NTTD Commando Sweater outfit ideas
mhj116
Posts: 31MI6 Agent
I just ordered the NTTD Commando sweater but have no earthly idea how to wear it when I'm not dressing like Bond this Halloween. Any ideas/suggestions/photos for outfit pairings? I like it, but I don't want to look like a tool when I wear it out and about.
Comments
Just sub it for any other casual navy blue sweater and you'll be fine.
N. Peal's own gallery gives some hints. Check out IA's Goodthreads and Paul James links for more potential outfit pics. LL Bean as well.
https://www.npeal.com/products/007-ribbed-army-sweater-navy-blue
https://iconicalternatives.com/2021/01/30/james-bond-no-time-to-die-commando-sweater/
https://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/43324?page=commando-sweater-crewneck
As i serve with the RN the thought of paying over £300 for a Navy sorry ARMY sweater as stated by NPEAL, i would rather give it to the homeless, NPEAL have not had a clue with this, the trousers are even more of a joke!
Thank you for your service and I’m sure many in your position can appreciate your POV.
Ya gotta remember that as a luxury brand using luxury materials (for the sweater anyway) for a bespoke Hollywood piece plus the added cost of licensing, these items weren’t gonna be cheap. They cater almost exclusively to the die-hard Bond fan and/or collector.
Unless an authentic piece is SO unique and also within reach, I’m thrilled to settle for a high quality alternative.
I do echo your sentiments on the pants. I’m interested in the tactical provenance of their design. I suspect someone will be along to disagree, but I can assure you no modern operator would choose those given the simpler and just as functional top-tier contemporary alternatives.
mate the one of the big reasons i am annoyed with NPEAL is they advertised the sweater as a Commando Army sweater, one the Army wears green and 2 Bond never served with the Army. So for such an organisation to get it so wrong is unbelievable
it does seem a bit disconnected for sure. At the end of the day, it’s nice of the brand to cater to the fan market. Think of all the labels that don’t.
Guess its a case of the Wardrobe designer showing no knowledge in military clothing and / or most likely wanting to do something "better" in the sense of fashion / luxury rather than practicality. You never know DCs influence either. I know on my watch forums some people are horrified by the Omega broad arrow marking also
previous bond movies Npeal were great this one in my opinion is a joke
I have no problem with broad arrow or the stores numbers on the back
Then don’t buy it?…
The pullover is extremely comfortable and nicely warm too. I have enjoyed mine most with a t-shirt underneath and a pair of jeans, but it can certainly be dressed-up with a shirt collar and other trousers. One warning is that as it's made from cashmere and merino, it's soft and therefore is definitely something to wear gently...not while rock-climbing, wrestling with a komodo dragon or stalking through a villain's lair. Use a harder-wearing pullover (like a real military pullover) for those sorts of activities! Other than that, it really is gorgeous and I am sure you will love it.
I didn't I have an official military jumper not some rip off one!
Mine pills more than I'd expected, especially on the sleeves. I'd hoped the merino would help with that.
The boat neck is an eye-catching feature for better or worse. I'll often wear a long-sleeved navy tee underneath mine to minimize the effect of the collar when I don't want to stand out. Grey works well, too, as do grey trousers. I haven't tried dressing mine up at all. With the drawstring it feels too informal.
As an American I grew up wearing "commando sweaters," with zero appreciation of where they came from and their cultural role in the UK's armed forces. (Typical American, right?) Although N.Peal mixing up army with navy is egregious no matter your nation of birth. Then again, if there is an occupation less in tune with the military, its traditions, and its standards, it has to be that of fashion designer.
I saw someone suggest wearing it with a button up- I don’t think I’m that bold. I was also reluctant about the patches but they aren’t too jarring. Worst case scenario I have the pants the Henley and the sweater and in turn, a great Halloween costume
I know there is a fine blend to be had between real life accuracy (military or other) , film character etc.
But we lose sight that James Bond is a fictional character and as such anything goes really.
For me, it is what is, like it or don't like it, buy it or don't buy it and lastly, each to their own.....
1. CR. 2. TSWLM. 3. LTK. 4. GF. 5. SF.
I’d agree with that. But I can see we’re @shilton125 is coming from There’s a vast amount of disrespect being paid to the RN here by N Peal. It’s not an Army jumper, it’s a Royal Navy jumper. It’s a nod to Fleming and Bonds RN history and it’s acknowledged in the design, but not the end product. It’s the same with a Royal Navy ties. People are buying and wearing them as Bond does. That’s not right. They’ve not earned the right to wear them. Navy jumpers are fine. But people that haven’t earned the right to wear a Royal Navy tie really shouldn’t. Try wearing an SAS tie in Hereford without earning it and you’ll see how much offence is taken to that type of thing. Same with the RN tie in Plymouth. Due respect should be looked at here. If Bond wore his medals on his blazer for an event, that is not acceptable for anyone to follow suit. That’s how RN people look at it. It’s offensive.
Reminds me of the time when I saw someone here in a full RN dress uniform with a Cdr rank insignia on the sleeves and a chest full of ribons. Not only distasteful but also illegal in some countries. Stolen valour is no joke
Being Devil’s advocate I don’t think NPeal are doing a disservice really. I am from a navy family from Plymouth, served in the Army, and went into to be a cop in the uk for years.. so, my point is two-fold - the ‘Wooly Pully’ as it is more known as was initially used by the British Army in the Boar War, originating
from a Guernsey jumper, and was navy blue in colour! so it is correct to call it an ‘Army’ jumper as that’s the origin. Secondly, as a cop I was issued 2 navy blue jumpers, which were identical to those issued to the Royal Navy, including the fact they had NATO stock numbers on the label, round neck etc. so they are just as much a police jumper as they are a Royal Navy Jumper.. I get the nod to Bonds/Flemings naval heritage, but as it didn’t get introduced to the Royal Navy as an issued piece of kit until the early 1970’s, even that’s a bit of a moot point..
