Spanning seven decades, the James Bond franchise is one of the longest running and most successful film franchises of all time. The film series is inspired by the novels written by coveted author Ian Fleming and the main character has been portrayed by six actors over the years: George Lazenby, Sean Connery, Timothy Dalton, Pierce Brosnan, Roger Moore and, most recently, Daniel Craig.
Known for his career in espionage and risk-taking escapades, the well-dressed British MI5 spy Bond is the very definition of dapper. He can be seen to be sporting smart tailored suits and tuxedos as well as coordinated casual wear throughout the films.
Some of these looks stand out as being iconic and inspirational to many fashion loving fans. Here is a collection of Bond’s best-known looks from the film franchise:
Black Tux in Casino Royale
For casino enthusiasts that love to play a game of poker at one of the many online poker providers, the 2006 film Casino Royale is a great place to start. In fact, it is probably one of the best and most memorable movies in the entire series. In his first mission as 007, Bond (played by Daniel Craig) is tasked with defeating a banker funding terrorist mission in a very high stakes poker tournament in Montenegro.
To fit in with the casino’s classy clientele, the secret agent is guided by Vesper to dress the part. In the film’s climactic scenes Vesper hands Bond a Brioni dinner jacket tux to wear for the tournament.
Made of black wool, the dinner jacket is traditional evening wear suitable for a luxurious venue setting. It has one button at the front, four buttons at the sleeves and ottoman silk lapels, as well as silk trimmed pockets and buttons. The jacket is a very classic fitted cut with padded shoulders and suppressed waist.
The black matching trousers have black horn buttons. These Italian inspired trousers also have single reverse pleats and are straight legged. As is customary for Bond suits, this tux is without a waistcoat to give a modern sleek look.
Braces holding up the trousers is another iconic Bond look, for this outfit the agent sports white white moiré silk braces with brass fittings. His white shirt features double cuffs and a placket with hidden buttons.
This evening suit is perfect for the occasion and is tailored to suit the character’s muscular physique. When dressing for a casino night or other fancy occasion, this iconic Bond look often serves as inspiration for many.
Sand Corduroy Unstructured Suit in No Time to Die
At the beginning of No Time to Die, Bond (played by Daniel Craig) is holidaying in Matera after having quit the secret service. Given this position, he has no need to dress in formal attire but is so used to wearing a suit.
This is where the corduroy unstructured Massimo Alba comes into play. The suit is modern and relaxed and the sand colour helps Bond blend into his surroundings.
The jacket’s soft construction gives it a more natural and casual look, suitable for his off-duty activities. This is the first time the character has been seen sporting a corduroy suit, but while this may be an unusual material choice for him the wearing of a suit feels familiar and in-character for Bond.
In keeping with the casual feel, the suit jacket’s shoulders are soft and natural and the jacket is finished with a thin partial lining for added comfort in the warm weather. Detailing includes straight flap pockets and a breast pocket.
The pick stitching is intentionally very noticeable against the sand corduroy. In Bond style, the trousers are held up by blue grey braces, despite there being belt loops. This blue colour complements the cornflower blue shirt, which unlike common Bond looks this shirt features a button-down collar.
Whether or not this outfit choice is the most practical for the scenes in the film, it illustrates that the agent retains his style both on and off the clock and does not compromise.
Glen Plaid Three-Piece Suit In Goldfinger
Daniel Craig isn’t the only Bond to have worn iconic looks, in the film Goldfinger Sean Connery leaves an impression with his three-piece suit that was made by Anthony Sinclair. The suit is grey at first glance but pay attention and you will notice the fine grey and white glen check on fabric woven in a 2×2 hopsack weave.
In usual Connery style, the cuffs have four buttons and the lapels are narrow. On the other hand, the trousers are a little different to those worn in his two previous films. Connery’s bond usually sports suit trousers with turn ups, while these double forward-pleated fronted trousers have plain bottoms.
Two pairs of black shoes are worn with this suit, firstly black two-eyelet derby shoes and then black slip-on demi boots in later scenes. This iconic look is remembered as one of his most sophisticated.
