As Americans, we have been raised in front of the television. Entertainment has always been at a premium in our country, and the cinema has been a main purveyor of that force. However, movies are more than mindless entertainment. They are our best record of cultural history; how we have lived, thought, and most importantly dressed.

The styles represented throughout cinematic history are often some of the most influential in modern fashion and the most noteworthy among the styles of leading designers. Debonair explores seven films that impacted the fashion world, and subsequently, impacted how we dress:

A Clockwork Orange – Definitive Punk

Punk rock may purport to reject societal conventions, however society clearly managed to conventionalize the movement and style in this iconic film. Stanley Kubrick`s futuristic direction of Anthony Burgess`s literary marvel inspired a revolution in male dress among designers as well as youth, not only stateside, but globally.

From iconic combat boots, to bowler hats, to suspenders, to dark eye make up, A Clockwork Orange established what it meant to be, and dress, 60`s punk. The film has inspired an entire decade of American dress as well as high fashion designers, Jean Paul Gaultier at the forefront, and retail brands to this very day.

A Hard Day’s Night – Brit-Boy Chic

Has any creative force had more of a long lasting and pervasive effect on popular culture than The Beatles? Not only did they revolutionize the music world and create the entire pop genre, but also had a breathtaking effect on men`s fashion. The Brit boys hail from a city, London, renowned for bespoke, beautifully handcrafted men`s tailoring, a style portrayed in their 1964 documentary film, A Hard Days Night.

Skinny black suits and ties, cropped turtlenecks, gorgeous zip-u boots, and an effortless combination of formal wear with casual sportswear elements were all gifts given to the fashion world by this movie. The precision brand of skinny-boy/formal-meets-casual fashion is not only seen gracing the runways of the likes of Jil Sander, but one also possessed in the wardrobes of the most unlikely pedestrian customers.

American Gigolo – American Sportswear At Its Best

Prostitution never looked as fashionable as it did on Richard Gere in the 1980`s smash hit, American Gigolo, or was that just his Armani wardrobe? The film, centered around the life of a high-end, LA based, exceedingly materialistic male prostitute, features a fashionably rich and elegantly simple sense of style unsurpassed by any other production of its age.

Observing the immaculate, masculine chic wardrobe of this film, one can see, through the work of the not yet noted Giorgio Armani, of what it would be like to own a fashion masterpiece before the designer became a master. Gere may have played a complete narcissist, but with a wardrobe as fashion forward as his, can anyone really blame him?

Annie Hall – Accessible Androgyny

In a world where masculinity has become the new trend in women’s wear and where it has never been more modern for men to embrace androgyny, it seems necessary to pay homage to Woody Allen`s definitive 70`s film, Annie Hall. Both neurotic and fashion forward, Annie, played by a young Diane Keaton, pushed fashion leaps and bounds ahead in her fearless embrace of men`s clothing.

Establishing a sort of `boyfriend`s closet` chicness by sporting oversized male dress shirts and wide legged trousers among other pieces, Annie Hall is the forerunner of androgynous fashion, a trend now overwhelmingly popular in both menswear and women’s wear. It would be exhausting to list the designers who owe this movie a bow of gratitude, so suffice it to say that we are all in your debt, Annie.

North by Northwest – Cary Grant At His Best

There is no name more synonymous with men`s style in cinema than Cary Grant. As the legendary forerunner of men`s chicness, men all over the world over owe the actor a bow of gratitude. Of all of Grant`s films, Alfred Hitchcock`s North by Northwest captures classically stylish menswear at its purest in the actor`s famous gray suit – the product of a century old Saville Rowe haberdashery, acclaimed for its dedication to timeless male style.

The suit, worn for the majority of the film, has had an unrivaled impact of men`s fashion and cinema since the film`s premiere, and has been sported in various incarnations ever since.

Trainspotting – Heroin Chic

What guy doesn`t want to look like a rock star? Wanted by women, idolized by men, this style is displayed in the 1996 hit, Trainspotting. Representing not only a heroin chic rock star attitude, but also style of dress, the Trainspotting boys, Ewan McGregor among their numbers, showed the world what it felt and looked like to be a rock star in the the 80`s.

