James Bonds outfit in Flemings novels

Max E · December 2010

What kind of clothes, shoes, accessories(watches, cigarettes, cuffs etc) does bond use in the Fleming novels?

Also what brand of these products and I am going to be extra glad if you are going more specific on the details like for example which colour on the shirt etc.

Cheers -{

Asp9mm · December 2010

Bond has few variations of clothing. Mostly sticking to blue suits with blue or white Sea Island cotton shirts and an old houndstooth jacket. He wears short sleeves so no cuffs unless wearing a tux. His tie is black or blue knitted silk. His shoes are slip ons as he abhors laces, but he wears Saxone golf shoes, He smokes Morlands with three gold bands. His watch is Rolex, of undisclosed model but it is stainless steel with an expanding bracelet and luminous markers. He uses an oxidised Ronson lighter and large gunmetal cigarette case. He shaves with Hoffritz and Gillette safety razors and would get his toiletries from Floris in Jermyn St London. He carries his suppressor in a Palmolive tube, and uses Pinaud Elixir shampoo.

Max E · December 2010

Asp9mm wrote:

Bond has few variations of clothing. Mostly sticking to blue suits with blue or white Sea Island cotton shirts and an old houndstooth jacket. He wears short sleeves so no cuffs unless wearing a tux. His tie is black or blue knitted silk. His shoes are slip ons as he abhors laces, but he wears Saxone golf shoes, He smokes Morlands with three gold bands. His watch is Rolex, of undisclosed model but it is stainless steel with an expanding bracelet and luminous markers. He uses an oxidised Ronson lighter and large gunmetal cigarette case. He shaves with Hoffritz and Gillette safety razors and would get his toiletries from Floris in Jermyn St London. He carries his suppressor in a Palmolive tube, and uses Pinaud Elixir shampoo.

Thanks for answer! Does Bond wear some moore casual/informal clothes sometimes, if you know what I mean?

CmdrAtticus · December 2010

Bond's method of casual dress was tied to living as an upper class English gentleman in the 1950's and 60's, which is very far removed from how people dress today. Men like them tended to only dress down when at home or in the country - they would never consider doing this while traveling or being in the city. It is in actuality the way Fleming himself dressed. Back then business men of that class got casual by merely not wearing their suit jacket and tie.
Sometimes they would wear a polo shirt instead of a dress shirt, or a shirt meant to be worn outside the waistband of their trousers, or wearing a windbreaker (windcheater) or cardigan sweater instead of their suit jacket. For reference, look at old photos of professional golfers back in the 50's, or our presidents or celebs like Bob Hope playing the game. Since Fleming/Bond hated shoelaces and only wore slip-on shoes, the only way he could get more casual was by going sockless and wearing black leather sandles (you can see Fleming wearing these in some of the photos taking of him at Goldeneye). 99% of men back then wore lace up shoes with their suits as well as long sleeve shirts. Since Fleming hated buttoning shirtcuffs and having to use cufflinks and hated shoe laces, he wore short sleeve shirts and loafers in his formal business attire. Only men in good physical shape could carry this off without looking nerdy or preppy. What he did was considered OFFENSIVE by any business dress standards then (even today), but giving his preferences (and the fact he was, after all, Ian Fleming!), he didn't give a hoot (sort of like Einstein wearing sandles all the time because he hated shoes and socks - too confining). Fleming was a very sensual,simple man and preferred any type of clothing that was easy to just slip on or off quickly and felt gratifying to touch (hence only the best fabrics - silk, highest quality cottons and wools.). Notice too, he could get away with wearing a bow tie. It was common back then to wear one (with a dark suit it almost looked like a tuxedo), but he was one of those lucky men who had the figure and face to pull it off. On many men, a bow tie makes them look like a cheap salesman or clown. Bottom line, Bond's casual or formal dress was the same as Fleming's

Asp9mm · December 2010

Bond would never be seen with a bow tie unless wearing evening dress, so you can't really use Fleming as a strict guide line in terms of sartorial taste for Bond. Bonds choices were far more basic than Flemings. And his office attire would be pretty much the same day to day and like a uniform to him. Remember Bond was not upper class.

