Whilst the more conservative English ties are made in woven patterns like basket weaves, repp stripes and traditional checks, as well as simply and complex dobby and jacquard patterns, ties made of printed silk are another traditional style. Printed ties are more popular amongst the French and Italian makers, and prints make any type of pattern possible. Woven patterns and motifs can still be very complex, as Turnbull & Asser proves, and the patterns tend to be more vivid. But printing is easier and anything can be printed on silk, from pin-dot patterns to pieces of art. Printed patterns are mostly done on repp- and satin-weave silk.
Roger Moore wears a grey tie with a red printed motif in Live and Let Die and a navy tie with a discreet printed pattern (above) in Moonraker. One or both of the striped ties in Moonraker may also be printed.
Matt, as you say ‘anything can be printed on silk’
I remember having a printed silk tie in the earlier 90’s that was red paisley print at the top (when tied) and a picture of a 19th century hunting scene oil painting on the bottom.
Needless to say I no longer have that tie..!!!
Lee
Am I the only one who thinks that wider ties and lapels (within reason, not like in American Hustle) just look richer and more luxurious than today’s ultra-skinny look?
No. I agree with you. Particularly on the lapels.
I am not as much a fan of the large shirt collar, as seen here on Roger.
I agree – the shirt collar is too long. You can’t go wrong with a moderate spread.
No you are not Dan !
A classic width (like the suit of North by Northwest) on the lapels looks great on anybody, I think.
Skinny lapels on slim people (I am one of them) make them look even slimmer, and I don’t see the point. Actually, I think they only look good on athletic built people (see the suits of Connery from Thunderball fexample).
I prefer medium width lapels or large ones (like in the 1940s) if I can find suits with such features.
I also prefer taller and wider collars than the current ones (but honestly I don’t appreciate anything that is current, I guess I am another dinosaur). Such as the collars of the Brosnan era or of the Craig era (except for Skyfall of course).
But here the shirt collar of Moore looks a bit too much because the height is too big. With the rather narrow shoulders of the jacket, and the wide tie, everything is made so that we can only see the collar of the wearer rather than the rest. Very 1970s -even if the shirt is certainly of excellent quality !…
I prefer the shirt collars that Moore wore in his Hayward period -a large spread and a medium height, it was simple and worked very well.
(unsurprisingly) I agree 100% Dan. They just scream taste and class but I accept that this is purely subjective.
Skinny ties and skinny lapels and huge ties and broad lapels are the two opposites excesses.
I hate and detest the fashion of 70s,and i have much fear that acual exaggerate and ridiculous skinny trend can for reaction switch on a seventiesque trend of very large ties and lapels.
The perfect balance for me can be see in slender but proportionate line of 50s and early 60s (especially Italian).
The famous “North by nortwest” Cary Grant’s suit is my model as proportion.
Have to say, I think Moore’s outfit here is hideous. The tie is remarkably uncool and the rest belongs in a museum.
Mark,
I have to assume you are a very young man by your choice of words (“uncool”, “belongs in a museum”). Let me assure you that the color scheme is a classic, and the suit is beautifully cut. The shoulders, in particular, are perfect. The overall proportions look odd to someone whose eye is accustomed only to super skinny fashions, but I have seen fashions come and go, and can appreciate this outfit for what it is. I genuinely do not wish to be patronizing, but I would suggest that you consider broadening your sartorial horizons – there may be unexpected pleasures out there!
It may look “uncool” for 2014 but it was “right on” for 1979. It’s always important to remember the context of the individual films. With a few adjustments, Moore’s look would still work today.
Yes, the problem is that the look is too much right for 1979 (well maybe in 79 style are changing,so this look is more right for 1976).
The problem is that (a part maybe “The man with the golden gun”) Moore is excessively trendy.
Bond should be more timeless (a good exemple are the Connery best suits in “Diamonds are forever”).
If i see a pictures of Prince Charles in 1978 or 79,lapels and tie not scream “70s”.
Moore seems ever out fashion because was too much in fashion.
“Mark, when I went in, that was all the go.”
Although calling it hideous is rather extreme, I agree that I don’t really like some the details on the suit. The suit is beautifully cut and as Dan says the shoulders are perfect. But I would prefer slightly smaller lapels myself. And the tie as well is similar to what my father used to wear in the 90s.
I’m sure it was a very trendy outfit in the 70’s. In 10 years or so, we will probably talk about the Skyfall suits in the same way.
Agreed on the tie. In my opinion a tie narrower than 3 inches or wider than 3.5 is asking for trouble.
The rest of the outfit? Take in the flares and it’s flawless.
The debate will rage till infinity but I just can’t get my head around why Dalton’s outfits are almost universally panned for being dated – and not without good reason – but Moore seems to constantly sidestep criticism for aberrations such as this. Maybe it’s because Dalton’s outfits were either ready to wear or at least not from historic Savile Row / Jermyn Street tailors while Moore continued to be dressed by historic houses. In any event I was around in England in 1979 and can assure readers that collars and ties as broad as this, (three years after the punk explosion slammed the doors on disco/polyester and excess) were already considered VERY dated and neither in step with current trends nor considered to be nostalgically classic. This is 180 degrees away from the timeless NXNW suit mentioned above. It was dated in 1979 and to me will always look dated, just as Moore was equally out of step in the role by this time.
[rant over – had to get that out!]
