"There are some things that just aren't done..."

urhash · August 2009

While being an influential fashion figure, the cinematic Bond has also been subject to some really odd stylistic choices. What are some that really make you cringe? (don't take the easy route and pick on Roger Moore... hehe)

Here's a few of mine...:
1) Brosnan wearing loafers with his 3-piece suit during the Q-Boat chase
2) Derby shoes with the tux in CR
3) 5 button cuffs on the suit jackets in QoS (we get it Tom Ford...)
4) The top buttonhole on the lapel of the Tom Ford suits
5) All those short socks in the early Connery flicks

saint-antoine · August 2009

That terrycloth blue number from the Goldfinger Miami hotel scene has got to be on someone's list of strange Bond wardrobe choices. The black loafers worn by Dalton's Bond in the truck chase scene at the end of License To Kill look like they were stolen from my short fat italian uncle's wardrobe. The entire outfit worn in the Hemingway house from the same film is looks like it was purchased at the "look-like-you-want-to-own-a-boat" section at Walmart's...

Indiana_Bond · August 2009

I actually thought the wardrobe that Dalton wears in LTK was appropriate for the most part. People who are LTK detractors usually diss Bond's wardrobe in this film, but I have no problem with it. Remember, Bond was only supposed to be in the Keys for a day, two days tops for Felix's wedding, before continuing on to his next assignment. Remember M's line: "You were supposed to be in Istanbul last night." So I think the slightly inexpenive look suits the film's impromptu nature.

But as for odd choices in clothes, I have to disagree with Lazenby wearing that frilly shirt at the casino in OHMSS. No doubt Austin Powers stole it from Bond's room when Bond went for a ride with Draco's gang...

And agree with urhash on points 3 and 4. On point 2, though, I always found it odd that the costume designers nearly always insisted on Bond wearing shoes with laces. Bond is supposed to hate laces, isn't he?

walther p99 · August 2009

This is a great thread, though i love Brosnan as Bond i think his Bond wore just a bit too many suits and not enough casual like Craig, like his istanbul suit, while great, is too flashy for a secret agent i think,its more or less his bond just wearing a suit at a rather inappropriate time, like at the caviar factor or when he first meets Elektra. And i also think Dalton's suits wore pretty bad in LTK, they sagged and fit horribly, but Indiana Bond made a good point.

Youknowthename · August 2009

walther p99 wrote:

This is a great thread, though i love Brosnan as Bond i think his Bond wore just a bit too many suits and not enough casual like Craig, like his istanbul suit, while great, is too flashy for a secret agent i think,its more or less his bond just wearing a suit at a rather inappropriate time, like at the caviar factor or when he first meets Elektra. And i also think Dalton's suits wore pretty bad in LTK, they sagged and fit horribly, but Indiana Bond made a good point.

I think a lot of it has to do with the actor... Brosnan looks smashing in a suit so they pulled out a lot of Brioni suits. Craig looks good in casual wear hence he doesn't wear suits that often. A suit does contribute to the 'gentleman spy' image however, especially an exclusive suit, so I don't mind. Besides Moore's safari suits of course

superado · August 2009

walther p99 wrote:

This is a great thread, though i love Brosnan as Bond i think his Bond wore just a bit too many suits and not enough casual like Craig, like his istanbul suit, while great, is too flashy for a secret agent i think,its more or less his bond just wearing a suit at a rather inappropriate time, like at the caviar factor or when he first meets Elektra. And i also think Dalton's suits wore pretty bad in LTK, they sagged and fit horribly, but Indiana Bond made a good point.

Talking from memory here about what I read in "Dressed to Kill," and from other behind-the-scene accounts, Dalton included in his interpretation the Literary Bond's spartan preference on wardrobe, such as the above mentioned dislike of laced shoes and the repeated wearing of the navy lightweight and his earlier houndstooth suits. It seems that Dalton in a manner of speaking updated this spartan approach in a visual manner by selecting off the rack suits vs. the Saville Row faire of the earlier Bond actors.

On the flip side, with Dalton's departure from the series, followed by the "6-year haitus," it was strategically decided for Brosnan to return to the successful pattern of the cinematic Bond by returning to its iconic roots (and formula) by emphasizing the wearing of suits even in the most inappropriate circumstances (e.g., Connery on the Kobe docks and Moore in Harlem). Whether these worked or not, since successful interpretation is often a matter of debate among Bond fans, I for one can appreciate knowing the "why" behind such decisions.

