Cary Grant’s Gray Plaid Summer Suit in An Affair to Remember
Cary Grant as Nickie Ferrante in An Affair to Remember (1957)
Vitals
Cary Grant as Nicolò “Nickie” Ferrante, socialite playboy
Onboard the SS Constitution in the Mediterranean, December 1956
Film: An Affair to Remember
Release Date: July 2, 1957
Director: Leo McCarey
Executive Wardrobe Designer: Charles Le Maire
Background
In honor of my parents’ 35th wedding anniversary today, I’m delving into Cary Grant’s well-tailored wardrobe from the romantic classic An Affair to Remember.
What’d He Wear?
For a brief scene aboard the SS Constitution and later when visiting his Italian grandmother’s villa in the French Riviera, Nickie Ferrante wears an elegant worsted summer suit in what appears to be a fine black-and-white glen check plain weave for a light gray plaid effect, similar to the legendary blue-on-gray plaid suit that Cary Grant would wear two years later in North by Northwest.
The single-breasted suit jacket in An Affair to Remember has notch lapels which roll over the top of three buttons on the front, a welted breast pocket, and straight hip pockets with flaps. Each cuff is finished with three buttons and there is a single vent in the back.
Nickie relives more pleasant memories when touring his grandmother’s home months after his visit with Terry.
The suit is perfectly tailored for Grant’s lean physique with the drape cut jacket’s buttoning point meeting the trouser waistband, although Grant is briefly seen making the faux pas of fastening both of the lower two buttons of his 3-roll-2 front.
The high-rise trousers have double reverse pleats, side pockets, and narrow turn-ups (cuffs) on the bottoms.
Elegance at sea.
Grant wears a white cotton dress shirt with a point collar that de-emphasizes his famously thick neck. The shirt has a front placket and double (French) cuffs. He also wears a silver silk tie, worn in a four-in-hand knot with a perfect dimple.
As he would in North by Northwest, Grant wears brown leather shoes with light gray socks that continue the leg line from his trousers into his shoes. These particular oxfords are a lighter shade of mahogany brown than the cordovan derby shoes he wears in North by Northwest, appropriate for the lighter colored suit.
In his hand, Grant carries Nickie’s dark gray felt short-brimmed fedora with its slim gray grosgrain ribbon. He appears to be wearing the same gold Cartier tank watch that Grant wore in real life.
How to Get the Look
Cary Grant’s dashing plaid summer suit in An Affair to Remember appears to be a lighter colored prototype for the famous suit that he would wear in North by Northwest, right down to the monochromatic solid tie and brown shoes.
- Light gray plaid silk tailored summer suit:
- Single-breasted 3-roll-2-button jacket with notch lapels, welted breast pocket, straight flapped hip pockets, 3-button cuffs, and single vent
- Double reverse-pleated high-rise trousers with side pockets and narrow turn-ups/cuffs
- White cotton dress shirt with point collar, front placket, and double/French cuffs
- Silver silk tie
- Mahogany brown leather oxfords/balmorals
- Light gray dress socks
- Dark gray felt short-brimmed fedora with slim gray grosgrain ribbon
- Cartier Tank yellow gold wristwatch with square white dial and black leather strap
Do Yourself a Favor and…
Buy the movie.
A grand suit. Elegant, simple, timeless. Grant is superb as a shallow, vain playboy who is led out of a pointless existence by the gorgeous Deborah Kerr. But I have to say I detest the rags he slops about in when he transforms himself into a starving painter. Love the scene in the chapel when Nickie starts to cross himself. He realizes Terry (a good Catholic) won’t be fooled so he settles for just straightening his tie.