Vitals

Sean Connery as James Bond, British secret agent

Nassau, Summer 1965

Film: Thunderball
Release Date: December 29, 1965
Director: Terence Young

Background

Bond: Sir, I respectfully suggest that you assign me to Nassau.
M: Is there a reason besides your enthusiasm for water sports?

You really can’t blame James Bond for eagerly volunteering to take on MI6’s post in the Bahamas. Of all of Sean Connery’s early 007 adventures, Thunderball always struck me as the most aspirational, perfectly blending adventure, danger, style, and wit with the necessary Bond elements of exotic surroundings, clever gadgets, and a bevy of international beauties. Lurking threat of nuclear disaster aside, Thunderball presents the ideal summer holiday.

To celebrate the summer solstice, I’m somewhat departing from the usual BAMF Style format for a feature that highlights the best of Bond’s warm-weather duds… and where you can find them today to pack for your own beach vacation.

What to Pack

007’s pro tip: Think pink and blue with a touch of neutral sand tones as needed. Shirts should be short-sleeved with camp collars, shorts should be short, and everything should go well with a pair of espadrilles.

For purposes of practicality and ease, this feature will focus solely on the warm-weather casual wear worn by Sean Connery during his tenure as James Bond, mostly centered around Thunderball and Mr. Bond’s timeless dressed-down wardrobe for a mission in the Bahamas.

NB: Originally published June 2018, all links are reviewed and updated on an annual basis. Latest update: May 20, 2021
If linked products are unavailable as you’re reading this, you can still use the details as a guide to researching and finding your own Bond-inspired beach gear.
Items I own (and, thus, can personally endorse!) are marked with a light blue asterisk(*).

Shirts

During the Connery era through the 1960s, James Bond’s preferred top for warm-weather casual-wear was a short-sleeved sport shirt, made from a light, breathable fabric like linen or summer-weight cotton and detailed with a sporty one-piece camp collar and a “convenient pocket”.

Pink Linen Camp Shirt

As seen in: Thunderball (1965)

The situation: Enjoying a refreshing boozy drink by the waterside with a lovely new acquaintance.

The details:

• Color: Rose pink melange
• Material: Linen
• Style: Button-up sport shirt
• Collar: Camp collar
• Sleeves: Short sleeves
• Other details: Breast pocket, side vents, no placket
• Read more at BAMF Style, Bond Suits

Now that we know Tommy Bahama is a Bond-approved brand—per Daniel Craig’s Jamaican-dwelling 007 in No Time to Die—it’s no surprise to see this Seattle-based island-themed outfitter offer some of the best examples of alternatives for what may be Bond’s most popular beach shirt! (As of summer 2021, at least…)

Where to find similar shirts:

• Tommy Bahama “Sea Glass Linen” camp shirt in “new red sail” linen (Island Trends)*
  • In my opinion, this is your best bet for making the look your own!
• Orlebar Brown “007 Cardinal Capri Collar Shirt” in cardinal Italian linen (Orlebar Brown)
  • Directly inspired by Connery’s Thunderball shirt!
• 28 Palms “Relaxed Fit” camp shirt in coral silk (Amazon)
  • Differences: slightly different color, silk fabric, and edge stitching
• 28 Palms “Standard Fit” shirt in coral linen (Amazon)
  • Differences: slightly different color and point collar (non-camp)
• Abercrombie & Fitch camp shirt in light pink cotton/viscose (A&F)*
  • Differences: lighter color, different fabric, and no pocket
• Abercrombie & Fitch linen-blend camp shirt in paprika red linen blend (A&F)
  • Differences: darker color and no pocket
• Open Edit “Print Cabana Shirt” in pink lantana polyester blend (Nordstrom Rack)
  • Differences: lighter color, manmade fabric, and no pocket
• Orlebar Brown “Hibbert” in vintage rose linen/cotton blend (Selfridge’s)
  • Differences: lighter color and no pocket
• Port Authority “Textured Camp Shirt” in deep coral (Amazon)
  • Differences: texture and cheaper cotton/polyester blend material
• Portugese Flannel “Vilar Shirt” in “pink dobby” cotton (STAG Provisions)
  • Similarities: style, camp, collar, and pocket
  • Differeences: textured and slightly paler shade
• Rag & Bone “Avery Rayon Shirt” in burlwood rayon blend (Rag & Bone)
  • Differences: slightly different color, manmade fabric, and no pocket
• Todd Snyder camp shirt in salmon Irish linen (Todd Snyder)
  • Differences: slightly different color
• Tommy Bahama “Al Fresco Tropics” camp shirt in paradise pink silk (Island Trends)
  • Differences: subtle floral print and silk material
• Tommy Bahama “Sea Glass Linen” camp shirt in light rose linen (Island Trends)
  • Differences: slightly lighter color… otherwise, impressively close!
• Tommy Bahama “Tropic Isle” camp shirt in candy rose silk (Island Trends)
  • Difference: silk fabric… otherwise, impressively close!

