Tagged: Grenadine Tie
From Russia With Love – Bond’s Istanbul Suits, Pt. 4: Glen Plaid
Sean Connery behind the scenes in Turkey during his second outing as James Bond, From Russia With Love, in 1963.
Vitals
Sean Connery as James Bond, British government agent and legendary super spy
Turkey, Spring 1963
Film: From Russia With Love
Release Date: October 10, 1963
Director: Terence Young
Costume Designer: Jocelyn Rickards
Tailor: Anthony Sinclair
Background
For the 007th of the 7th month of the year, BAMF Style is focusing on James Bond’s 7th suit worn in From Russia With Love, a black and gray Glen plaid check suit. Bond had worn a different Glen Urquhart suit earlier in the film when visiting Kerim Bey in his office, but this suit can be differentiated by details in the tailoring.
At this point in the story, Bond has finally “met” Tatiana Romanova, the enigmatic bait in SPECTRE’s plan to ruin him and smear the British Secret Service. Bond is quite certain that he has Tania right where he wants her, but his charismatic MI6 contact Kerim Bey seems sure of the opposite… Continue reading
Bond’s Navy Blazer and Sunbeam Alpine in Dr. No
Sean Connery as James Bond in Dr. No (1962).
Vitals
Sean Connery as James Bond, suave British government agent
Jamaica, Summer 1962
Film: Dr. No
Release Date: October 5, 1962
Director: Terence Young
Wardrobe Master: John Brady
Tailor: Anthony Sinclair
Background
Yesterday’s Car Week post focused on a man on an assignment in the Caribbean wearing a blue sport coat and slacks, speeding a sporty roadster along the coast in the early 1960s. Today’s post is going to be exactly the same thing but different.
All kidding aside, plenty of the elements people know and love from James Bond films can be found in the very first movie, 1962’s Dr. No. Here, we see Bond sharply attired as he downs vodka martinis, shoots bad guys, beds exotic beauties, and gets into a car chase… all between cringe-worthy quips and double entendres. Today, I’ll be focusing on the very first James Bond “action car” seen on screen, a blue Sunbeam Alpine roadster. Continue reading
From Russia With Love – Bond’s Istanbul Suits, Pt. 2: Glen Urquhart
Sean Connery as James Bond in From Russia With Love (1963).
Vitals
Sean Connery as James Bond, British government agent and legendary super spy
Istanbul, Turkey, Spring 1963
Film: From Russia With Love
Release Date: October 10, 1963
Director: Terence Young
Costume Designer: Jocelyn Rickards
Tailor: Anthony Sinclair
Background
By this point in the film, Bond has spent one relatively non-eventful day and night in Istanbul. After a long day of traveling, he upgraded his room to the bridal suite (bad move, as we’ll eventually find out) and ostensibly got a fulfilling night of rest, even without a woman beside him.
The next morning, he wakes up and dons the second of the five excellent gray-tone suits he packed for Istanbul. When I first saw the film, likely on a low-quality VHS tape, I thought he wore two gray suits in Turkey – a light gray and a dark gray. Eventually, as I noticed the differing details and finally picked up the Blu-Ray (which you people have to thank for some of the more hi-res screencaps here), I noticed that these “two gray suits” were actually five very different suits. He even wears two different Glen Urquhart check suits!
The first of his Glen Urquhart check suits is worn here in a very minimalist fashion. A few days later, he pulls out his second one, which he outfits with several accessories. Continue reading
From Russia With Love – Bond’s Istanbul Suits, Pt. 1: Dupioni Silk
Happy 007th of October. If any of you plan on being 007 for Halloween, start scanning the blog and getting ideas for your tailor! (Or get lucky at the local Goodwill…)
Sean Connery as James Bond in From Russia With Love (1963).
Vitals
Sean Connery as James Bond, British government agent and legendary super spy
Istanbul, Turkey, Spring 1963
Film: From Russia With Love
Release Date: October 10, 1963
Director: Terence Young
Costume Designer: Jocelyn Rickards
Tailor: Anthony Sinclair
Background
Shortly after he began his term in the Oval Office, JFK named Ian Fleming’s spy novel From Russia, With Love among his ten favorite books of all time. Looking for their follow up to the incredibly successful Dr. No, Bond producers Cubby Broccoli and Harry Saltzman saw this opportunity and quickly green-lit From Russia With Love (no comma this time) as the next on-screen adaptation of Bond’s adventures and what might have been a successful, if relatively forgotten, spy film of the early 1960s turned into one of the most long-running franchises of all time. Continue reading
Bond Style – From Venice with Love
Sean Connery as James Bond in From Russia With Love (1963).
Vitals
Sean Connery as James Bond, British government agent and legendary super spy
Venice, Spring 1963
Film: From Russia With Love
Release Date: October 10, 1963
Director: Terence Young
Costume Designer: Jocelyn Rickards
Tailor: Anthony Sinclair
Background
For anyone who isn’t familiar with it, From Russia With Love is a very polarizing film for Bond fans. It is almost a direct adaptation of the novel, a gritty and realistic espionage adventure based on the murder of a British naval attache on the Orient Express in 1950. The film too is grounded in realism, relying on genuine suspense rather than gadgets or contrived villains. It’s one of my favorites (definitely my favorite of the pre-Craig era) and Sean Connery’s personal favorite, so that should tell you something.
After a tense mission and subsequent getaway stretching from Istanbul through Eastern Europe in From Russia With Love, Bond is glad to spend a short holiday relaxing in Venice with new arm candy Tatiana before having to ship her off to London with the film’s MacGuffin, a decoding device. Continue reading