Clad in weathered black leather, torn jeans, and carelessly cool sweaters, the band of rockers took viewers on a tour of drug crazed, rock obsessed England – a place synonymous with the height of rock stardom. You`ll be hard pressed to find any modern European menswear designer, Hedi Slimane at the forefront, not influenced by Trainspotting`s effortless brand of casual coolness.

Pulp Fiction – Perfectly Simple

No movie is more representative of simplistic chicness than Quentin Tarantino`s 90`s hit, Pulp Fiction. With a sense of style so effortlessly modern, it is sometimes difficult to appreciate the full scale of its impact. In conjunction with the iconic minimalism established in the 90`s by the likes of Calvin Klein and Helmut Lang, Pulp Fiction`s style is one of the most distinctly modern and influential in both men`s and women`s fashion to date.

From Samuel L. Jackson`s slimming monotone suits to Uma Thurman`s crisp and impeccable white shirts, the movie combined effortlessly hip simplicity with modern coolness. In a culture so keen on adopting the next hot trend, it is refreshing to see a movie so casually defiant in its timelessness.

Dear Debonair,
Should a man wear brown shoes with a navy suit? My father says it’s trashy; my business partner does it all the time. Are there rules to matching shoes with suits?

Older, well-dressed men are diehard when it comes to the ever-present question of brown shoes with navy suits. However, less important than the color of the shoe is the shade of the shoe. The darkness of your brown shoe should be of the same tone as your suit. Dark navy suit? Your shoes should be approaching black. If the suit is on the lighter side, your shoes should be lighter as well.

As far as your father is concerned, black shoes are entirely appropriate for a navy suit. The rule of thumb is to keep shoe/suit shades close on the gradient scale. Though some men love to grab those tan monk straps out of the closet and throw them on with their navy suit, it’s best to leave that sort of fashion decision up to professionals. It’s OK to be daring every now and then, but make sure that you know what you’re doing.

Search IMDB for “Film Noir” and you will find a fairly exhaustive list of the top fifty film-noir titles as voted by users like you and I. However, closer inspection of this list reveals that every film was made sometime before 1958. This begs the question – did great film noir die with the black and white era? Certainly not.

Film noir is as alive today as the days when dark, gritty fiction was printed on cheap wood pulp paper. So if you`re in the mood for some detective drama, beautifully-crafted-albeit-cheesy dialogue, and lovable anti-heroes, load up your Netflix que and check out these modern classics.

 

Dark City (1998)

Director Alex Proyas masterfully weaves together intelligent dialogue, intriguing plot developments, stunning art direction, atmospheric lighting design, and competent visual effects to create a critically maligned box office failure. Ouch.

Yet the last ten years have been kind to Dark City – a strong cult following has spurred many critics to revisit their original scathing reviews. The film, half science-fiction, half film-noir, chronicles John Murdoch, a man who might be a murderer, as he looks for answers in a city that never sees the light of day. Pursued by police and a group of all-powerful ghouls known as The Strangers, Murdoch uncovers the truth of why it is always dark, and why no one can ever leave the city. Look for a young Jennifer Connelly as she co-stars opposite Rufus Sewell.

 

Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988)

Who Framed Roger Rabbit reminds me of the days when Robert Zemekis used groundbreaking special effects to help tell his story – not to be his story. A remarkable achievement of live-action and 2D animation seamlessly blended, this film coined its own phrase within the special effects community – “bumping the lamp.”

The story follows detective Eddie Valiant (Bob Hoskins) as he investigates the murder of Marvin Acme, the owner of Toontown – a place where Disney and Warner Bros. characters film cartoons, and always share equal screen time. All signs of Acme`s murder point to one toon, the hysterically inept Roger Rabbit. Valiant, an avid toon-hater, must protect Roger and unearth the truth while navigating a bevy of unique characters in the Golden Age of Toontown (Hollywood). This is a film you have probably seen, but not recently, and is well worth another look.

 

Sin City (2005)

A veritable wet dream for any film noir/comic book/Jessica Alba fan – Robert Rodriguez adapts Frank Miller`s famed graphic novels straight from the page. This film is brimming with ultra-violence, gratuitous nudity, and pretty much everything else that makes us want to go to the movies. No plot synopsis can do this film justice – it`s a visual masterpiece and quite possibly the greatest noir film ever made. Not for the faint of heart.