Pink-and-White Gingham Shirt

As seen in: Thunderball (1965)

The situation: Romantic rendezvous on the beach after a private swim

The details:

• Color: Pink-and-white gingham check
• Material: Cotton
• Style: Button-up sport shirt
• Collar: Camp collar
• Sleeves: Short sleeves
• Other details: Breast pocket, side vents, no placket
• Read more at BAMF Style, Bond Suits

Where to find similar shirts:

• Amazon Essentials “Short Sleeve Gingham Shirt” in pink gingham (Amazon)
• Orvis “Tencel® Dobby Gingham Short-Sleeved Shirt” in red (Orvis)
• Penguin “Short Sleeve Gingham with Stretch” in fuchsia (Amazon)

Blue-and-White Gingham Shirt

As seen in: Thunderball (1965)

The situation: Helicopter ride over the ocean

The details:

• Color: Pink-and-white gingham check
• Material: Cotton
• Style: Button-up sport shirt
• Collar: Camp collar
• Sleeves: Short sleeves
• Other details: Breast pocket, side vents, no placket
• Read more at BAMF Style, Bond Suits

Where to find similar shirts:

• Amazon Essentials “Short Sleeve Gingham Shirt” in blue gingham (Amazon)
• Jos. A. Bank “Reserve Collection Tailored Fit Check Camp Shirt” in light purple (Jos. A. Bank)
• Mason & Sons “Camp Collar Seersucker Shirt” in sky blue gingham (Mason & Sons)
• Orlebar Brown “Thunderball Gingham Shirt” in blue-and-white gingham cotton with toweling lining (Orlebar Brown)
• Orvis “Tencel® Dobby Gingham Short-Sleeved Shirt” in light blue (Orvis)
• Untuckit “Wrinkle-Free Performance Short-Sleeve Cagliari Shirt” in light blue-and-white mini-check (Untuckit)

White-and-Slate Striped Camp Shirt

As seen in: Thunderball (1965)

The situation: Lunch and cocktails on a private island estate

The details:

• Color: White with slate-blue butcher stripes
• Material: Cotton
• Style: Button-up sport shirt
• Collar: Camp collar
• Sleeves: Short sleeves
• Other details: Breast pocket, side vents, no placket
• Read more: BAMF Style, Bond Suits

Shirts directly inspired by Connery’s Thunderball shirt:

• Magnoli “Camp Shirt” in dark blue and white stripe (Magnoli Clothiers)
• Orlebar Brown “Thunderball Stripe Shirt” in riviera blue and white cotton-linen (Orlebar Brown)

Where to find similar shirts:

• Abercrombie & Fitch camp shirt in dark blue stripe cotton viscose (A&F)*
  • Similarities: fit, style, and camp collar
  • Differences: unbalanced stripes, viscose fabric, and lack of pocket
• Express “Slim Striped Seersucker Short Sleeve Shirt” in blue striped seersucker cotton (Express)
  • Similarities: fit, style, camp collar, and pocket
  • Differences: double stripe and puckered fabric
• Gap linen-cotton button-front shirt in white “ground stripe” linen/cotton (Gap)
  • Similarities: fit, style, breast pocket, and camp collar
  • Differences: different stripes
• Gap “Resort Shirt” in green stripe cotton blend (Gap)*
  • Similarities: fit, style, breast pocket, and camp collar
  • Differences: greener stripe
• Hemingsworth “Marina Shirt” in blue stripe poplin (Mason & Sons)
  • Similarities: fit, style, and breast pocket
  • Differences: thinner stripes and sportier “Cooper” collar
• Jack & Jones “Men’s Simon Stripe Shirt” in “navy blaze” cotton (Macy’s)
  • Similarities: fit, style, camp collar, and pocket
  • Differences: puckered seersucker-like fabric
• Portuguese Flannel “Donatella Embroidered Stripe Shirt” in blue/white cotton (STAG Provisions)
  • Similarities: fit, style, camp collar, and pocket
  • Differences: more pronounced stripe due to embroidered design
• Zara “Striped Linen Shirt” in navy blue striped linen (Zara)
  • Similarities: fit, fabric, and stripe
  • Differences: point collar and additional chest pocket