It’s usually said that the most important aspect of a suit is the fit, and that’s why Moore’s dated outfits are, to many people here, better-received than Dalton’s. Like Cary Grant’s suits, Moore’s suits pay equal attention to fit. The Licence to Kill suits are further from Cary Grant’s suits in that manner, and further from current trends. However, Moore won for wearing the least attractive suit: https://www.bondsuits.com/which-of-bonds-most-fashionable-suits-do-you-find-least-attractive/
True – furthermore, not only is fit the most important aspect of a suit, but “dated” doesn’t have to mean “hideous”. It’s all a matter of what the eye is accustomed to. In 1975 Dr. No was re-released in Italy – I saw it with the eyes of an 18-year old who grew up around 70’s excess, and I thought the wonderful trousers by Anthony Sinclair (https://www.bondsuits.com/the-plain-weave-glen-check-suit/) were ridiculously full-cut and high-waisted. Now not only do I know better now, but I had my tailor make me a pair of trousers similar to those. I am convinced that one has to take “fashion” with several grains of salt in order to appreciate fine tailoring in its different iterations.
Funny!
For me was exactly the opposite.
I tell my story:
The first 007 movie that i see was “The man with the golden gun”,in Christmas 1974.
I had 9 years,and I was very impressed by character.
For me Bond was Moore.
But in the summer of 1975,in Italy the olds movies of James Bond,from “Doctor No to Diamond are forever” back to the cinema.
I see all,and when i see Connery in “Doctor No” immediately Roger Moore faded: “This is the one and only true 007,i thought.
I (remember very well this) I was struck from the suits in Connery movies; at me (ten year old) the moderate lapels,the lean line the sober palette and the straight and clean trousers seemed wonderfull!
Was existed a age,not many years ago in which peoples were so clean and elegant,with short hairscut an without those horrible giant lapels and ties,those flared trousers,those ridicolous big patterns?
Wow!
My taste formed just then.
I don’t think that the suits of Timoty Dalton for “The Living Daylights” are dated.
I remember well that when i see the movie I thought “is a back to Connery,is a back to Fleming”.
A real whiff of fresh air after all those years boring elephant grey trendy suits and printed ties!
I see very few 80s trend in Dalton’suits for that movie (that in my opinion is underrate) Is a pity that the following movie “Licenze to kill” was a complete mess!
I love paisley ties, and I have a few that are printed silk, including a couple from Brioni. The pattern is more intricate than woven paisley ones (at least at the same price point), though the woven ones have considerably more depth to their appearance and more subtle color differences, whereas the printed ones look rather flat… Which Moore’s tie does here to me, especially given it’s a pretty plain repeating pattern. That said the printed ones are generally smoother and thinner and always seem to make a noticeably nice dimple without much effort.
So, I see that, after a considerable gap we have returned to the classic yawn inducing, ill informed drivel about “hideous” and “uncool” in relation to a certain Bond inacarnation. Who cares? Good taste and refinement is perennially uncool and getting more so by the day. It seems no matter how often Matt points out the quality of the tailoring of ALL of Moore’s suits the same monotonous comparisons with other garments of no redeeming sartorial value and nothing to do with good tailoring resurrect themselves like Dracula from the grave!
” Good taste and refinement is perennially uncool and getting more so by the day.” True, unfortunately. But maybe we dinosaurs can still strike a blow for those qualities!
It fascinates me that when the two warring factions square off on this blog, one group tends to rally beneath the banner of ” good taste” while the other seems to be driven by a fear of looking “outdated” above all else. Yet if we put aside the subjective and take a look at what both groups seem to be talking about–i.e. what stands up in terms of classic style–we can surmise the following:
Moore’s suits all fit flawlessly, but suffered from considerable excess in the details (at times). Craig’s Skyfall suits were ok on the details (the lapels and ties weren’t comically skinny and the side adjusters and turn ups were both classic touches) and were cut out of some nice fabrics, but didn’t fit worth a damn. Dalton’s clothing completely lacked redeeming qualities, which should not be disputed.
Now, subjectively we can disagree with respect to which of the above is the most offensive/pleasing to our individual senses of style. But we should be able to agree that at some time in the future, all of the above will look terribly dated.
I’ve lived long enough to have seen several styles come and go, and what is considered “in style” and what is considered “out of style” to reverse – and then reverse again!
For those who think that there is one “correct” style of suit I would say…well, I won’t use the word but it comes out of the back end of a male cow. If one considers early Connery era suits to be the “right” style, well, you would have looked really out of it wearing them in the 70s. Less so in the 80s, but still out of it. And then much more so in the 90s. And still to this day. The only time that those suits looked perfect were in the ear that they came out in, and you can say that about suits in any era. As you say, it’s personal preference, not what is right or wrong.
Look, men’s style changes and thank god for that. I love looking forward to refreshing my wardrobe and seeing what new tweaks and twists we can use. Imagine how boring it would be if we all wore the exact same style for 60 years. Sure, we might *think* that we would look iconoclastic (perhaps like Thom Wolfe) but…no.
If someone thinks that men’s dress wear can’t change then I’d love them to post pictures of the suits that they wear to work. I’d really like to see someone wearing spats, carrying a walking stick, and wearing a frock coat…
I don’t think the tie looks bad. It complements the wide lapels, although a narrower tie, one more like the generally 3″ to 3 1/2″ wide ties made now, may fit the lapels as well. Is there any estimation as to how wide Bond’s tie would be, in this scene? I’m guessing 4″ or 4 1/4″. If that suit had slightly narrower lapels, and no flares, I believe it would look significantly better by today’s standards. The shirt collars do seem to be very long, although many of today’s collars seem to be too short as well. I prefer wearing collars that are a little bit on the long side, although about an inch shorter than the ones pictured above.
I very much like the print of the tie. It’s a simple, strong print, and it “anchors” the grey suit. You will notice that the paving and masonry about Venice is in various shades of grey, so the tie (and the black shoes) keep Moore from blanding out. In the long shots, the tie width, to my eyes, is congruous with the lapels and flares.