A, etc...). As far as dressing up like Bond, I am much more satisfied having a piece or two that reminds me during a stressful day that there is some escapism about this hobby. For example, looking down at my Planet Ocean, or appreciating my Ryders...But to "costume" as Bond is just that...costuming...I have worn a complete outfit on a Bond site visit to have fun with the recreation of the moment or at a costume party, but I have not consciously dressed in a full representation of a costume to a daily event. Influenced by, would be my credo around the Bond lifestyle. Even shaving, grooming, and the like have been an exploratory journey for me with Bond sometimes as the filter. It's fun and harmless in that regard. If you go to the link I posted above you will see the obvious influence Craig's Bond had from McQueen so this is not uncharted territory.

77007

If I had to choose one answer i would fall into the style of' category. Technically all of the above' would be the best answer.

I buy Bond items on a budget, and add my spin on extra items in a similar style to add variety. It all fits into my natural style, so it isn't much different than what I've always worn. I would never wear anything that I didn't already like. Some of Bonds clothes I'll never want to wear. The clothes I like are seamless to any Bond outfits I buy, so wearing an exact Bond look isn't a problem at all. It's just one combination of clothes in my wardrobe. No big deal.

Max E

Bond, one of the few in the world who hasn´t worn a pair of blue jeans :007)

Wilde

Max E wrote:

Bond, one of the few in the world who hasn´t worn a pair of blue jeans :007)

No?

Mr Beech

Wilde wrote:

Max E wrote:

Bond, one of the few in the world who hasn´t worn a pair of blue jeans :007)

No?

Exactly. He rocks some awesome jeans.

Thomas-Crown

Mr Beech wrote:

Wilde wrote:

Max E wrote:

Bond, one of the few in the world who hasn´t worn a pair of blue jeans :007)

No?

Exactly. He rocks some awesome jeans.

So glad Bond wore some Jeans in QoS. Now, I can dress more like him since it is more affordable. :P

Mr Beech

Thomas-Crown wrote:

Mr Beech wrote:

Wilde wrote:

No?

Exactly. He rocks some awesome jeans.

So glad Bond wore some Jeans in QoS. Now, I can dress more like him since it is more affordable. :P

Well, of course he can't wear just any old jeans. Though, he did wear Levi's pants...

Either way, I think Craig's Bond has a very up to date take on a classic men's wardrobe. It is handsome, clean, and classy, with the occasional function twist in his wardrobe. There are plenty of budget alternatives and Bond-style items in the affordable market if you are using Craig's Bond for inspiration.

Thomas-Crown

Mr Beech wrote:

Thomas-Crown wrote:

Mr Beech wrote:

Exactly. He rocks some awesome jeans.

So glad Bond wore some Jeans in QoS. Now, I can dress more like him since it is more affordable. :P

Well, of course he can't wear just any old jeans. Though, he did wear Levi's pants...

Indeed... The 7s was classy. I wasn't into jeans at all until Craig's Bond wore the 7s. Yes, it is expensive for a pair of jeans but it was well worth the investment. It is now my favourite casual clothing.

Donald Grant

I would say I dress similar to Bond. However, my style is more relaxed prep or ivy. Unfortunately, I have to modify my daily dressing habit to blend a bit more within the confines of my work requirements. Which brings up a funny point. I went to an office Christmas party a few years ago wearing a pair of grey flannels (cuffed), white button down (Brooks Brothers), burgundy v-neck sweater (LL Bean) and a pair of black Cole Haan slip ons. One of my buddies remarked "that's how you really dress, the stuff you normally wear is a costume". He was of course quite right. One must blend!

In terms of my style and Bond's, the big difference has to do with suiting and blazers. The American prep/ivy style suit is the "sack suit" wich has a soft shoulder and less defined waist with generally a three button plackard rolled to two. Think John F. Kennedy. The English style suit is defined by padded shoulders and a pinched waist, the "waisted" look. Think Prince Charles (or SC or DC as Bond). That is where my style and Bond's style diverges. That's not to say I'm not interested in a Connery "Conduit Cut" suit. I am and would not mind an occasional rotation, but in general my suit of choice would be the "sack suit". My casual look more or less falls in line with Bond's. I'd been wearing Jack Purcell long before they appered on Bond's feet in CR. Very preppy don't you know!

DG

Max E

Wilde wrote:

Max E wrote:

Bond, one of the few in the world who hasn´t worn a pair of blue jeans :007)

No?

The exception that proves the rule