Blue Three-Pocket Camp Shirt

As seen in: Thunderball (1965)

The situation: Shopping… and running into an old friend

The details:

• Color: Royal blue
• Material: Silk or high-twist cotton
• Style: Button-up sport shirt
• Collar: Camp collar
• Sleeves: Short sleeves
• Other details: Breast pocket and hip pockets, side vents, no placket, and matching trousers (not advised)
• Read more: BAMF Style, Bond Suits

Where to find similar shirts:

• Abercrombie & Fitch camp shirt in navy linen blend (A&F)
  • Similarities: fit, style, breast pocket, and camp collar
  • Differences: darker color and no hip pockets
• Gap linen-cotton button-front shirt in “new classic navy” linen/cotton (Gap)
  • Similarities: fit, style, breast pocket, and camp collar
  • Differences: darker color and no hip pockets
• Harriton “Barbados Textured Camp Shirt” in pool blue rayon/polyester (Amazon)
  • Similarities: bold blue color, silky material, camp collar, and breast pocket
  • Differences: textured finish and no hip pockets
• Orlebar Brown “Thunderball Linen Shirt” in saturated blue linen (Orlebar Brown)
  • Directly inspired by Connery’s screen-worn shirt
• Tasso Elba “Textured Shirt” in new cerulean (Macy’s)
  • Similarities: bold blue color, silky material, and white buttons
  • Differences: point collar and no hip pockets
• Todd Snyder camp shirt in navy Irish linen (Todd Snyder)
  • Similarities: fit, style, breast pocket, and camp collar
  • Differences: darker color, dark buttons, and no hip pockets
• Tommy Bahama “Weekend Tropics Silk Shirt” in navy (Macy’s)
  • Similarities: bold blue color, silky material, white buttons
  • Differences: point collar and no hip pockets
• Universal Works “Seersucker Island Shirt” in indigo cotton (STAG Provisions)
  • Similarities: camp collar, short sleeves, and three-pocket configuration
  • Differences: lighter color and cloth, darker buttons

Tan Linen Camp Shirt

As seen in: You Only Live Twice (1967)

The situation: An earthier day spent further inland

The details:

• Color: Tan
• Material: Linen
• Style: Button-up sport shirt
• Collar: Camp collar
• Sleeves: Short sleeves
• Other details: Breast pocket, side vents, no placket
• Read more: BAMF Style, Bond Suits

Where to find similar shirts:

• 28 Palms “Relaxed Fit” camp shirt in tan silk (Amazon)
  • Similarities: color, fit, camp collar, and pocket
  • Differences: silk fabric
• Abercrombie & Fitch camp shirt in cream stripe linen blend (A&F)
  • Similarities: color, fit, and camp collar
  • Differences: subtle striping and no breast pocket
• Gap linen-cotton button-front shirt in “oat beige” linen/cotton (Gap)
  • Similarities: color, material, fit, style, breast pocket, and camp collar
  • Differences…? Not many!
• Harriton “Bahama Cord Camp Shirt” in creme rayon/polyester (Amazon)
  • Similarities: fit, camp collar, and pocket
  • Differences: slightly different color, non-white buttons, and manmade fabric
• Harriton “Barbados Textured Camp Shirt” in khaki (Amazon)
  • Similarities: color, fit, camp collar, and pocket
  • Differences: cheaper synthetic fabric
• Orlebar Brown “Golden Gun Shirt” in ivory cotton (Orlebar Brown)
  • Directly inspired by the Bond series!
• Port Authority “Easy Care Camp Shirt” in ivory polyester/rayon (Amazon)
  • Similarities: style, camp collar, and pocket
  • Differences: slightly different color, non-white buttons, and manmade fabric
• Portugese Flannel “Vilar Shirt” in “sand dobby” cotton (STAG Provisions)
  • Similarities: style, camp, collar, and pocket
  • Differeences: textured and slightly warmer shade

Off-White Terrycloth Shirt
Newly added for 2021!

