5 Top Iconic Stylish Movies & How To Get The Look
When it comes to classic cinemas, there are tales that all men know due to action, nudity or a badass protagonist. We've seen them all from Van Dam to Rober De Niro. Aside from the drug-moving, money-getting, women-slayer, there is one thing that always sticks with us. Something that doesn't mean putting the average Joe in the big house, which is, their wardrobe.
There are movie classics that become instant classics, strictly due to the wardrobe and the costume designer that hardly ever gets the credit.
As fashion trends are born from past tendencies, there are tons of movies today that showcase an epic style for men but today I want to focus on the top 5 movies that paved the way for how men dress today and how to get the look!
The Talented Mr.Ripley (1999)
Background
As this summer continues into August, so too did summer advance for the idiosyncratic trio of rich Amalfi Coast playboy Dickie Greenleaf (Jude Law), his girlfriend Marge Sherwood (Gwyneth Paltrow), and their pathological companion Tom Ripley (Matt Damon) in Anthony Minghella’s 1999 adaptation of Patricia Highsmith’s classic psychological thriller The Talented Mr. Ripley.
Spending time with Marge and Dickie allows Tom Ripley to grow increasingly enamored with the latter, and the young con artist manipulates an opportunity for the couple to insist that he remain with them at the picturesque seaside villa in Mongibello. After Tom literally drops his bait, a collection of American jazz records, all that the bebop-loving Dickie needs to hear is Tom’s declaration that Charlie “Bird” Parker is “a god” for Dickie to not only invite the strange young man to stick around but also to accompany him to a jazz club in Naples.
How to Get the Look
Jude Law as Dickie Greenleaf in The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999)
Dickie Greenleaf’s resort-friendly garb should inspire gents to adopt a light and unique summer wardrobe, designed first and foremost for stylish comfort.
White knit short-sleeve resort shirt with gray mesh-textured chest panels, wide camp collar,
Pale pink double forward-pleated Bermuda shorts with side adjusters, side pockets, button-through back pockets, and self-cuffed bottoms
Cream double reverse-pleated trousers with belt loops, straight side pockets, button-through back pockets, and self-cuffed bottoms
Black leather Gucci belt
White canvas slip-on backless sneakers
Steel wristwatch with silver dial on silver Milanese mesh bracelet
Gold double-ridged ring, worn on the right middle finger
Gold signet pinky ring with green stone, worn on left pinky
The unique shirt would be next to impossible to find, but you can use it as inspiration to discover your own signature summer tops like this retro-influenced Felix Jacquard navy-and-“cloud” pique vintage resort polo shirt by Orlebar Brown.
American Gigolo (1980)
Background
Strut into spring-like Richard Gere’s confident Julian Kaye, the titular American gigolo of Paul Schrader’s 1980 thriller.
We follow Julian through the streets of Beverly Hills as he’s being followed by Michelle Stratton (Lauren Hutton), a state senator’s wife who has grown considerably interested in him. Aware—and amused—that Michelle is tailing him, Julian strides into Tower Records where he allows her to bump into him, sparking a flirtatious conversation to the tune of John Hiatt’s “Take Off Your Uniform”.
The song was no doubt chosen to score the scene with something trendy and new, but it’s a significant choice as we hear it while watching Julian “out of uniform”, not wearing his usual sport jacket, slim tie, and slacks as he isn’t professionally on the make, instead pursuing a more serious personal relationship as he charms Michelle while “slumming it” in casual open-neck shirt and jeans.
How to Get the Look
Julian Kaye looks cool, casual, and comfortable as he dressed down pieces of his fashionable Giorgio Armani wardrobe with jeans and sleek accessories.
Stone-colored lightweight wool crepe double-breasted 4×1-button sport jacket with notch lapels, welted breast pocket, patch hip pockets, 3-button cuffs, and ventless back
Pale blue self-striped lightweight cotton long-sleeve shirt with point collar, plain front, two set-in chest pockets with flaps, and 1-button rounded cuffs
High-rise blue denim jeans with belt loops and back pockets
Tan-and-dark navy striped waxed cotton web belt with squared gold single-prong buckle
Light brown leather boots with raised heels
Gray jersey-knit cotton short-inseam underwear
Gold tank watch with a black dial on smooth black leather strap
Light tortoiseshell large-framed Giorgio Armani sunglasses with brown gradient lenses
Casino (1995)
Background
More than a year has passed since I last explored the expansive and flashy wardrobe worn by Robert De Niro as “Ace” Rothstein in Casino, so what better occasion than the real Ace’s birthday to take another look at the casino executive’s colorful attire.
Frank “Lefty” Rosenthal was born 90 years ago today—June 12, 1929—in Chicago, where he spent his formative years and early career until moving to Miami in the early ’60s. Within the decade, Lefty grew tired of the attention from local police and federal authorities and moved out to Las Vegas, where he swiftly and secretly established himself as the operator of the now-demolished Stardust Resort and Casino.
Lefty’s tenure in Vegas was plagued from the start due to his mob connections and the eventual arrival of his once-friend Anthony “Tony” Spilotro, a violent enforcer from the Chicago Outfit looking to make his own mark in Sin City. In Casino, Spilotro was renamed Nicky Santoro for Joe Pesci’s explosive portrayal of him.
