Most people would agree that George Lazenby isn’t such a great actor, but what is more important for this blog is that he knew how to wear his clothes. For his first visit to M’s office in On Her Majesty’s Secret Service he’s dressed in a three-piece navy herringbone suit, something typical for a London businessman. Lazenby also went for the traditional button three front as opposed to Sean Connery’s modern button two. The lapels roll gently through the top button for a two-and-a-half roll. The top button is not obscured by the lapels, but it’s not intended to fasten.
The cut is also much different with a cleaner, trimmer silhouette and narrower shoulders, though lightly padded with natural sleeve heads. The coat has deep side vents (probably about 12 inches) and straight flapped pockets. The cuffs are finished with three buttons, matching the number of buttons on the front. The suits in On Her Majesty’s Secret Service are made by Fulham, London tailor Dimi Major, according to the The Spy Who Came Out of the Closet articles.
Lazenby’s trousers were also much different from Connery’s. Gone were the traditional English forward-pleated trousers and replaced with a more fitted darted front style, and pleats would not return until Timothy Dalton would revert to Connery’s style of forward pleats. The trousers have the same “Daks tops” button-tab side adjusters that Connery’s trousers have. The side pockets are slanted. The legs are trim and straight from the knee-down, finishing the suit’s swinging ’60s silhouette.
The waistcoat is made in the traditional style with four welt pockets and a full six-button front, though the bottom button is left open, of course.
We get a rare look at one of James Bond’s three-piece suits without the jacket when he visits his own private office, where it is appropriate for one to remove his suit jacket.
The shirt, made by Frank Foster of Pall Mall, is a basic white lightweight cotton, possibly a fine poplin or zephyr, with a point collar cut with a considerable amount of tie space. Lazenby goes simple with single-button rounded cuffs, a first for James Bond. To finish off the look with a traditional Bondian element, Lazenby wears a navy blue silk knitted silk tie, something carried over for a few Connery films and from Fleming’s Bond.
At a press event at the Dorchester on the 7th of October 1968, Lazenby wears this full outfit with black slip-on shoes, with the quarters extending as strap over the vamp. There’s no clear look at the shoes that he wears with this outfit in the film, but he may wear the same shoes in the film.
Overall, Lazenby’s style is quite a different look from what Connery had established, a bit more modern and rakish and undeniably British.
Lazenby's Bond was superbly dressed. He influenced me to get my first real overcoat when I was in high school. And that 3 piece navy chalkstripe he wears in Sir Hilary's office…pure coolness. I even dig the ruffled dinner shirt, but I dont have the guts to pull it off!
His ruffled shirt is the only thing he wore that I don't like. I don't mind the Scottish Highland dress, but as I have no Scottish ancestry I would never wear it.
Hi Matt. This is my first post on your blog, though I have been reading it in the background for a while now.
I love this suit. Would have preferred if the tie was black, but, quibble quibble…
Just a quick question: is there a "rule" about the placement of buttons on a man's suit jacket in relation to the side pockets? I've seen a lot of suits where the bottom button is a bit below the line of the pockets (that is, about the "halfway" point compared to the flap), and others where the bottom button lines up exactly with the opening of the pockets (the pockets being of the straight variety?)
Oh, and by the way, the trousers on this suit are indeed fastened with side adjuster tabs. When Bond is emptying out his office, he sits down to take a swig from his flask and we just briefly get a peek at his waistband, and the buttons can be seen.
There's no rule as to where pockets should be in relation to the buttons. The bottom button should be around the height of the pocket, but it can be at the top of the flap or in the middle of the flap. Hacking pockets would usually place the bottom button height at the bottom of the flap.
A lovely suit, worn well. The three-button jacket compliments his stature perfectly.
This may be my favorite suit worn by any James Bond, although I prefer 2 buttons to 3, and I’d change a few other details. One thing I notice in your picture, and watching the film, is there doesn’t appear to be a waistcoat cinch on the back of the waistcoat. Is that because it is bespoke? Its certainly a lot cleaner look than what I have on my three piece suit. Now that I have moved on to buying bespoke, I wonder if I can get that on my next three piece suit…
This waistcoat does not have a cinch. Most bespoke English waistcoats have a cinch, and I think they are useful at ensuring the waistcoat fits well.