As seen in: Diamonds are Forever (1971)

The situation: A salacious stop on the beach

The details:

• Color: Cream-and-beige pattern
• Material: Terry cloth toweling cotton
• Style: Button-up sport shirt
• Collar: Camp collar
• Sleeves: Short sleeves
• Other details: Two box-pleated pockets with button-down flaps
• Read more: Bond Suits

Where to find similar shirts:

• Busbee McQuade “The Busbee” beach cardigan in off-white terry cotton (Busbee McQuade)
• Dandy Del Mar “Tropez Terry Cloth Shirt” in vintage ivory terry cotton/polyester (Dandy Del Mar)*
• A Day’s March “Camp-Collar Terry Shirt” in desert terry cotton (A Day’s March)
• Faherty “The Cabana Shirt” in terry cotton/polyester (Faherty)
• OAS “Beige Machu Terry Shirt” in beige terry cotton (OAS Company)
• Proper Cloth knit shirt in off-white terry cotton (Proper Cloth)
• Todd Snyder “Terry Button Down Polo” in white terry cotton (Todd Snyder)
• UO “Jacquard Terry Button-Down Shirt” in tan terry cotton/polyester (Urban Outfitters)

Navy Fred Perry-branded Polo Shirt

As seen in: Thunderball (1965)

The situation: A nighttime ride

The details:

• Color: Navy with white-embroidered “laurel” logo on left breast
• Material: Cotton pique
• Style: Polo shirt with two-button placket
• Sleeves: Short sleeves
• Read more: BAMF Style, James Bond Lifestyle, and Bond Suits

Where to find similar shirts:

• Fred Perry “Plain Polo Shirt” in navy (Amazon)
  • Almost exactly the same shirt that Connery wore
• Nautica “Classic Fit” in navy (Amazon)
  • Same shirt, different (and less expensive) branding
• Amazon Essentials “Slim Fit” in navy (Amazon)
  • Budget-friendly alternative in slightly lighter navy and obviously without the Perry logo

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Swimwear

Short-inseam swimming trunks

As seen in: Thunderball (1965)

The details:

• Color: Light blue, pink, or white
• Material: Water-resistant linen
• Style: Black-belted, short-inseam swimming trunks
• NB: Jantzen, the original maker of these shorts, no longer produces swimwear for men
• Read more: BAMF Style, Bond Suits, and James Bond Lifestyle

Where to find blue trunks:

• Orlebar Brown 007 Collection “Thunderball Swimshort” in Riviera/navy (Orlebar Brown)
• Orlebar Brown “Setter” in riviera blue (Orlebar Brown)
• Polo Ralph Lauren belt-loop 9″-inseam swim shorts in French turquoise (Amazon)
• Royale Filmwear “James Bond SKYFALL” swim shorts (Royale Filmwear)
• Southern Marsh “Shoals Seawash” belt-looped swim trunks in teal cotton/nylon (Amazon)*
• Timoteo “Santa Monica” belted swim trunks in blue (International Jock)
• H&M non-belted swim trunks in turquoise (H&M)
• Sunspel “Upcycled Marine Plastic Drawstring Swim Short”, non-belted, in light blue (Sunspel)

Where to find pink trunks:

• Orlebar Brown 007 Collection “Thunderball Swimshort” in watermelon/warm pink (Orlebar Brown)
• Polo Ralph Lauren belt-loop 9″-inseam swim shorts in “pink frosting” (Amazon)
• Southern Marsh “Shoals Seawash” belt-looped swim trunks in “washed red” cotton/nylon (Amazon)
• Timoteo “Santa Monica” belted swim trunks in fuschia (International Jock)
• Volcom “Lido Solid” non-belted swim trunks in “desert pink” (Amazon)

Where to find white trunks:

• Orlebar Brown “Setter” in white (Orlebar Brown)
• Timoteo “Santa Monica” belted swim trunks in white (International Jock)

If you get trunks that have belt loops but no belt, pick up a black nylon web belt with a plastic buckle (like this) to complete the Connery-inspired look!

