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Who Are Your Style Icons?

shindeco

A-List Customer
Messages
377
Location
Vancouver (the one north of M.K.)
Fred Astaire and the Nicholas Brothers (Harold and Fayard)
All three proved that clothes are meant for moving bodies; not static models.

And my dad; he's 82 and has never thrown a tie out in his life. My collection pales in comparison with his; especially as his were all bought when they were the latest thing!!
 

herringbonekid

I'll Lock Up
Messages
6,016
Location
East Sussex, England
i've always been a fan of the early 50s brooding male look, as demonstrated here by kerouac, clift and dean...

50smen.jpg
 

Harp

I'll Lock Up
Messages
8,508
Location
Chicago, IL US
Matt Deckard said:
Did I mention Patrick Macnee?
Velvet collars on suits, umbrella in hand.



...the very image of the Coldstream Guards officer: Bowler (rakish tilt),
impeccable suit, umbrella. Clean, decisive, immaculate-with a red carnation tucked inside the lapel. :)
 

Brian Sheridan

One Too Many
Messages
1,456
Location
Erie, PA
George Hamilton -- old Hollywood charm and manners; excellent dresser. I met him once at a department store event and he could not have been nicer. Jokes aside about his perpetual tan, he's a true man of style and wit.

BRS
 

Jack Scorpion

One Too Many
Messages
1,097
Location
Hollywoodland
sp-thegetaway-mcqueen.jpg

Steve McQueen in The Getaway. Wearing nice, dark suits for every occasion. Overdressing. Cool. On the lam. Shotgun. Few words. Gets dirty, but looks good dirty.

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Clint Eastwood in the Sergio Leone movies. Relaxed. Standalone. Stubble on his chin. The strong silent type. Heroic. I still think he was the best looking man in movie history.

longgoodbye.jpg

Elliot Gould in The Long Goodbye. Wearing the same thing all the time. Refuses to wear anything else. Same suit, same tie. Iconic. But comfortable everyday fit. Kinda messy. The take everything as it comes attitude. Heroic but not stoic.

Noir movies in general for the fedora.
 

Dapper Dan

One of the Regulars
Messages
136
Location
Austin, Texas
Geo - I've got that poster hanging in my room. I, too, think jazz men dressed very cool - Lester Young and his porkpie hat, for example, or Miles in his trad suits. Some days I think, "What would a jazz man from '53 wear?" and sort of dress to that.

My everyday style heroes, though, are Fred Astaire for his casual elegance, Cary Grant for his charming nattiness, and Gary Cooper for that sort of lopsided, completely at ease in his clothes look he exuded. There are a lot of other people and things that influence my style as well, too many to name. Some days I want to evoke a certain look, from fedora and trench to newsboy cap and cable knit cardigan. I think, more than anything, I aim to look like I just slipt off the Metro-Goldwyn-Meyer lot circa 1937.
 

Lionheart

One of the Regulars
Messages
101
Location
Metro-Boston
Hemingway Jones said:
I did a quick search and didn't find anything precisely like this; forgive me if there is, but I am curious, from both men and women, as to who are your style icons, who are those people that you have adapted all or part of thier wardrobe, style, habits, or possessions?

For me:
Cary Grant - The essence of style and sophistication; James Bond without the violence; grace and poise; the perfect gray suit with a white shirt and gray tie; and that voice. His walk was like a dance, as if the firmament were propelling him.

Ernest Hemingway - A bull charging through life; my first introduction to tweed and guayaberas; the safari look; strength, composure, and the thing I took most from him is his sense of interior design (minus the animal heads -those things are expensive!)

Sean Connery (as James Bond) - The hair (when he had hair!); the perfect tuxedo that still looks appropriate today; the 'Godlfinger Suit' (God Bless Magnoli!); The only James Bond to wear jeans and sing -in the same moment; the sense of danger; the voice; the only Bond to wear a hat in a nonformal wear situation (Roger Moore carried a hat, but didn't wear it); the confidence.

Harrison Ford as Indiana Jones - The reluctant man of action; moving easily from academia to deep jungles; the articulate scholar who is not afraid to mix it up. Dr Jones is his alter-ego; the glasses go on and the persona softens.

Gene Kelly - the consumate dancer; danced so well, he made it seems as if you could do it, as if his motion could somehow buoy you; he seemed as if he could go from the ballroom to the bar room without skipping a beat and if a fight went down, he would probably be the last fellow standing; the light pants and tight polo shirts or light pants and button-up shirts with sweater vests; I took many of my casual looks from him.

