Daniel Craig has been playing James Bond for 11-years now, making him the 2nd longest James Bond of all time. Recent rumors suggest that he’ll be signing on for another 2 films, which will etch him into history as the longest running James Bond actor of all time.
This is quite the achievement but equally impressive is how Daniel Craig has portrayed Bond. Although we all love the classics, Craig might even beat out Roger Moore for the most stylish James Bond of all time. The costume department has done an amazing job with Craig, dressing him impeccably in current clothes that will still look great 30-years from now.
The problem with dressing Bond is that you know people will be watching that film for the first time many decades from now, so all of his clothes need to be timeless.
James Bond is known for his suits and Craig has continued this tradition without issue. In this above shot, you have Bond in a classic pinstripe suit with a light-blue shirt and dark spotted tie. Unlike past Bonds, his suit is extremely fitted, he wears a strong V-taper from his shoulders to his waist and an equally aggressive lapel.
Notice just how pressed and starched his collar is, it’s pressed tightly against the shirt. The collar itself is a long point collar that hides away to emphasize the tight knot of the tie. You’ll also notice that the tie has a very visible dimple in the center, this prevents the tie from looking one-dimensional and makes plain ties such as this more vibrant.
As every man should know, it’s important to match your pocket square to the collar of your dress shirt. Bond always does this well and leaves just half an inch to an inch of his pocket square showing.
Daniel Craig has been great at showing the softer and more casual side of Bond, he’s not always found in suits and can often be seen in slacks and t-shirts.
In this photo, we find Bond in a pair of beige chinos, a white v-neck, and a black sweater. This is a great look for Bond who even is his downtime wants to look presentable. This is a casual look that is affordable and will suit many men, as always the fit in his clothes is excellent.
One of the biggest lessons to learn from Daniel Craig's character is that fit is everything. Finding clothes that hug your body is crucial to looking great, no matter what brand you wear if it doesn’t you, you’ll look bad. Make sure that everything you wear fits you well and if it doesn’t you can easily get those clothes tailored.
Another classic we see is Bonds watch. Traditionally Bond would have been seen wearing a Rolex, but they have opted for a partnership with Omega in the recent Bond films. Whilst this has upset some of us traditionalists, the Omega watches are timeless and suit Craig well. This watch isn’t flashy, it’s a thick silver watch that looks rugged and suits his casual attire.
This is my favorite piece of clothing from the recent films, Craig looks amazing in this classic blue polo and it’s something that all men should have in their closet. Rather than a button-down, he chooses to wear an open-necked dark blue polo that fits his body snuggly. This is the kind of item that makes a great replacement for your t-shirts. It’s extremely versatile and can be worn with jeans, chinos or even shorts. A good polo like this is timeless and will last you for years, picking a plain color like a dark blue is far safer than a trendy color that will quickly become unfashionable.
In this final photo, you can see Bond sailing off into the distance in another black sweater, combined with a white shirt, beige slacks, and Tom Ford sunglasses. This black sweater is an older-style with a corduroy finish and metallic buttons that are reminiscent of previous Bonds. Underneath the’s wearing a white shirt that fits him well, notice that the cuffs of the shirt stick out slightly from under the sweater, this is what you should always aim for. Bond is also seen wearing a pair of Tom Ford sunglasses , these are modeled upon the original Ray Ban aviators and are given a more sporty look with a thin metal band.
Overall, there are a few lessons that we can learn from this character. Firstly, the fit is everything . Whether you’re wearing a $5,000 suit or a polo and khakis, having clothes that fit your body is crucial to looking great. Secondly, choosing clothes that age well is important. Bond is seen wearing suits and polo's that looked great 40-years ago and still look great today. Ignore the trends and stick to classic pieces. Finally, the details are important. Bond is never seen without accessories like his sunglasses, pocket-square or his watch. Likewise, his dress shirts always fit perfectly and an appropriate length of the cuff is always visible. Looking this great is a science, not an art.