About

Follow me on Twitter (@BAMFstyle), Facebook, or Instagram (@BAMFstyle)…

…or write to me directly: TheSartorialBAMF@gmail.com. (I’m admittedly not great at checking this email address, but I’ll keep trying!)

Wanna buy my old clothes? Check out my Poshmark.

Wanna see what I’ve been watching? Follow my Letterboxd!

What does BAMF stand for?

When I started this site in my early 20s, I needed to come up with some unique name for it. Not every outfit would necessarily be iconic or famous, and I wanted to incorporate a unique word that would give the site its own identity. Knowing I’d be focusing on style and particularly that worn by heroes (and the occasional well-dressed villains) of movies and TV, I impulsively bestowed this blog with the name BAMF Style, inspired in part by the inscription on Samuel L. Jackson’s wallet in Pulp Fiction. (In the back of my mind, it could also stand for “Best Action Movie Fashions”, though it didn’t take long before I was writing about much more than exclusively the action genre.)

Quite a few years later, it feels puerile but has built some equity so, stuck with the name and a few years of what I’d humbly and hopefully call maturity, I’m retconning the use of “BAMF” in this context to the slightly less profane or presumptuous Badass Men’s Fashion… though I still wish I had come up with a different name back when I was 23! (Other candidates? Best Attire and Menswear in Film? I could use a hand here!)

About Me

I’m a 33-year-old guy and aspiring writer with a fondness for muscle cars, movies, mezcal, and Scotch. If you really like the blog, feel free to send me a bottle. Or a ’69 Charger R/T.

FAQs

I’m honored that I actually need to add an FAQ section, but many of you are frequently asking questions so here we go:

About Me — FAQs

For about a decade prior to launching the site, I had always been screencapping movies and TV shows, taking note of looks that I especially liked. I remember being in 7th grade and being obsessed with the brown chalkstripe suit that Robert Redford wore in The Sting to the point where I dragged my poor parents all over the suburbs of Pittsburgh to try and find its equal. I even changed my AIM screenname that year to "Gatsby822" to "brownstripedsuit". I was a weird kid.

I tried to organize them in many odd ways - PowerPoints that led to PDF lookbooks, sorted spreadsheets, galleries of images on my hard drive - until I finally decide to create a web portal. I had considered making it private at first; just something for me to use as a reference when trying to dress myself. I started by writing about my favorite outfits: the North by Northwest suit, the Bullitt tweed sport jacket and rollneck, the Three Days of the Condor tweed jacket and sweater, and the cool looks of international spies from Bond to Bourne.

Then, I realized I was having fun writing it. The aspiring writer in me told me that I finally touched on something that other people might be interested in reading, so I took a chance on going public with a blog. A blog, of all things!

It seemed like an online need to be filled; there are tailoring sites, costuming sites, etc., but there didn't seem to be a one-stop aggregated shop that summed up the total style - from suits and shoes to cocktails and cars - of the characters I loved with detail and accuracy. I felt strange about starting because I had no real expertise: I was still unclear about the distinction between blazers and sport jackets and I didn't know a blucher from a balmoral from a- well, you get it. All of my suits were, at one point, off the rack—often, off the Goodwill rack—and I just wanted to learn more.

Plus, I had always had that vision of myself as a writer. This blog is far from being Ulysses, but it's nice to have this as an outlet and an intersection of what I know and what's fun for me to write about. I also wanted to challenge myself to keep up with regular content and continue to drive my brain.
It took some trial-and-error to land on what works, but this is typically how it goes:
  1. Develop a general posting schedule to have something fresh up every 2-4 days. This is in the form of an Excel spreadsheet where I also track every single suggestion and request that I get as well as who requested it and when.
  2. Watch the movie or TV show in question, screenshotting every angle and detail and keeping in mind the images that would look best in a post. Even if I don't end up using all the screenshots (and I rarely do), I would hate to be writing the post and then realizing "shit, I have no idea how many buttons are on his sleeve!" When I do this, I make sure that I am screenshotting every potential BAMF-worthy outfit that a certain character wears. This often doubles the length of time it takes to watch something. If there are three characters I'm screenshotting over the course of a two-hour movie... I will need plenty of whiskey and sleep by the end of it.
  3. Research as much as I can.
  4. Write and build the post, usually by recapping my notes from when I watched the movie or show (which could have been years earlier!) and strenuously looking at every detail of the screenshots I've taken. Each post has a general flow, which might be adapted slightly depending on the topic. I am usually either writing posts the night before I have it scheduled to go up... or I find myself months ahead of schedule and able to enjoy a social life. Guess which one happens more frequently!
Absolutely. Even if I didn't respond (and I can be bad about that, sorry!), it went on my master spreadsheet to show that someone had interest in that particular outfit.