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Trousers

Cream Linen Trousers

As seen in: Thunderball (1965)

The situation: Lunch and cocktails on a private island estate

The details:

• Color: Cream
• Material: Linen
• Style: Flat front trousers
• Other details: Button-tab side adjusters, side pockets, and plain-hemmed bottoms
• Read more: BAMF Style, Bond Suits

Where to find it:

• Berg & Berg “Alfonso” linen trousers in sand (Berg & Berg)
  • Same: color, fabric, fit, and side adjusters
  • Different: hardly different other than the nit-picky fact that Connery wore button-tab side adjusters rather than buckle-tab
• Hemingsworth “Cruiser” trousers in cream brushed twill (Mason & Sons)
  • Same: color, fit, and side adjusters
  • Different: cotton construction, though still a lightweight, summer-friendly fabric
• Orlebar Brown “Bond Linen Trouser” in matchstick linen/cotton blend (Orlebar Brown)
  • Inspired by George Lazenby’s 007!
• Tasso Elba linen trousers in natural (Macy’s)
  • Same: color, fabric, and fit
  • Different: belt loops
• Tommy Bahama “On the Beach” trousers in natural linen (Amazon)
  • Same: color and fabric
  • Different: elastic waistband and looser fit

Brown Linen Trousers

As seen in: You Only Live Twice (1967)

The situation: An earthier day spent further inland

The details:

• Color: Brown
• Material: Linen
• Style: Flat front trousers
• Other details: Button-tab side adjusters, frogmouth front pockets, and plain-hemmed bottoms
• Read more: BAMF Style, Bond Suits

Where to find it:

• Berg & Berg “Alfonso” linen trousers in chocolate brown (Berg & Berg)
  • Same: fabric, fit, and side adjusters
  • Different: slightly darker color and more traditional side pockets
• Todd Snyder “Herringbone Linen Sack Suit Trouser” in brown Italian linen (Todd Snyder)
  • Same: color and fabric
  • Different: dressier fit, belt loops, and side pockets

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Footwear

No socks needed!

Blue Espadrilles

As seen in: Goldfinger (1964) and Thunderball (1965)

The details:

• Color: Light blue
• Material: Canvas uppers, rope soles
• Style: Slip-on espadrilles
• Other details: White elastic side gussets
• Read more: BAMF Style, Bond Suits, and Iconic Alternatives

Where to find them:

• Alexis Leroy espadrilles in blue (Amazon)
• Ben Sherman “New Jenson” espadrilles in light blue (Amazon)*
• Kentti espadrilles in blue canvas (Amazon)
• OAS espadrilles in blue denim (OAS Company)
• Orlebar Brown 007 Collection “Thunderball” espadrilles in washed indigo canvas (Orlebar Brown)
• Soludos “smoking slippers” in blue washed canvas (Amazon)
• Superdry espadrilles in blue chambray (Amazon)
• Viscata espadrilles in blue cotton canvas (Amazon)

Brown Buckle-Strap Leather Sandals

As seen in: Thunderball (1965) and You Only Live Twice (1967)

The details:

• Color/material: Brown leather
• Style: Triple-strapped (two over vamp, one on heel) open-toe walking sandals with brass single-prong buckles
• Read more: BAMF Style

Where to find them:

• Birkenstock “Milano” sandals in Amalfi brown leather (Amazon and East Dane)
• Clarks “Brixby Shore” sandals in dark brown leather (Amazon)
• Dockers “Newpage” sandals in dark tan synthetic (Amazon)
• Nunn Bush “Rio Grande” fisherman sandals in tan synthetic (Amazon)

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Accessories

Black Rectangular Sunglasses

As seen in: Thunderball (1965)

The details:

• Color: Black
• Frame: Plastic/acetate
• Style: Rectangular “wayfarer”-style

The online Bond fan community has invested considerable time and arguments into the discussion of who exactly made Sean Connery’s über-cool shades in Thunderball. The big names like Persol and Ray-Ban are easily ruled out, with the most likely contender being the Polaroid Cool-Ray N135, though some still insist upon the Oliver Goldsmith “Consul” model. (Check out Iconic Alternatives for specific evidence in favor of the Polaroid!)