Humphrey Bogart - He was short, his head was too large, he was funny looking, he had a speech impediment, yet he may be the coolest man that ever lived. The intensity; those fierce penetrating eyes; the sense of conflict in his face as his mouth tensed, his eyes seemingly reading words projected before him, words that only he could see; the rakish tilt of his hat; the Burberry overcoat; standing in the rain in "The Barefoot Contessa" wearing the same outfit as Rick in "Casablanca" but older, sadder, and more resolute.

David, the Duke of Windsor - The smell of waxed cotton and the protection a Barbour affords; the country look; the tough luxory of a Harris Tweed sportcoat; regimental stripe ties; Panama Hats; Brigg Umbrellas; Argyle socks and sweaters; club ties; blue blazers; many of my looks come from him: Blue blazer, white shirt, red striped tie, tan dress pants (often substituted with khakis) and tan dress shoes. Country shoes, argyles, moleskin pants, tattersail shirts, club tie, and a tweed jacket, perhaps with a Barbour over it.

So, these are mine, or at least those that I can remember at this hour. I would love to hear about yours...

I gotta go with Gene Kelly - In my mind, he had a very sophisticated and "mannerly" look. He was also extremely talented, and reminds me of a day where those qualities meant something. A true gentleman.
 

Amy Jeanne

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,858
Location
Colorado
louise-1.jpg

Currently, I'm sporting this hairdo and have been since 2001!! I also try my best to emulate the billowy look of the 20s and 30s as seen on this dress worn by Louise Brooks.

myrna.jpg

But as I'm getting a bit older, the bob-and-bangs are beginning to bore me a bit. And I no longer think I look good with bangs. I'm growing my hair out into something like Myrna Loy's pictured here. I look forward to doing something fun with my naturally straight, thin hair. I also adore Myrna's grace and elegance and only WISH I could be as fab as her.

kay.jpg

If my hair were thicker I'd do what Kay Francis has done here! Kay is one of my idols -- I'm currently reading her bio and she was *me,* practically. There are so many simularities in our opinions and way of thought that it's very admirable!

clara.jpg

As for makeup, I like to blend the look of Clara Bow....

jean.jpg

...and Jean Harlow. Yes, I'm one of those "scary" people with thin, drawn-on eyebrows. But I'm not at fault for my lack of eyebrowage; nature is! (I actually blame my grandmother who doesn't have eyebrows, either ;) )

I pretty much adore any and all actresses from the 20s and 30s. Since I can't really dress like my idols, I mainly stick to hair, makeup, and attitude. I'd say these ladies have inspired me most in those departments.
 

Feraud

Bartender
Messages
17,190
Location
Hardlucksville, NY
Whether it be the 30s, 40s, or 50s I like the everyday man look.
No spats or tails for this fella. Cooper, Stewart, Lancaster, Cagney, Bogey, etc. See below for examples.

cagney.jpg

Fred.jpg

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THE_NATURAL_SPECIAL_EDITION-1.jpg

RAZORSEDGE-33.jpg

HIGH_SIERRA-0.jpg

PAPERMOON-96.jpg
 

Dapper Dan

One of the Regulars
Messages
136
Location
Austin, Texas
Yeah, I think the common man has gotten significantly less stylish in the past fifty years. Cagney is one of my favorite actors. The Roaring Twenties would have been mediocre at best if it weren't for Cagney.
 

Smithy

I'll Lock Up
Messages
5,139
Location
Norway
My "style icons" would be:

- The Few from the Battle of Britain
- W. M. L "Billy" Fiske III
- The Bentley Boys
- The Duke of Windsor

There's more but those are the main chaps.
 

Daisy Buchanan

My Mail is Forwarded Here
Messages
3,332
Location
BOSTON! LETS GO PATRIOTS!!!
Ava Gardner

Audrey Hepburn

Grace Kelly

Myrna Loy

Lana Turner

Ginger Rogers

Hedy Lamar

All of these ladies had a certain grace and style about them that modern day actresses lack. They are all different, each has certain characteristics in their style that I try to emulate.
 

Lady Day

I'll Lock Up
Bartender
Messages
9,087
Location
Crummy town, USA
Miss Neecerie said:
I don't think I have style icons....


Me either [huh]

There have never been any celebs that Ive wanted to look like (or look like), or mold my look off of, so out of survival Ive fashioned my own style.

I think its coming along rather swimmingly. :rolleyes:

LD

PS Oh Miss Neecerie, you gots style in spades.
 

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