My mother always warned me to stay away from boys with baggy pants. Maybe it’s because I grew up idolizing Audrey Hepburn, but the men of her movies always epitomized how a man should carry himself.

Unless you keep your ear to door about the latest trends, and have the wallet to back up all of its changes, the best fashion advice a man can follow is to stick with timeless looks that will never go out of style. Men like Gregory Peck, Cary Grant, and Humphrey Bogart didn’t look cool and confident solely because of their dashing looks (although that didn’t hurt), everything they wore looked like it was made for them. These ascribed to the practice of the clothes not wearing the man. To achieve a similar effect, you don’t need to dress like a 1950s actor, but by adding modern versions of certain pieces, you can add a classic nostalgia to your look.

The Waistcoat

Looking like Gregory Peck isn’t something most men can pull off, but taking a part of his look, namely the waistcoat, is completely doable. If you’re looking for a more up to date version of this look, you need to look no further than the character Harvey Specter in the USA show Suits. Both Peck as Atticus Finch in To Kill a Mocking Bird and Macht in Suits, manage dress in classic gentleman style and yet still exude the power they need to when playing a lawyer.


The Trench

The trenchcoat is another look that has gone by the wayside, but it is a relatively simple piece that is practical as well! Not just for PI’s in a film noir, or Humphrey Bogart in Casablanca, the classic trenchcoat is a good investment in your wardrobe, that won’t go out of style anytime soon. It is also a great way to class up your ensemble if you’re not the suit and tie type.

The Suit

Cary Grant wore a suit the way a suit should be worn, focusing on fit, and what looked good on him, as opposed to attracting attention with big colours or gimmicks. His style was elegant with clean lines, and a slightly narrower fit.

Whereas the Harvey Specter suit and thicker tie is meant to invoke power, the modern Cary Grant look can be envisioned in USA’s other show White Collar. Matt Bromer, who plays the sly, reformed, white collar criminal Neal Caffrey, maintains clean lines while jumping from windows and chasing bad guys, and pumps up the effect of a demur colour palette with his confidence and a cheeky grin.

Regardless of your profession, or how deep your pockets are, pieces of Hollywood classicism can be implemented into your wardrobe, whether it’s a tweed blazer, a pocket square, or pant pleats. Classic Hollywood is never out of style.
 

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Bianca Ker is the talented blogger behind StealMyPlaylist