As for the other wardrobe foibles, maybe at the time a terry-cloth adult "onesie" in baby

) blue was seen as clever during that period. Likewise, the pirate shirt ruffles might have been "smart" at the time. However, I agree about Connery's short socks showing when his pant legs hiked up during action sequences, which I think was a wardrobe dept. oversight, but nonetheless an unforgiveable one since men's garters and socks that go over the calves were readily available.

The Bond Experience · August 2009

[list=*]
[/list]Roger Moore's bell bottoms in TSWLM
[list=*]
[/list]The courded casual jacket Bond wears in AVTAK in San Fransisco
[list=*]
[/list]Dalton's Members Only Jacket
[list=*]
[/list]Connery's pink tie outfit in DAF
[list=*]
[/list]Connery's tweeded sports coat in the opening of DAF
[list=*]
[/list]The hair Connery wore in DAF

walther p99 · August 2009

superado wrote:

walther p99 wrote:

This is a great thread, though i love Brosnan as Bond i think his Bond wore just a bit too many suits and not enough casual like Craig, like his istanbul suit, while great, is too flashy for a secret agent i think,its more or less his bond just wearing a suit at a rather inappropriate time, like at the caviar factor or when he first meets Elektra. And i also think Dalton's suits wore pretty bad in LTK, they sagged and fit horribly, but Indiana Bond made a good point.

Talking from memory here about what I read in "Dressed to Kill," and from other behind-the-scene accounts, Dalton included in his interpretation the Literary Bond's spartan preference on wardrobe, such as the above mentioned dislike of laced shoes and the repeated wearing of the navy lightweight and his earlier houndstooth suits. It seems that Dalton in a manner of speaking updated this spartan approach in a visual manner by selecting off the rack suits vs. the Saville Row faire of the earlier Bond actors.

On the flip side, with Dalton's departure from the series, followed by the "6-year haitus," it was strategically decided for Brosnan to return to the successful pattern of the cinematic Bond by returning to its iconic roots (and formula) by emphasizing the wearing of suits even in the most inappropriate circumstances (e.g., Connery on the Kobe docks and Moore in Harlem). Whether these worked or not, since successful interpretation is often a matter of debate among Bond fans, I for one can appreciate knowing the "why" behind such decisions.

As for the other wardrobe foibles, maybe at the time a terry-cloth adult "onesie" in baby ) blue was seen as clever during that period. Likewise, the pirate shirt ruffles might have been "smart" at the time. However, I agree about Connery's short socks showing when his pant legs hiked up during action sequences, which I think was a wardrobe dept. oversight, but nonetheless an unforgiveable one since men's garters and socks that go over the calves were readily available.

wow awesome post, i think it just throws me off becuase i expect bond to wear the best fitting,most tailored looking suits. heres another one,even though i think its a great outfit, Bond's white levi's in haiti,not only will he not blend in (which is hard enough already) he'll stand out.

Indiana_Bond · August 2009

The Mantis wrote:

[list=*]
[/list]Dalton's Members Only Jacket

Which jacket are you talking about? The one he wears at the Bleydon safe house?

The Bond Experience · August 2009

I honestly can't remember...could have even been Living Daylights, but I remember a Members only "type" of jacket.

Seamast · August 2009

For me:
Sean Connery:
1) Bath suit than JB put on in first scenes in Goldfinger in the hotel pool.
2) Pink tie in Diamonds are forever.

George Lanzeby:
1) White shoes are unforgivable.

Brosnan:
It's the James Bond most elegant and I don't remember any mistake but I say that the shoes that he wears in TND when he drives the BMW motorcycle are not very appropiated. In spain we called this shoes "bambas".

Daniel Craig:
1) khaky trousers that JB wear with sunspell polo en Bahamas. This "bell-trousers" (in Spain we called) are not very eternal.

I don't say anythink about Dalton and Moore, because I should say things a lot. But to say JB clown dress in Octopussy not have price.

):)):))

Indiana_Bond · August 2009

Seamast wrote:

George Lanzeby:
1) White shoes are unforgivable.

White suit is unforgivable! Leave attire like that to Scaramanga.

Opitas · August 2009

Craig's linen suit.

Brosnan's buckle "monk" shoes.

Dalton's wedding suit.

Moore's fat ties.

Lazenby's kilt.

Connery's Japanese disguise.

Rick Roberts · August 2009

Seamast wrote:

For me:
2) Pink tie in Diamonds are forever.

Yeah I found that stomach turning. That is on par with black socks with sandals. X-(

james John Smythe · August 2009

what's wrong with it?

now don't get me wrong, but i'm spotting more and more people with green & pink ties....
i actually quite like it 8-)

"There are some things that just aren't done..."

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