 

Brick (2005)

Brick is an interesting experimental film that is not for everyone. Neophyte director Rian Johnson paints an intricate tale of sex, drugs, and murder centered around a Southern California high school. The cast, led by Joseph Gordon Levitt, is packed with real teens and twentysomethings, playing students/moonlight detectives and drug kingpins. Brick is very well written, but unfortunately, much of the clever dialogue is lost within So-Cal mumbles. The film doesn`t always work, but the mere fact that any of it works is a remarkable achievement.

 

L.A. Confidential (1997)

Curtis Hanson`s Tinseltown opus was the underdog`s favorite to win the 1997 Best Picture Oscar. However, James Cameron`s Titanic quickly sunk that notion. So was L.A. Confidential, an all-star cast 1950s detective drama, truly worthy of the statuette? In hindsight, many Academy voters would probably say yes. James Ellroy’s novel serves as an excellent launch pad for the acting talents of Russell Crowe, Kevin Spacey, David Strathairn and more. The film plays out like a cousin of Polanski`s Chinatown – and that`s a very good thing.

 

 
Payback (1999)

When every telephone in a film (sans cellphones) is a rotary, you`ve got yourself some great film noir. Payback follows small-time hood Porter (Mel Gibson), as he kills off big-time hoods in his pursuit of $70,000. An interesting footnote to this film is that director Brian Helgeland (L.A. Confidential screenwriter) was fired during production – and a sizeable portion of the film was re-shot prior to release. One could come to expect all sorts of continuity problems due to this, but surprisingly, it  works well. An additional interesting footnote is that Helgeland revisited the work in 2006 to produce Payback: Straight Up – The Director’s Cut, a much darker film.

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Check out Overexposed, this author’s attempt at film noir.

Donwan Harrell is a legend in denim. His company, Prps, creates the jeans worn by athletic demi-gods the likes of Tom Brady and David Beckham to style icons like Brad Pitt and the Rolling Stones. Yet you have not seen an advertisement for Prps –they don’t advertise. The celebrities that wear Prps have paid full price for their jeans, a sticker shocking $350 or more – they are not given away. But the “look” that Prps embodies can be had for “Forty dollars, some sandpaper, and a can of spray starch,” says Harrell.

We sat down with Donwan Harrell in his corporate office as eager students of his denimology. He had this to say:

Prps Jeans founder Donwan Harrell talks denim in his NY office

D: Every time we peruse our favorite New York boutiques, we’re still taken aback by the cost of “premium” denim. With pairs of jeans reaching $500 or better, what justifies these prices and when did denim become a luxury item?

Harrell: Well, in the denim market, there is a sharp distinction between “premium” and “luxury.” My company [Prps] specializes in the latter. Most of the premium denim that you would see comes from L.A. Right away, this establishes a price difference from the mass market jeans that are made in China. We Americans like our 401Ks, dental plans, and overtime – so you are talking at least three times the expense for labor.

D: And your denim is made in Japan, correct?

Harrell: Yes. When I entered the denim market, I thought that the accepted standard fell short. My gut told me that there was a niche of people that desperately wanted a better product, and that’s the void I set out to fill. The best denim earns its status from a variety of factors. Perhaps the most important are the initial fabric and where it’s made. I take my core goods from Zimbabwe, and from then on; it’s a Japanese process. The Japanese are the most skilled denim workers in the world. Each pair of jeans is woven on a vintage loom, and the finish and washing process is all done in Japan. When all is said and done, the process is at least five times as costly.

D: And those factors create a better pair of jeans?

Harrell: The sum of all parts of the process along with the right methodology makes a better pair of jeans. The proper thread count and SPI (stitches per inch) are quantifiable means of making a better feeling pair of jeans. Any denim expert can know quality just by touch. My inspiration for Prps was drawn specifically from Big E Levi’s.

D: Big E?

Harrell: Yes, prior to WWII, Levi’s logo had a capital “E.” These jeans were better constructed, and indicative of quality (and worth a hefty sum if you can find a pair today).