If you suggested a TV show, I am always hesitant to post about outfits until I've seen the show (or the character's appearance on it) in its entirety. There has been plenty of demand for long-running shows like 24, Billions, Magnum, P.I., Miami Vice, and Suits. I certainly plan on getting to them, but I hate to say that it won't be for quite some time. I would hate to put up a post about a jacket that Don Johnson wears then, a few days or months later, be watching another episode to see him wearing it with another combination or a detail that I've missed. It would make me feel very itchy. (Update! I was diagnosed with OCD in the spring of 2019. That explains the itchiness.)
When I watch something, I typically take screenshots every outfit that the character wears, for reference even if it doesn't show up on their post. If there is more than one interestingly dressed character, this can often turn a two-hour movie into a seven-hour screenshotting experience that leaves me bleary-eyed, exhausted, irritable, and sleepy. My fiancee is a wonderfully patient woman.
Absolutely not. If you have unique information that would benefit someone reading my post about the same thing, then I will serve my readers by posting it and giving you credit. If I didn't give you credit for writing about the same thing, it's because you didn't influence my post at all; we just might both have the ability to recognize when a suit is gray or a shirt is blue.

But, hey, if we have such similar interests, I bet we'd be good friends!
What gave it away?
I love it. I think not using it is confusing, ignorant, and ill-informed.

I've also recently become a big fan—in case you haven't been able to tell—of the em dash.
Almost impossible to narrow it down, but my most enduring top five would be: As I pointed out above, I also maintain a Letterboxd with reviews—or just offhand commentary—of everything I've been watching. Join me there!
Humphrey Bogart, James Garner, Jack Lemmon, and Warren Oates probably top the list, though that list also includes James Cagney, Montgomery Clift, Gary Cooper, Robert De Niro, James Gandolfini, Cary Grant, Gene Hackman, Toshiro Mifune, Paul Newman, Jack Nicholson, Gregory Peck, Brad Pitt, Sidney Poitier, Robert Redford, and... well most of the guys you'll read about on this site.
Cancer. (I'm also a Pisces moon and a Leo rising, if you're really into that kind of thing.)
As an Amazon Associate, Kutoku, and ShopStyle Collective associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. But otherwise, that's what the day job is for. I am on Patreon, if you wish to lend some much-needed and much-appreciated financial support!

You can also buy my old clothes from me on Poshmark.
I spent eight years working for various public relations agencies, and I now work on the digital marketing team for a major regional healthcare organization.
As of 2022, no plans to do so... I know that's The Future, but I'm just too shy. I'd prefer to write.

Disclaimers

All photos used are either production photos available on the internet or screenshots captured by me to illustrate a point. If I use a quote or learn information from another source, I will give credit where it’s due as well as provide a link to the original source.

As an Amazon Associate, Kutoku, and ShopStyle Collective associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

25 comments

  1. thewiseking

    Brilliant site! I have long studied the BAMFS. For me, the “golden age” was the sweet spot from around 58-64 This era gave us the films of Hitchcock, Sirk, Sellers, early Kubrick, Lumet etc. Before Mad Men ever arrived on Television, those of us in the know understood that American Style of that era was the pinnacle of cool, right down to the narrow lapels, slim cut suits and trousers, thin simple accessories and watches, bold black eyeglass frames and ties cut from the CLOTH of the suit. In those days men understood your tie didn’t need to ‘pop”,.
    Keep up the good work! An analysis of the suit, accessories and eyeglasses worn in 12 Angry Men by Robert Webber would also be appreciated.
    Noah

    Reply
    • luckystrike721

      Noah,
      Thanks for all the complimentary words, I appreciate it! Good work pinpointing it to 1958-1964, just after the wide lapels and loud ties of the ’50s and before the ’60s got too crazy themselves. It was a good era all around, with the elegant simplicity evident from sleek suits and sharp formalwear to casual attire that was classy but still comfortable.
      12 Angry Men would be great for a post, especially Webber’s ad man. Keep your eyes open for it in an upcoming article!

