Literary Bond Style

angelicbond

A while ago I came across this fantastic and incredibly detailed article on bamfstyle.com regarding the style of the Literary James Bond. (https://bamfstyle.com/2014/05/28/literary-james-bond/)

Of course we are all inspired by the style of the movie Bond (Roger maybe not so much), but I was wondering was anyone here inspired by the style of the literary Bond, and copied the outfits described by Fleming?

One item in particular in the article caught my eye; the black knit tie. I recently completed my Spectre Morocco Desert outfit, part of which comprises of a burgundy knitted tie. It was my first time buying a tie like this and I absolutely love it. So when I saw in the article that Bond wore a black one in the novels I immediately went out and purchased the same tie as the Spectre outfit ( my one is from M&S http://www.marksandspencer.com/knitted-tie/p/p22330435?prevPage=srp&pdpredirect) and I plan to pair it with my dark blue suit as described in the novels.

Peppermill

Matt S also has a section on his website about the literary James Bond. Well worth to have a look at.

To be honest with you, it would be an imediate update if you bought a silk knitted tie. They look and feel a lot better than a polyesther one.

They can be found for around $25,- so they won't break the bank. https://www.thetiebar.com/product/25190sk

Redbeard

Actually the silk knitted tie can also be seen in the movies a lot. Sean wears them all of the time.

Inspired by the books I sometimes wear navi blue suits and the tie to work. It is a very great look. It is at the same time very contemporary and 60s has a classic slim line and looks also cool and somehow military at the same time. Love it!

Matt S

Redbeard wrote:

Actually the silk knitted tie can also be seen in the movies a lot. Sean wears them all of the time.

Inspired by the books I sometimes wear navi blue suits and the tie to work. It is a very great look. It is at the same time very contemporary and 60s has a classic slim line and looks also cool and somehow military at the same time. Love it!

Sean only wears them in Goldfinger, plus one in You Only Live Twice.

Overall, the Bond of the films is a much better-dressed man than the Bond of the books. In the books, Bond has a very quirky style. Terence Young started with that and refined it for Dr. No to his high standards of dress.

walther p99

Matt S wrote:

Redbeard wrote:

Actually the silk knitted tie can also be seen in the movies a lot. Sean wears them all of the time.

Inspired by the books I sometimes wear navi blue suits and the tie to work. It is a very great look. It is at the same time very contemporary and 60s has a classic slim line and looks also cool and somehow military at the same time. Love it!

Sean only wears them in Goldfinger, plus one in You Only Live Twice.

Overall, the Bond of the films is a much better-dressed man than the Bond of the books. In the books, Bond has a very quirky style. Terence Young started with that and refined it for Dr. No to his high standards of dress.

didn't the literary Bond much like Fleming hate long sleeve dress shirts?

Arbogast 777

walther p99 wrote:

didn't the literary Bond much like Fleming hate long sleeve dress shirts?

You might be thinking of the literary Bond's hatred of shoes with laces - I can't imagine him wearing short sleeved dress shirts, especially in a climate like London...

James Brosnan

I read that article you are referring to, it's very good. Matt S has it right when he says that the literary Bond has a very quirky style. The Literay Bond also showed disregard to clothing at times and would wear his favorite suits to death. He did seem to prefer short sleeve shirts, casual mocassins, and sandals. One of the best and most concise explanations of the literary Bonds wardrobe is on Matt's site:

http://www.bondsuits.com/the-suits-of-ian-flemings-james-bond-illustrated/

I use the literary Bond's quirkiness to updated old film outfits. For example, in LTK, Dalton wears a navy shirt-jacket, beige chinos and navy espadrilles with white socks. I replace the jacket with a navy Harrington, drop the socks and get some roped sole espadrilles, and I have a quirky look that taps into the literary Bond's quirky style, like in Thunderball when he wears the sandals with his suit. I do this for Brosnan's outfit when he wears the perforated loafers, and the Connery and Moore outfits with loafer or espadrilles. I also do this with Craig's outfits from CR that we never got to see what shoes he was wearing (vneck and crew neck Sunspel); I live in Florida, so I make great use of sandals, espadrilles, loafers, and boat shoes without socks (invisible socks as necessary), as all of these shoe options were worn by Bond, either in the cinema or in the books, or in both.

