London businesswear uniform

[Tomasso]

Cary Grant.... usually just wore drab grey single-breasted 2 piece suits with a boring white shirt and skinny black tie.

Dude, you are so off base. Do some homework.

 

[habberdasher]

Dude, you are so off base. Do some homework.

I think I may know what I'm talking about...search Cary Grant and most of his suits are what I described. Search Sean Connery and you get him in a disgraceful no-tailed, suit-like tuxedo with NOT a wing-up collared tuxedo shirt but an informal wide collar-unacceptable for a tuxedo. And please don't say "dude".

 

[Tomasso]

I think I may know what I'm talking about.

If I had the energy I would rain upon you dozens of pix of CG wearing DB suits, from the 30's and 40's. DUDE!

 

[Mr. Rover]

Dude.....:eusa_doh:

 

[Tomasso]

Dude.....:eusa_doh:

That's how I talk to kids, dude.

 

[Drew B]

... hey dudes.

 

[Sapphire]

Yeah, I don't see where all the hype about Sean Connery and Cary Grant in a suit comes from. Both of them usually just wore drab grey single-breasted 2 piece suits with a boring white shirt and skinny black tie.

Yes, but in the case of James Bond, don't forget what this gentleman is doing in a suit or tuxedo. Jumping from buildings, catching cars, shooting a few nasty commies with a fountain pen etc.... considering that the average modern person would prefer to wear an army suit or other more "practical" garment for such tasks, I find it quite impressive.

 

[Edward]

Yeah, I don't see where all the hype about Sean Connery and Cary Grant in a suit comes from. Both of them usually just wore drab grey single-breasted 2 piece suits with a boring white shirt and skinny black tie.

Grant had a lot more style than that.... Connery as Bond I actually think was very well dressed for his era; I'm just less of a fan of that very sixties look, which has possibly less to do with its look and more to do with being tired of the general sixties-fetish that appears to be a constant part of the culture of the UK at times. [huh]

 

[norton]

tired of the general sixties-fetish [huh]

I'll second that. Being on the tail end of the baby boomers I've been tired of the sixties fetish since about 1970.

 

[Feraud]

Both of them usually just wore drab grey single-breasted 2 piece suits with a boring white shirt and skinny black tie.

Tomasso is correct that you are extremely off base on this assumption.
Grant was an ardent devotee of clothing and style.
It doesn't take much casual observation of Grant's films (aside from the obvious North By Northwest that colors certain opinion) to see he wore a wider variety than drab gray sb outfits with skinny ties.

Research takes more than a Google images search.


As for the topic of businessmen's wear, business is business and being a fashion trendsetter is not part of the equation.

 

[avedwards]

Firstly, about Connery's Bond, while I generally think the 60s was a time when people experimented in ways which failed (such as stopping hat wearing) Bond does look good for the era. His suits are tailored as can be seen by the fact that they drape nicely even when he sits down and keeps them buttoned up. He also does wear a pocket square all the time. It's true that most of his suits are drab grey but I find that he makes what I used to consider a boring colour seem very stylish. And also the nature of the character means he would wear grey suits as he wants to look inconspicuous which he certainly does in films where all the extras seem to wear grey suits. And his tuxes are notch lapel but it was at a time when this was the done thing so I wouldn't blame him for being fashionable. He is the only hatless character who's look I would copy, even when he does what we would consider fashion mistakes looking from a Golden Era perspective.

Secondly, businessmen aren't supposed to be fashion trendsetters but wearing a proper overcoat in winter or wearing a pocket square wouldn't make them unbusinesslike.

 

[MisterCairo]

I think I may know what I'm talking about...search Cary Grant and most of his suits are what I described. Search Sean Connery and you get him in a disgraceful no-tailed, suit-like tuxedo with NOT a wing-up collared tuxedo shirt but an informal wide collar-unacceptable for a tuxedo. And please don't say "dude".

Chill, Winston.....

Google is not the be all and end all as has been mentioned. To suggest Cary Grant is not representative of a degree of class and style is not likely to garner much support, and for good reason. In his films and in his daily life, he wore classy clothes and he wore them well.