      Reply
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  3. Stan

    Great website!

    This is exactly what I was looking for… And I can’t stop looking at your website.

    You’re right on the money: the best chance for a lot of us is just to emulate those who have it. Whatever IT is.

    Thanks so much for putting in all the hard work and research. It is much appreciated.

    You.
    Rock.

    Reply
  6. Michael

    Dude awesome site you are a master compendium of cinema style for some of the great men of our generation.

    Reply
  7. thewiseking

    Haven’t been out here in awhile and I return only to be blown away by the additions. This site is becoming serious.
    I was wondering (hoping) you could tackle Bud Cort’s wardrobe in Harold and Maude. Without doubt it features some of the most incredibly hip, goth, mod attire I have ever seen. Any attempt to “get the look” would be impossible without you.

    Reply
  8. killthemwithfire

    As one straight man to another.
    Great site, liking the Reilly Ace of Spies blog. That’s how I found your site, looking for ideas for an Edwardian suit.
    I have a couple of points vis-a-vie English/ American translation.
    A Sweater vest is what we call a Tank top
    Balmy means hot and humid
    Barmy means mad as “You must be…!”
    A coupe of observations, you can of course tell me to get stuffed.

    Reply
    • luckystrike721

      Observations and suggestions are always appreciated, especially when they come with kind words! Thanks for your input – I’m especially glad to see another Reilly fan out there; not many folks on our side have heard of the series, let alone the man himself. I have the whole thing screencapped and plan on running more Reilly posts every so often. Hope to hear from you more!

      Reply
  9. William kennedy

    Site is phenomenal.

    Although I can’t believe the only review you haven’t done is the one you should do. Kevin Costner in JFK !

    Reply
  10. Mike

    Hi – have been enjoying your web site for years — thanks for keeping it up! I noticed a reference to your Riley Ace of Spies blog. I’m a huge fan of the series. Can you please send a link? Thanks!

    Reply
    • John

      Great site, loving the Michael Caine films! How about doing the Ipcress File? By the way, the spectacles Caine wears in The Ipcress File and briefly in The Italian Job are by Oliver Goldsmith and not Yvan. The Yvan you refer to were in fact made by Curry & Paxton (this company no longer exists). As Caine also wore Oliver Goldsmith specs off screen, it is more than likely that OG supplied them for his films. This is also confirmed by the man himself. see the link below.
      http://www.olivergoldsmith.co.uk/

      Reply
  12. Claire

    No but seriously, this blog is GOLD. as an aspiring costume designer, THIS is perfect ! congratulations and thanks for your devotion. you’re amazing.

    Reply
    • luckystrike721

      I still need to get to watching Ray Donovan (it’s coming up very shortly on the queue!) – when I do, I’ll keep a special eye out for these episodes to post about.

      Reply
  16. Dan Holloway

    Hey Nick, I was trying to do the Patreon thing so you would possibly do more posts for old guys, but I can’t figure it out. Not a member of Facebook, or, any social media. Can i still contribute? Let me know. Thanks.

    Reply
  17. Tom Getty

    Hello Nick
    I follow your blog every week and always look forward to what’s next. I’d love to see a review of Tom Sellecks’s outfit from the movie Lassiter. It’s old, from the mid 80’s however his wardrobe is classic. The movie is so-so but the sartorial style is fantastic. I’d be happy to send you my copy of the film if you’d like to review it.

    Reply
  19. Mona

    I really like your site! I don’t know why, but I’m hooked with these men’s fashion 🙂 I don’t know, I guess you just give it more meaning than just looking. Great job on the site!

    Reply

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