Where to find them:

• Curry & Paxton “Piano Black Sean” in black cellulose (Mason & Sons)
  • Co-developed with Mason & Sons, this pair takes direct style cues from the classic Polaroid sunglasses that are hypothesized to be the model worn in Thunderball by Sean Connery
• Gamma Ray polarized sunglasses in black plastic (Amazon)
  • If your plan is to just have a pair of cheap shades for the sand, sun, and surf, don’t spend more than $10!
• Oliver Goldsmith Consul in black plastic (Eyegoodies)
  • Favored by many 20th century icons, though decidedly not the pair worn by Sean Connery in Thunderball
• Ray-Ban RB2140 “Original Wayfarer” in black acetate (Amazon)*
  • Though certainly not what Connery was wearing, there’s a reason that Ray-Ban’s iconic Wayfarer model has stood the test of time

Straw Pork Pie Hat

Bond’s flat crown indicates that his hat is of the “pork pie” style rather than the pinched crown of a trilby or fedora.

Keep in mind that genuine straw is expensive  but often worth it, especially when compared to its lesser “paper straw” cousins.

The details:

• Color/Material: Natural coconut straw
• Hat band: Navy, blue, and white plaid cotton
• Style: Short-brimmed pork pie hat

Where to get it:

• New York Hat Company “Be Bop” in natural coconut straw with black band (Village Hat Shop)
• Stetson “Madrigal” in natural coconut straw with plaid band (Levine Hats)
• Fred Perry straw trilby in natural straw (Amazon)
  • It’s a trilby and it has a plain band… but we know Bond likes Fred Perry!

Dive Watch on NATO Strap

As seen in: Goldfinger (1964) and Thunderball (1965)

The details:

• Case: Stainless
• Dial: Black
• Bezel: Black rotating
• Band: NATO strap with black, olive, and thin red stripes

Though 007 is issued a Breitling Top-Time pilot watch with a geiger counter function, the Rolex Submariner 6538 is the classic Bond watch, not to mention that a dive watch is more apropos the beach setting and the NATO strap would be far more comfortable on your wrist on a hot sunny day than the metal pilot-style bracelet of the Breitling.

Rolex discontinued production of the ref. 6538 Submariner in 1961, four years before Thunderball was even made.

If you want the real deal, you either need to get lucky or plan on spending a pretty penny either for a classic Rolex or a newer evolution of the Submariner, like the 6538’s spiritual successor, the non-date ref. 114060. Luckily, budget-driven shoppers are not devoid of options…

Where to find the watch:

• Casio MDV106-1A (Amazon)*
• Invicta 8926OB Pro Diver (Amazon)*
• Orient “Ray II” FA002004B9 (Amazon)
• Seiko SKX007K Diver (Amazon)

Where to get NATO straps:

• Barton “Jetson” in black, red, and olive (Amazon)*
• Benchmark Straps in black and gray (Amazon)*, the color scheme worn by Daniel Craig in Spectre
• Clockwork Synergy in black, green, and red (Amazon)
• Geckota in dark navy, red, and olive (Amazon)
• Stylelover in navy, ivory, and crimson (Amazon)*, if you want some red, white, and blue on your wrist for the 4th of July

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Sleepwear

White cotton pajama pants

As seen in: Dr. No (1962)

The details:

• Color: White
• Material: Cotton
• Style: Drawstring-waist long pants

Where to get similar pajama pants:

• AvaCostume sleep pants in white cotton/spandex jersey (Amazon)
• Goodfellow & Co. “Men’s Knit Pajama Pants” in bayshore blue or light heathered gray (Target)
• J. Crew “Cotton pajama pant in stripe” in bold peri (J. Crew)

Where to get white pajama sets that include similar pants:

• Brooks Brothers “Wrinkle-Resistant Oxford Pajamas” in white cotton (Brooks Brothers)
• Sleepy Jones “Henry Pajama Set” in white end-on-end cotton (Sleepy Jones)

What Else to Pack

Let’s assume you plan on leaving your Walther PPK at home and focus instead on some of the other essentials of Bond’s travel: books and booze.

