Evolution of the Bond Suit

If you haven’t noticed by now, we love Bond. And really, who doesn’t? From his impossibly cool and cavalier swagger to his regular involvement with gorgeous women, guys (and girls) can always bond over some Bond. One of our favorite characteristics of this uber spy is his prowess with his wardrobe. 007 has an enviable collection of impeccably tailored suits and one-of-a-kind accessories and gadgets. He’s got killer style and it’d be tough to find a situation where the words don’t fit. Simply put, James Bond is the absolute archetype of a well-dressed man.
With the recent release of the 23^rd Bond movie, Skyfall, we’ve seen a lot of changes to the Bond character and franchise, including a more human Bond haunted by ghosts of missions past, a Q who’s younger than our current intern and some modern updates to Bond’s classic style. And while we won’t go into the “who’s the best Bond” debate here (you’ve voted on your favorites earlier), we’ll give you a more sartorial take on the progression of Bond. To do this, we chose our two favorite Bonds –  the modern Daniel Craig and the original Sean Connery – and broke down our favorite look of each. It’s Bond vs. Bond and we pull no punches in calling this marquee match-up.

Voted the favorite Bond of all time by Black Lapel readers, Sean Connery is often seen as the iconic Bond when it comes to his style. One of his most famous looks is pictured above. Dubbed the “Goldfinger suit”, this gray checked (very subtle checks) three-piece has become one of the most renown suits of the Bond franchise. The fit is roomier than the slim, modern cut of Daniel Craig’s Bond, but certainly not at any expense of class. As you can see, the original Bond kept it simple when it came to colors, wearing his suit with a solid white shirt (with French Cuffs), solid black silk knit tie and solid white pocket square. Here’s how you can replicate this dapper ensemble.

The Sean Connery Gray Suit (from Goldfinger)

1. Solid Cool Gray Three-piece Suit (pictured above with 2 buttons, slim lapels, and a ticket pocket) or the new Gray Glen Check suit (coming soon!)
2. Solid White Shirt with spread collar and rounded French cuffs
3. Solid Black Silk Knit Tie
4. Solid White Pocket Square
5. Crockett & Jones Solid Black Oxfords
6. Grappling Gun (Disclaimer: Black Lapel is not responsible for any well-dressed men who decide to rappel down commercial buildings)
7. Homing Device (just in case the everyday Bond in you forgets where you parked your car, where you left your keys or where your child went)
8. Aston Martin DB5 (yes, we would all like to have one of these)

His ego may be bruised and he may be a step or two slower than his card hustling days, but his style is clearly undiminished. Daniel Craig wears a flawlessly tailored charcoal blue suit in Skyfall, pictured above. This slim suit is well tailored to flatter the modern Bond’s more athletic physique. Craig wears this suit with a solid light blue shirt and finishes it off with a slim, solid navy tie (worn with a classic four-in-hand knot) and a simple straight-folded, solid light blue pocket square. The simplicity of the outfit represents the classic timelessness that Bond is known for, while the sharp, clean and slimmer details of the look signify a new, resurrected Bond.

The Daniel Craig Charcoal Blue Suit (Skyfall)

1. Charcoal Blue Suit (coming soon!)
2. Solid Light Blue Shirt (Bond wears a tab collar, which is available upon special request)
3. Slim Solid Royal Blue Tie (four-in-hand knot)
4. Light Blue Twill Pocket Square (straight fold)
5. Black Oxfords
6. Biometric-keyed Walther PPK (or just a Walther PPK for those of us without our own Q)
7. Sony Xperia Android w/ Tracking App 
8. Aston Martin DB5 (of course)

So whether you’re a Bond traditionalist or Bond modernist, you can’t go wrong if you take some style hints from 007 himself. The best part about all of Bond’s outfits is that they are simple and timeless, consisting of basic colors and simple accessories. Your closet probably already contains most of what you need to dress like 007. What really makes Bond look so good is that his clothes fit properly and are worn with the utmost confidence. Bond always wears his clothes – his clothes never wear him. It’s time for you to do the same!