By Roger Stone
The latest offering in the James Bond oeuvre, Skyfall does a few things right but when it comes to 007 and his sartorial style it makes a mockery of the Ian Fleming-created icon played by Sir Sean Connery.
Bond purists have already had to deal with an English Secret Service agent as played by Pierce Brosnan (who should have brought his suits from Remington Steele, his TV series) converting to Brioni, a high style Italian house for his suitings. A venerable House, but with it's padded shoulders, high arm-holes and narrow fit, a far too flashy look for Bond. What do you expect from a Bond who drives a BMW rather than an Aston Martin?
Fleming gives us a window into Bond's style in his early books.
Bond wears only white shirts, a solid blue or charcoal grey suit and a black knit tie. This is precisely what Sean Connery wore in Goldfinger when ... eh ... dressed to kill.
The problem in Skyfall, in the nutshell? Daniel Craig's slim cut suits are too tight, too narrow shouldered and too small. At 5 foot 10, they make him look smaller.
The suits for Daniel Craig in Skyfall were designed by costume designer Jany Termime and made by someone who surely knows better, Tom Ford. They look more like the work of Thomas Browne (known for his short, tight and close fitting suits for younger men) for in Skyfall all of Bonds suits, his evening clothes and his topcoat are too small and too tight. 007 shouldn't be wearing suits better suited to Pee Wee Herman or Curly Howard of the Three Stooges.
Even worse Mr. Craig suits are too short, a style called a "bum-freezer" during World War II when their were fabric shortages. Agent 007 shouldn't not leave his ass uncovered. A shorter jacket makes a short man look shorter. Craig is a mere 5 foot 10. Villain Javier Bardem is 6 ft. No wonder Craig looks small in their fight scenes.
I have no real quarrel with the superb fabrics and somber palette of colors chosen by Ms. Termime and Mr. Ford. The tab-collar is, of course, a reach as Bond wore a medium white spread collar but at least it's a 60's look.
Incredibly Ms. Termime cops to making the clothes too small believing Mr. Craig is like Batman in a spandex bodysuit , made to show every sinew of his muscle. Of Bond's too tight suit "I don't have any problem with Bond running or driving a motorcycle in a suit, because a suit is a second skin in that case." Said Termime. Craig is not a large man and despite his great physique the suits make him look diminutive on film. The Jany/Ford suits minimize the star of the movie. They make him smaller than life.
Read the rest here.
Here's what caught my eye from the article:
ReplyDelete"Even worse Mr. Craig suits are too short, a style called a "bum-freezer" during World War II when their were fabric shortages."
I have been telling my spouse and fashion adviser that the slim, "Euro-suit," look that is going around is just an effort to give you less while charging you the same or even more.
Bernanke money printing is even cramping our style.
Oldster alert! if it's too slim, you're too old.
ReplyDeleteHere, the articles rock, but miss this once. Not roomy suits. Even the very establishment GQ has it right: Sleeves and cuffs shorter than usual in modern America, and jackets that hug the torso. Try it, it's a real man's fit, it's not the loose and baggy slave's garb they would like you to wear. (Do you eat the State's diet, and want their garb, too?)
ReplyDeleteStop. These things make you look like an idiot and/or that you never learned how to dress yourself properly. Next you're going to tell us we should keep the temporary stitched-on fabric sales label on the sleeve.
DeleteClothes that fit always look good.
Oh jeeeeese. Who in their right mind gives a flying f*ck what a fictional character in a cartoon move wears????? The world is drowning in poverty. People are dying. Let's all try to keep our eye on the ball here people...
ReplyDelete