How to Get the Look
Lounging around the house in a pink satin robe and pajamas may not be an instinctive choice for your morning attire, but it certainly evokes the elegance of a bygone era… particularly in the right context; pink-on-pink loungewear may be best deployed for a comfortable breakfast in bed with a loved one and not for overseeing a gangster’s attempted extortion of a bank president.
Pink patterned silk dressing gown/robe with wide shawl collar, breast pocket, hip pockets, wide-cuffed sleeves, and waist sash
Light pink self-striped satin silk pajama set:
Button-up pajama top with a plain front and breast pocket
Pajama pants with plain-hemmed bottoms
Black velvet Prince Albert slippers with gold beaded embellishment and hard leather soles
Bueche Girod 14-carat white gold vintage wristwatch with a blue square face on link bracelet
Scarface (1983)
Background
Brian de Palma’s 1983 drug epic Scarface celebrated its 35th anniversary yesterday. A remake of a 1932 gangster film that itself took inspiration from the life of Al Capone, Scarface met with negative critical reception at the time of its release though it was a box office hit and racked up Golden Globe nods for lead actors Al Pacino and Steven Bauer.
As in the 1932 version, one scene finds the rising gangster returning home to flaunt his wealth in front of his concerned mother (Míriam Colón) and his devoted sister (Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio). Waiting out by the car is the gangster’s flashy young pal, who catches sight of the gangster’s younger sister and is immediately smitten.
How to Get the Look
Despite the disco connotations of a white three-piece suit and black open-neck shirt, Tony Montana is never seen actually wearing this combination to the film’s famous Babylon Club… instead, he dons it for the more idiosyncratic occasion of a visit home to his mother and sister.
White three-piece suit, consisting of:
Single-button suit jacket with notch lapels, welted breast pocket, straight flapped hip pockets, 2-button cuffs, and double vents
Single-breasted 5-button vest with lower jetted pockets notched bottom and adjustable back strap
Flat front medium-rise trousers with belt loops, side pockets, and plain-hemmed bottoms
Black silk dress shirt with point collar, plain front, and button cuffs
Black leather belt with gold single-prong buckle
Black leather shoes
Black socks
Omega La Magique wristwatch on the left wrist with gold bracelet, gold rectangular case, and round black dial
The gold chain-link ID bracelet
Gold ring with diamond, worn on the right ring finger
Gold ring with square ruby stone, worn on the right pinky
Two yellow gold necklaces
The Great Gatsby (1974)
Background
With its now-famous tale of doomed romance, debauchery and death, and the failure of the American dream against a backdrop of riotous parties and scandalous adultery, The Great Gatsby was destined for the screen from the moment it hit shelves in the spring of 1925 at the height of what its author, F. Scott Fitzgerald, coined “the Jazz Age.” The following year, a silent film—now essentially lost—was released. In the decade of fickle fads from dance marathons to swallowing goldfish, interest waned in Fitzgerald’s magnum opus and the troubled author struggled between inconsistent work and alcoholism for his remaining years.
Nearly a quarter century later, Alan Ladd starred as Fitzgerald’s protagonist in what would be the first major adaptation still accessible to today’s audiences. Right from the start, the filmmakers recognized the essential role that style played in telling the story and enlisted the services of legendary costume designer Edith Head. John Farrow was set to direct, but disagreements over who would play the flapper Daisy Buchanan led to Elliot Nugent taking the helm instead… perhaps making it poetic justice that John’s daughter Mia Farrow would play Daisy herself 25 years later. Producer and co-screenwriter Richard Maibaum was encouraged by Ladd’s real-life Gatsby-like qualities to make the film, despite Fitzgerald’s all-but-forgotten reputation by the late 1940s. Though it was somewhat dismissed by contemporary reviewers, Maibaum felt satisfied by Charles Beckett assuring him that he singlehandedly inspired a revival in the life and works of F. Scott Fitzgerald… though tragically a decade too late for the author to ever recognize his cultural impact.
How to Get the Look
Gatsby’s approach to white tie is less formal than traditional sartorialists would prefer, but he is nouveau riche, so it should be expected that he would add some youthful flair to a classic ensemble.
Midnight blue worsted wool six-button evening tailcoat with satin-faced peak lapels, welted breast pocket, satin-covered 3-button cuffs, and 2 decorative buttons over tail vents
White cross-checked piqué double-breasted full-dress waistcoat with slim shawl revers, 8-on-4 silver-toned buttons, jetted pockets, and straight-cut bottom
Midnight blue worsted wool forward-pleated formal trousers with straight/on-seam side pockets and plain-hemmed bottoms
White formal shirt with detachable wing collar, front placket with narrow pleats and diamond studs, and stiff single cuffs
Red enamel-faced oval cuff links with silver trim
White textured cotton piqué self-tied bowtie
Black patent leather oxford shoes
Black dress socks
Gold pocket watch on a thin gold chain, worn in the waistcoat pocket
Plain silver ring, worn on the right ring finger
Ornate gold ring with dark green stone, worn on left pinky
Gatsby doesn’t wear a boutonniere, instead opting for a white linen display kerchief in his breast pocket.