Thunderbird 2 · December 2010

I have said it beofre, and I'll say it again. - The best way to emulate Bond is study the clothing choices and styles of the character (all versions) and them make up your oewn mind as to which aspects suit you (Scuse the pun)

My Grandad was a Fleming and Bond movie buff, and his dress sense was of that 40's/50's era the books hark from. However, there were rules he adhered to that literally Bond and Mr Flemming don't. In the same respect, I have taken tips from the various 007's, but adapted styles / accessories that work better for me.

In short Max, - its cool to emulate Bond's appearance and style, but find your own way of doing it, so you can make a style statement for yourself! :007)

maxximus · December 2010

Agreed. Take certain aspects of Bond that you enjoy and incorporate it in your daily life. And given that there exists so many different ways to acheive this goal (Clothes, Jewelry, Vehicles etc) you can very easily interject "a little 007" in your day to day life.

SpectreBlofeld · December 2010

Whenever I read Fleming's descriptions of Bond wearing a suit with a short-sleeved shirt and sandals, I can't help but think of Miami Vice's Sonny Crockett sporting T-shirts under Armani suits with sockless loafers.

Asp9mm · December 2010

I don't think Max was asking because he wanted to wear the items and emulate Bond, he was asking just out of interest in the literary character.

Max E · January 2011

Asp9mm wrote:

I don't think Max was asking because he wanted to wear the items and emulate Bond, he was asking just out of interest in the literary character.

Exatly, but thank you guys for all the answers!

superado · January 2011

Here's a link to Commanders Club, which has a concise collection of excerpts from the Fleming books that describe Bond's clothing: http://www.commanders.com/essence/pages/clothing.htm. There are other collections of excerpts from that site, in the section, "Essential 007," such as Bond's looks, drinks, smoking, etc. If I'm not mistaken, these compilations were borrowed from, or are very similar to Kingsley Amis' The Book of Bond, or Every Man His Own 007.

Mister White · January 2011

Nice link.

Thanks, Superado!

)

superado · January 2011

Mister White wrote:

Nice link.

Thanks, Superado! )

The pleasure is mine, Mr. White! -{

CmdrAtticus · January 2011

In reference to my post, I was not inferring that one would use Fleming as a "strict guide line" involving Bond's wardrobe. Of course Bond would not wear a bowtie as Fleming did! As far as Bond's choices being more basic that Fleming's - I would disagree. Bond's choice in clothing was Fleming's. The worsted tailored suits, short sleeve shirts, loafer shoes, beltless trousers, houndstooth jacket (you can see photos of Fleming in his houndstooth in several vintage photos). As far as I can tell, the only thing he didn't have Bond wear was a waistcoat - which Fleming and other English businessmen wore to stay warm in the drafty, poorly heated London buildings. All of the cinema Bond's wore these of course, but never the literary Bond. As far as Bond not being upper class, that is true. However, one must bear in mind that he was very close to this (upper middle class) given his family background. His father was a rep for an armourments firm, probably an important executive, so wealthy enough to be able to send Bond to some very expensive upper class schools. Also, Bond is a Navy Commander, works with and around governmental VIP's like M and Tanner and is a member of exclusive gambling and golf establishments that usually only the upper middle classes and upper classes belong to and play at. Bond never FELT upper class because he did not come from inherited wealth or a royal background. I am quite sure given his circumstances, however, he was well aware he was a member of the upper middle class. I was stationed at a NATO base while in the service and worked under a Royal Navy Commander the last year of my duty. He also never considered himself upper class either, but he was very close to it considering his pay, where he lived in England and who he associated with (like Bond - government and military VIPs).
Not to pound this into the ground - but for further proof is the following definition from Wiki on the British Upper Middle Class:

The Upper Middle class in Britain consists of the educated professionals who generally come from educated backgrounds. The upper-middle class are traditionally educated at prestigious major public schools such as Eton, Harrow, Winchester, Westminster,City of London School ,Charterhouse, Rugby, Merchant Taylors', St. Paul's, Shrewsbury and Sherborne School Clayesmore school, Canford, Bryanston, and Milton abbey.

Traditional careers would include barristers, diplomats, physicians, army officers, academics, art dealers, senior civil servants and working in the City of London in high managerial positions.

Lastly, Commanders in the RN today make about $110, 000.00 a year. Bond would have made the equivalent of that in his day, on top of the hazard pay he got from the Service. This would have also placed him in the upper middle class at that time.

James Bonds outfit in Flemings novels

Comments