Westward_Drift

Arbogast777 wrote:

walther p99 wrote:

didn't the literary Bond much like Fleming hate long sleeve dress shirts?

You might be thinking of the literary Bond's hatred of shoes with laces - I can't imagine him wearing short sleeved dress shirts, especially in a climate like London...

Walther p99 is correct. Bond does wear short sleeved shirts with suit. I am not a fan of such a practice, and back when I had to wear suits for work I would never have done so.

Matt S. covers it in his blog, but here are a couple relevant quotes from the novels.

From Doctor No, Chapter 4:

He went into his room and dressed in his old dark blue tropical worsted suit, a sleeveless white cotton shirt and a black knitted tie....”

Diamonds Are Forever, Chapter 6:

...Bond was packing his suitcase in his bedroom at the Ritz. It was a battered but once expensive pigskin Revelation and its contents were appropriate to his cover. Evening clothes; his lightweight black and white dog-tooth suit for the country and for golf; Saxone golf shoes; a companion to the dark blue, tropical worsted suit he was wearing, and some white silk and dark blue Sea Island cotton shirts with collars attached and short sleeves.

angelicbond

@Peppermill I have no idea why I haven't delved into that section of Matt's site, but I just passed a lovely afternoon reading it, so thanks for the recommendation (and to Matt for the fantastic site!) And I will check silk tie.

@Redbeard and Matt S. Yes I think that they started Bond's style in the films quite close to the books. But as they moved away from the source material in terms of the story, they seem to have abandoned the clothing too!

@James Brosnan @Westward_Drift I can understand Bond's affinity for short sleeve shirts with suits when he is in warmer climes (a la Craig in Casino Royale in Nassau), but I wouldn't wear one in UK. And I don't really like slip ons, I prefer boots. But the whole "Bond doesn't like dealing with laces" does amuse me. I suppose Bond is an excellent light packer for all his missions abroad, and as someone who travels an inordinate amount for work I can sympathise.

superado

Peppermill wrote:

Matt S also has a section on his website about the literary James Bond. Well worth to have a look at.

To be honest with you, it would be an imediate update if you bought a silk knitted tie. They look and feel a lot better than a polyesther one.

They can be found for around $25,- so they won't break the bank. https://www.thetiebar.com/product/25190sk

My son got me a black knitted tie from there for my birthday last year and I just love it!

Thunderpussy

On the subject of ties, do many here use Bond's favoured knot ?
As I prefer the half Windsor, or full Windsor if the tie is a bit long.
Like many, I too have the blue suit black tie combination.

superado

Thunderpussy wrote:

On the subject of ties, do many here use Bond's favoured knot ?
As I prefer the half Windsor, or full Windsor if the tie is a bit long.
Like many, I too have the blue suit black tie combination.

Since I love pies and it shows, I used a full Windsor lest having my tie look like a ribbon!

Thunderpussy

) I too am a lover of the Pie, if I wear a tie with a belt. I look like a string of sausages.

Redbeard

Bond actually thinks a Windsor Knot is a sign for a cad and only uses a four in hand.

“The man had taken off his macintosh. He was wearing an old reddish-brown tweed coat with his flannel trousers, a pale yellow Viyella summer shirt, and the dark blue and maroon zig-zagged tie of the Royal Artillery. It was tied with a Windsor knot. Bond mistrusted anyone who tied his tie with a Windsor knot. It showed too much vanity. It was often the mark of a cad.” (FRWL, Chapter 25)

Thunderpussy

Well, I am a Cad and an absolute bounder

angelicbond

Literary Bond really did have some specific opinions on style, didn't he!:)

Westward_Drift

angelicbond wrote:

Literary Bond really did have some specific opinions on style, didn't he!:)

He also had rather specific (and unimaginative) opinions on "proper" lovemaking positions. )

Thunderpussy

Positions ? ..... So there's more than one then ? ;%

Westward_Drift

Thunderpussy wrote:

Positions ? ..... So there's more than one then ? ;%

TP, sounds like you and the literary Bond would get along famously!