What Connery wore in the Bond films of his day were representative of classy styles of the period. As for one tuxedo style being classless, where exactly was it decided that tails made the tuxedo? What of the fact that the term "tuxedo" itself is controversial in some sartorial circles? There's a thread in here somewhere where that is discussed.

And if you "search" formal wear styles from 1890 to 2009, you'll find many different styles. Can you tell us which ones are "right" and which ones are "wrong" and, importanly, why?

 

[benstephens]

Hat wearing started to become slightly unfashionable by the end of the 1930s in England.

If you were to go into the West end you see many finely dressed (and that is finely dressed to our standards and tastes) gentleman, many sporting a nice Trilby. I was even in one restaurant with some clients a few weeks ago on a Friday and chap was in breeches, apparently on his way to a sporting weekend in the country. Had stopped in for a bottle of red.

You have to remember that we also live in a different climate to that of the past. Many buisness men, especially bankers are encouraged to dress down when comming to and from work, hence the beanies and ski jackets. Here you could be describing my father who, always used to wear a mac and trilby up until the late 90s. He is in a very senior position, but again, dresses down when he goes to and from work.

Kindest regards

Ben

 

[sfend002]

Hat wearing started to become slightly unfashionable by the end of the 1930s in England.

If you were to go into the West end you see many finely dressed (and that is finely dressed to our standards and tastes) gentleman, many sporting a nice Trilby. I was even in one restaurant with some clients a few weeks ago on a Friday and chap was in breeches, apparently on his way to a sporting weekend in the country. Had stopped in for a bottle of red.

You have to remember that we also live in a different climate to that of the past. Many buisness men, especially bankers are encouraged to dress down when comming to and from work, hence the beanies and ski jackets. Here you could be describing my father who, always used to wear a mac and trilby up until the late 90s. He is in a very senior position, but again, dresses down when he goes to and from work.

Kindest regards

Ben

Ok, I have to know why? Is it because of the risk of becoming the victim of a crime?

 

[benstephens]

Yes, unfortunately. Bankers, are not the most liked people in this country at the moment.

I know my Dad advises his staff to all dress down whilst commuting.

Kindest Regards

Ben

 

[Edward]

That's interesting - I'd only heard the encouragement to dress down when it was widely publicised around the time of he scaremonger5ing over the May Day / G20 protests.

 

[habberdasher]

Yes, but in the case of James Bond, don't forget what this gentleman is doing in a suit or tuxedo. Jumping from buildings, catching cars, shooting a few nasty commies with a fountain pen etc.... considering that the average modern person would prefer to wear an army suit or other more "practical" garment for such tasks, I find it quite impressive.

Yes, but usually this happens after being at a party!

 

[habberdasher]

Hat wearing started to become slightly unfashionable by the end of the 1930s in England.

Kindest regards

Ben

That's very surprising! I'm baffled! Americans wore hats until the early 60s! Do you know what triggered this? I've always been brought up believing that the Brits were highly well-dressed for the current standards by bring the formality up a bit or a lot in their daily attire.

 

[habberdasher]

If I had the energy I would rain upon you dozens of pix of CG wearing DB suits, from the 30's and 40's. DUDE!

I'd prefer Grant over Sean Connery in style. I just don't really admire Connery's silhouette-too sleek and 60s for me...and the dreaded look of wearing a four-in-hand with a spread collar! How lazy...it's not stylish either! And his suits always looked too slim.

 

[benstephens]

Edward,

We only here when it is well publicised. However, I know some banks, such as my dads do reccomend dressing down. It is the same in my industry as well for obvious reasons.

Habberdasher, Hat wearing began to go into decline in the late 30s in this country. When you see pictures of large crowds, certainly a lot of the younger men are not wearing hats. Like all things, this was just prevailing fashion. the hat industry did try and take action by bringing out a range of hats endorsed by band leaders to try and make them popular again.

Here is the inside of one I have

Kindest regards

Ben