Three years ago I created an infographic that breaks down all of James Bond’s black tie outfits by every part of the outfit. I have now revised the graphic with a fresh design that now includes Spectre and new sections for dinner jacket fibres, trimmings and shoes, as well as some revised illustrations.
Feel free to share this infographic. You can enlarge it by clicking the image below.
All illustrations are based on examples from the James Bond films. For instance, the first three dinner jackets are based on the midnight blue dinner jacket from Thunderball, the black dinner jacket from Casino Royale and the ivory dinner jacket from Goldfinger. Though there are 29 dinner jackets, there are 30 shirts. George Lazenby wears two different ruffled shirts with the same dinner jacket in On Her Majesty’s Secret Service. Since the shoes are not visible with every outfit, they cannot be given a count.
This is a fantastic resource. Thank you for updating it! Who wore the plain toe slip-ons with the half strap? I rather like that style.
That’s a Roger Moore style.
Great job Matt.
Just in case you’re not busy, the next update should include the tally for each shoe type (as well as distinguishing calf from patent) and hyperlinks on each and every graphic to link back to each of your previous posts on each of the items. No rush!
Thanks! Did you see the explanation below the graphic for why I don’t have a count for shoes? It’s not possible.
I noticed you mention Lazenby wearing two different ruffled shirts in OHMSS, but it may also be worth noting that Moore wore a ruffled shirt in promo shots for LALD.
Moore had another dinner suit in promo stills for The Man with the Golden Gun, but I don’t think it’s fair to count clothes that don’t appear in the films.
I figured you had your reasons. Your hard work is admired and appreciated for sure. As for TMWTGG, I can’t think of the promo still dinner suit to which you’re referring, do you have a photo you can post?
Here’s a still: https://www.statesidestills.com/d/moore_roger_the_man_with_the_golden_gun_40734.php
Oh, yes. I have always assumed that still was from TSWLM because his tuxedo is similar to the one he wore in that film. Thanks for the link!
Fantastic. It’s unfortunate that Spectre not only brought up the tally for single vents to 2, but button-two front to 2!
That jacket is a bit of a mess, which is a shame because bringing back the ivory dinner jacket was an iconic move. Fortunately, it looks better on film than in reality.
Loads of people were drooling at the hint of an ecru dinner jacket in SPECTRE. When it finally was revealed I wish they hadn’t bothered. And that’s before we get to the obvious shoe-horning of evening wear in the first place. When I’m on the run from baddies and heading towards their boss’s secret lair, I always stop off to acquire evening clothes … to wear on a train!
Well, I have no problem with “shoe-horning” eveningwear into the film. This is Bond, after all. When he’s on the run, he would absolutely wear a perfectly pressed dinner jacket. Have you seen Goldfinger? By your logic, in our business casual world, he doesn’t even need to wear suits, let alone neckties.
But I agree that the particular jacket in question was poorly executed and a disappointment.
Mr. Spaiser,
Thank you for this…very informative.
Why do you think 4 cuff buttons on a dinner jacket is the most prevalent while most dinner jackets are button one style?
This seems to go against the sleek, minimalist, formal theme of a dinner jacket. It seems, to me, that single button cuffs would be most formal/appropriate and match the button one style quite well. Can you share some insight into single button cuffs?
Some of my other thoughts:
– A total of SEVEN notch lapels seems high given that the proper dinner jacket grammar is peaked or shawl lapels (22 combined from these two types).
– Surprised double vent (15 total) has been more popular than no vent (12). I was suspecting no vent to win in a landslide.
Thank you, Mr. Spaiser!
Regards,
Mark
Hi Mark,
Four buttons on the cuff is considered the most formal for English tailors. Fewer cuff buttons are seen as sportier. Minimalism is not entirely the idea of the dinner jacket, since the silk trimmings on the lapels and trouser legs are not minimalist.
Notched lapels are historically correct on dinner jackets.
Since the 1960s, double vents on dinner jackets has been the standard style for English tailors.
Very interesting and deepened job. Since you’ve mentioned the different materials of dinner jackets, why don’t you do a specific infographic with fabrics for shirts worn by Bond?
I was thinking about if any dinner jacket in the films combines the most common features for all of them, and I figured out it must be Lazenby’s tuxedo in OHMSS. Midnight Blue, worsted wool, one-button, single-breasted jacket. Satin-faced peaked lapels, satin covered buttons, double vents, straight jetted pockets. No waist covering and darted trousers. Even a thistle bow-tie.
Only thing different from the average is the shirt. And what a difference it is!
That’s a fascinating observation! Apart from the ruffled shirt, it’s one of my favourite dinner suits of the series.
Fantastic graphic Matt!! I love this update!
There’s a typo in Waist Coverings. It says: ‘Waist Coverngs’
Thank you. It’s fixed now.
Hullo Matt!
Your article is as exhaustive as ever, as is your encyclopedic knowledge!
I have a rather basic question, and i hope i have selected the proper article to ask.
I have a wedding in the family, for which i will be getting a tuxedo made for myself. However, i am in a dilemma when choosing between a Peak-lapel or a Shawl-collar lapel.
Would i be right in thinking that a Peak-lapel is more versatile, considering that it can also be paired with a neck-tie apart from a bow tie? You cannot imagine doing so with a shawl-collar.
I feel that a shawl-collar lapel would look much better, if may say glamorous, but then it would be restricted to be used on select occasions only like marriages or office parties in the evening, which again rarely happen.
So, please could you help me choose one between them? :)
Thanks,
Anuj
A tuxedo is only a tuxedo no matter what type of lapels it has, and it can never be worn with an ordinary neck tie like a suit can. It’s only for the evening and should only be worn with a bow tie. You can’t turn a tuxedo/dinner suit into an ordinary suit by wearing a different kind if tie, nor can you turn an ordinary suit into a dinner suit by wearing a black bow tie.
Ah ha..so that dispels my misconception that a dinner jacket can be paired with a neck tie!
Perfect! Ill go for the Shawl collar lapel jacket then!!
Thank you :)
Use bond as the foundation and this blog as the guide….chances you will be okay. Although it’s okay to stray, but not too far
I was under the impression he wore some kind of bit apron toe loafers with his dinner suit in For Your Eyes Only.
Matt, this is awsm, thanks. You’ve probably done it elsewhere, but can you mention who the tailors were. Really helpful for differentiating house styles.
There’s a list here: https://www.bondsuits.com/reference-guide/
Hi. Thank you for this. Who wore the two button tuxedos?
That would be Dalton in Licence to Kill and Daniel Craig in Spectre.
Stunning infographic. Suggestion for next series, “Suitcase / Wardrobe of (Film).”
It would be a great summary page of each movie, and it would be nice to be able to see the entire formal/casual wardrobe in a glance.
I understand you might spend all night doing Diamonds are Forever and maybe a lunch break for You Only Live Twice, I think it’s a neat idea – what do you think?
Which dinner jacket has one vent
That would be the Skyfall and Spectre dinner jackets.
Thank you.