Thunderpussy

As I'm no expert on style or fashion, Bond or otherwise but from having read the books. I
Always thought Bond's shoes at the end of TWINE ( brown, slip on's, with a buckle and tassles
Along the top of the front ) were terrible, I couldn't imagine Bond buying them. It's only a little
Niggle, but every time I watch it they really " stand out" for me at least.
( He wears them, in the submarine )

On Positions, here's a very old Bob Monkhouse joke.....
" My wife and I tried the doggy position ....... Where I beg for it and she roles over and plays dead "

Asp9mm

Thunderpussy wrote:

I
Always thought Bond's shoes at the end of TWINE ( brown, slip on's, with a buckle and tassles
Along the top of the front ) were terrible, I couldn't imagine Bond buying them. It's only a little
Niggle, but every time I watch it they really " stand out" for me at least.
( He wears them, in the submarine )

They didn't have tassles. Just plain brown Church monk shows. Brown version of the black Presleys he wore in the rest of the film....

Thunderpussy

) That's my memory playing tricks on me again.... I'd have bet money on the tassles.

angelicbond

I was passing through Gatwick airport today and had a bit of time to kill so I did a bit of browsing. I passed through Harrods and what did I come across, but Floris no 89 eau de toilette, the brand mentioned quite a lot by Fleming in the novels. I couldn't resist having a spray and I have to say I really like it. I am passing back through later in the week, and I think I will purchase it.

Now was it something that Bond used regularly himself, or just something that Fleming liked and mentioned a lot in the novels?

Matt S

angelicbond wrote:

I was passing through Gatwick airport today and had a bit of time to kill so I did a bit of browsing. I passed through Harrods and what did I come across, but Floris no 89 eau de toilette, the brand mentioned quite a lot by Fleming in the novels. I couldn't resist having a spray and I have to say I really like it. I am passing back through later in the week, and I think I will purchase it.

Now was it something that Bond used regularly himself, or just something that Fleming liked and mentioned a lot in the novels?

I don't believe it was ever specified that Bond used Floris No.89, but because Fleming wore it we can just assume Bond did too.

An ex-girlfriend wanted to get it for me because of the Bond connection, but she smelled it in the shop and just couldn't do it.

angelicbond

Matt S wrote:

I don't believe it was ever specified that Bond used Floris No.89, but because Fleming wore it we can just assume Bond did too.

An ex-girlfriend wanted to get it for me because of the Bond connection, but she smelled it in the shop and just couldn't do it.

Yes that's what I thought.

Well my wife will be travelling with me next time, so I will get her seal of approval before buying:-) But I do like it, I have to say.

canoe2

angelicbond wrote:

Matt S wrote:

I don't believe it was ever specified that Bond used Floris No.89, but because Fleming wore it we can just assume Bond did too.

An ex-girlfriend wanted to get it for me because of the Bond connection, but she smelled it in the shop and just couldn't do it.

Yes that's what I thought.

Well my wife will be travelling with me next time, so I will get her seal of approval before buying:-) But I do like it, I have to say.

Floris is mentioned a few times in the novels. In Diamonds Are Forever and Dr. No, Bond specifically mentions Floris bath essence, and in Moonraker he mentions Floris "soaps and lotions". But No.89 is never used by name.

angelicbond

You're quite right. I just knew that there was a Bond/Fleming connection.

Peppermill

Floris No.89 (indeed never mentioned in any of the books) smells a lot like Pis-de-Chat to me, really not something I would go for. However, a scent is very personal so maybe it works great for you. It is just not something I can imagine anyone under the age of 70 wearing.

Matt S

Peppermill wrote:

Floris No.89 (indeed never mentioned in any of the books) smells a lot like Pis-de-Chat to me, really not something I would go for. However, a scent is very personal so maybe it works great for you. It is just not something I can imagine anyone under the age of 70 wearing.

I didn't care for it myself either, and the girl I was with really didn't. We liked some of the other Floris scents better, but none of them were quite right for us. Scent has to be a mutual thing.

Asp9mm

They've updated #89 now. It doesn't smell like old men anymore.

Redbeard

Asp9mm wrote:

They've updated #89 now. It doesn't smell like old men anymore.

When did the do that? And how does it smell different?

Cheers
Red