I most usually wear the sweater with a pair of chinos or the likes - for example the Brunello Cucinelli SPECTRE trousers or the Neil Barrett SPECTRE London trousers.
With regard to the debate on whether it’s appropriate for a civilian to wear this sweater, and with all respect, I could never understand why some service members - particularly in the US and apparently also in the UK - depend so much of their pride and self-value on the ability to wear a blue wool sweater issued by your employer to keep you warm at work. I can really in no way see how N. Peal or the general public pays disrespect to service members or the branches by wearing a cashmere sweater inspired by a pretty old piece of garment in use by dozens of armed forces in some variety or another. I hardly think anyone seeing me in this sweater will think I am a UK Royal Navy war veteran and let me ahead in the line because of that. And what about the new N. Peal trousers? Or any other camouflaged piece of clothing for that matter. What about the Miltec gloves?
And no, wearing a generic sweater is not the same as walking around in public with military medals or insignia. Those are awarded specifically and exclusively for certain work, carreers or feats in the service and signify this and this only with no dual purpose. The same can’t be said with a sweater - the military doesn’t have a patent on blue or woolly clothing.
:-)
I have no problem with civvies wearing this jumper or indeed any RN issue jumper. It’s a generic uniform jumper that has been worn by ambulance, police etc.
The costumier put Bond in this jumper as he and it are Royal Navy. They put RN stock numbers on his watch for the same reason. And N Peal should have referenced the RN and Not the Army as it makes more sense and is more factually correct. Acknowledge the RN N.Peal! The Army wear green and the Navy wear blue. Most people who are proud to have served in the RN would feel the same with this mislabelling and people that haven’t and don’t have a proud RN streak running through them, can’t fully appreciate the feeling about it. It’s a niggle though, and I’m not going to lose sleep over it, I was just acknowledging why Shilton125 is feeling as strongly as he does. My problem is Bond fans wearing RN ties That’s disrespectful and not on. People have to earn the right to wear those like any military tie or badge. Having one in the collection, fine. Just don’t wear it out in public. That is stolen valour. It could also lead to an embarrassing encounter if you met any genuine RN personnel and they called you out on it.
That being said, and getting back on subject. I have this jumper and really wanted to wear it. But my other half says it looks like a girls jumper because of the neck line. She has a point. It looks like an off the shoulder neckline almost. Which is why I guess, they broke it up on Bond by putting matching coloured braces underneath which transforms the neckline considerably. It just looks odd when I see people wearing it with lighter coloured shirts or T-shirt’s underneath. It just screams cosplay to me. As do the trousers. And both worn together. Hell, no no no. Far from an under the radar Bond lifestyle moment, which is what most people want. I’ve yet to see anyone pair it up with a navy coloured shirt with collar and post it up here. That might work well.
You know, I get the argument if its origins, but following that train of thought, ultimately this style was originally designed for maritime use.
The real question is not what to wear it with, but when to wear it? Once you answer that, you can decide if it's appropriate, and what to pair it with. So if you're avoiding cosplay or stolen valor, why not wear it as a civvie for yachting, or cool beach nights? Maybe it's the Marketing getting to me, or maybe it's a no-duh backdrop for the sweater given its origins, but I could easily see that transition.
To be more precise, I could see someone wearing these with shorts and maybe a tank top or henley underneath, with the sweater sleeves pushed up (if you don't mind getting the sleeves wonky in the long run). Give yourself a devil-may-care look, and make it into a very casual layering piece.
I haven't worn mine since the spring, but I seem to recall that the roping on the cuffs was quite tight and therefore you can't roll the sleeves up more than a few inches. Other than that spot of nit-picking...I agree with your assessment and suggestions. I wore it with a t-shirt underneath and a pair of jeans and was extremely comfortable.
For what it’s worth I sized down from my regular small to an extra small but I think that was a mistake. It fit quite a bit slimmer than I was led to believe.
also the combat trousers take a solid year to put on due to the myriad buttons
The myriad buttons comment got me good. Too funny. Love these pants but they do seem quite busy (obviously for combat so I get it) but for everyday wear Im curious. Are these more for hiking type activities or could you see them worn as more like a jeans type in that they are versatile to wear on many occasions? Just so many pockets has me wondering if I could get the use out of them. Would love your opinion on how they look and feel for just a regular day type wear.
They do look much more like the hiking pants I wear, though that can be a look in and of itself. David over at The BondExperience has a great video on how to dress them up, down and around the whole commando issue, but they are definitely not what I would call business casual. I could easily see a t shirt with them however.
I forgot to respond directly to this earlier but see my response. Also, and without hyperbole, there are approximately 9 buttons needed to take on and off the pants, and they are stiff as f. I ran late for a meeting trying to get these Rubic’s cubes on
Good point, I completely forgot about the tight sleeves... Still, nothing a pair of scissors couldn't fix! :p
I see a comedy skit of DC in a villain’s layer but desperately needing to use the bathroom. Sorry guys Bond couldnt save the day, it took him 17 minutes to pee.
I've worn it two ways:
https://i.imgur.com/RmPLY7m.jpg
and
https://i.imgur.com/Xy4kjfB.jpg
I like it with shorts when it's cool out. I actually go on the water regularly so it's great for that.
Asp took the words right out of my mouth re: the boat neck changing the sweater’s vibe. The design may be historically accurate and establishes bespoke uniqueness, but I opted for Outdoor Knitwear's crew-necked version for versatility.
Not to worry, not to worry. Farfetch and Selfridges got you covered. Boom. You're welcome.
Oh dear.