Literature

In the novels, Ian Fleming focused much more on Bond’s reading habits, providing his own readers with a solid glimpse of what was on 007’s bookshelf. Assuming that instructional guides about golf, genealogy, and card-playing aren’t your idea of the ideal summer reads, check out this list of Bond-inspired reading material:

• Eric Ambler – The Mask of Dimitrios (Amazon, published in the U.S. as A Coffin for Dimitrios)
  • Bond reads this 1939 thriller to wile away a flight to Istanbul in From Russia With Love, and fans of the story can also check out the 1944 film noir adaptation.
• Ian Fleming – Thunderball (Amazon)
  • Fleming’s eighth full-length Bond novel was intended to serve as the first film in the series, hence its even more cinematic style than its predecessor.
• Ernest Hemingway – A Farewell to Arms (Amazon)
  • Timothy Dalton’s Bond alludes to Papa’s classic story of love in wartime when asked to hand over his PPK in Licence to Kill… while on the balcony of the Hemingway House in Key West.
• Anthony Horowitz – Forever and a Day (Amazon)
  • The latest installment in the James Bond literary canon serves as a prequel to Casino Royale and includes original excerpts from Fleming himself, described in Steven Poole’s review for The Guardian as “an enjoyably compact thriller.”

Libations

Let’s get the obvious out of the way: Bond’s tried-and-true Vodka Martini. The preferred ingredients of the Connery era appear to be:

• Smirnoff 100-proof vodka (look for blue in the label), as seen in Dr. No
• Cinzano extra dry vermouth, as seen in Thunderball

For proportions, the six-to-one ratio of vodka to vermouth as stipulated in Live and Let Die will serve you well: six parts vodka, one part vermouth, shaken with ice until it’s ice-cold, and poured into a a chilled martini glass.

Now, the more beach-friendly option: the Rum Collins. Bond is served this refreshing Caribbean alternative to the venerable Tom Collins cocktail before his lunch with the villainous Emilio Largo (Adolfo Celi) at Palmyra, Largo’s Bahamian estate.

The Tom Collins first emerged in the United States in the late 19th century, recorded by “father of American mixology” Jerry Thomas in his 1876 edition of Bartender’s Guide. Little has changed in the preparation of the Tom Collins in the last century and a half, and the basic ingredients are gin, sugar, soda water, and lemon.

The Rum Collins replaces the original cocktail’s gin with light rum, delivering a more tropic-friendly flavor. The rum is up to you, though Daniel Craig’s order of Mount Gay and soda in Casino Royale makes the aromatic Mount Gay Silver a reasonable choice. Since Largo’s bartender doesn’t share his secrets with the audience, we have only the expert word of the Mr. Boston Official Bartender’s Guide to guide us in the actual concoction…

Ingredients:

• 2 oz. light rum
• 1 oz. lime juice (rather than the Tom Collins’ lemon juice)
• 1 tsp. superfine sugar or simple syrup
• club soda

Shake the rum, lime juice, and sugar or syrup in an ice-filled shaker, then strain into a tall, chilled Collins glass. Add a few more ice cubes to ensure it’s cold, fill the mixture with club soda, and stir. The finishing touch à la Largo? Garnish with a slice of lemon and a maraschino cherry.

Can’t live without brown liquor? Blended Scotch whisky seems to serve Bond’s needs in the film series’ tropical settings, beginning with Black & White in Dr. No and a bottle of Johnnie Walker Red Label that shows up in Paula Kaplan’s hotel room in Thunderball. Decades later, Daniel Craig’s exiled Bond swigs Macallan while living the island life, but one suspects the influences of product placement at work than an earnest reflection of Fleming’s original character.

The Quote

Bond: My dear, uncooperative Domino.
Domino: How do you know that? How do you know my friends call me Domino?
Bond: It’s on the bracelet on your ankle.
Domino: So… what sharp little eyes you’ve got.
Bond: Wait ’til you get to my teeth.

Do Yourself a Favor and…

Watch Thunderball, the high water mark (if you’ll excuse the pun) of Bond’s beach-going style. Sir Sean’s other beach-friendly Bond flicks cited in this post include You Only Live Twice and Diamonds Are Forever.

Looking for more? Iconic Alternatives lives up to its name with countless options to channel Bond’s attire across all price points, from his revere-collared sport shirts and swim trunks to sunglasses and espadrilles.

Have you found other items that help you channel 007’s style at the beach? Share in the comments below!