D: That being said, are there many companies that simply try to mimic the “look” of premium and luxury denim.

Harrell: Oh yes, more than I can count.

D: Are there any less expensive alternatives that you can recommend?

Harrell: Sure, there’s a lot of little brands out of L.A. that are great for the money and use decent materials. J Brand goes for about $200 per pair. Earnest Sewn is also nice and sells for about the same. I also like Double RL.

D: Do you have any recommendations that are south of the $100 mark?

Harrell: Banana Republic. They do a good job of imitating my jeans (laughs). Really, anything that isn’t gaudy or over-the-top is ok in my book. Some of the jeans today are just too much with all of the crazy pocket details and so on. Go for something timeless.

D: One final question: what can the dead-broke aspiring fashionista do to try and emulate luxury denim.

Harrell: Buy a pair of Levi’s rinsed jeans for $39.99 and put some sandpaper to them in areas that become naturally distressed, such as pocket bags and around your wallet. Crinkle up the back knee and spray on a coat of starch to stiffen the wrinkles, then take some sandpaper to that as well. That should get you pretty close (smiles).

Please note: images and links within this article may not be safe for work.

Sex and fashion have long been intertwined. Sex and advertising – even longer. But, every now and again, someone in the fashion world causes a stir. We’ve uncovered seven of the most controversial ads ever released by the fashion industry. Enjoy. [Read more...]

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Shopping for a girlfriend or wife is often a painful experience. The greatest pain however, is spending good money on a gift that is either returned or unappreciated – we’ve been there. Some of us have turned to gift guides in the past, but truthfully, most gift guides are ill conceived. “Hey, Trimspa, that sounds like a great idea!” It’s not.

This year, take it from us, the gift selections below will satisfy even the most discriminating girlfriend – a collection of both timeless and trend pieces meticulously researched just for you.

Earrings
Nothing says “I love you” like earrings worth more than a Toyota. Okay, that’s a bit unrealistic, but how about $1,000 earrings. Still a bit much? Read on.
Tiffany Rubellite Drop Earrings – $29,500 (left)
David Yurman Petite Albion Garnet Earrings – $990.00 (right)

Handbag
Women love their handbags, and when every celebrity in the gossip rags is sporting a similar style, you can’t go wrong buying into it. Not only will your girlfriend be excited to flaunt her trendy bag, she’ll be impressed that you actually knew what style to buy her.
Chloe Paddington Bowler – $1,800 (left)
Mary-Kate Satchel – $44.00 (right)

Suede Boots
Suede boots are all the rage and your girlfriend knows it. Now you do too.
Roberto del Carlo Stretch Suede Kneeboot – $620.00 (left)
J.Crew Suede High Heel Boots – $208.00 (right)

Scarves
For the girlfriend that appreciates practicality. This black and white combo is all over the women’s market, so again you’ll show her that you did your homework . And remember, every time your girlfriend wears it, she’ll be reminded of you.
Mayle Wave Stripe Scarf – $348.00 (left)
GAP Bias-striped Scarf – $24.50 (right)

Watch
If your girlfriend isn’t ring material, is she bling material? A band that resembles a bracelet, an oversized head, and a diamond encrusted face are the key ingredients for purchasing a hot timepiece right now.
Cartier Santos® Demoiselle Watch – $35,900 (left)
Michele Watches Deco Diamond Watch – $1,445.00 (right)

Face Creams
Not the best gift for every woman, but if your girlfriend is the type, give her the spa-at-home treatment.
La Prairie’s Jeweled Skin Caviar Luxe Cream – $2000.00 (left)
skyn ICELAND – $100.00 (right)

Godiva
Godiva is a brand that speaks for itself – sexy, classy, romantic and just plain debonair. No matter what your budget is, let Godiva do the talking for you.
Chocolate Premier Gift Tower – $320.00 (left)
Christmas Ballotin – $42.00 (right)

Editor’s Note: For a non-romantic gift, let’s say for a friend or secretary, take a peek inside Santa’s Pants. A floral arrangement designed
by Jane Carroll – florist to the stars for
1-800-Flowers.com..

Also check out our Men’s Holiday Gift Guide.