It’s been 65 years since Ian Fleming published Casino Royale, the first literary work from what will turn out to be a long-living symbol of style, manhood, and action-ridden, high-speed spy missions. The life and story of Bond continues to feed the curiosity of millions of fans across the world, and the ecranisation of the books has helped 007 to reach a massive audience.
It all starts with the styling. The fact is, for better or worse, that first impressions come from the outside. You might have a great character, but a sloppy style will offset your virtues from the very beginning. A glance at Bond’s outfits, on the other hand, reveals a lot about his inner self. In the dress code of 007, there is nothing unnecessary, and his sharp and dapper look conveys that he means business.
Let’s break it down from the top. James Bond rarely wears hats. His presence brings an aura of style, confidence, and earnest — all traits that stem from an iron gaze that will lose its power if hidden under a brim. While you certainly could rock a nice-looking hat, the question is, should you? Perhaps, no, because apart from being in the way of your ambiance, a hat is not a modern-day match for the next staple piece of Bond’s style — the conservative suit.
While visiting a casino in a t-shirt and jeans will probably be fine in most places, donning a fitted suit will definitely help you to project the Bond-esque presence that is so iconic for the British character. The keyword here is “fitted”. While you don’t need to shell out five grand for a suit, you’d better spend some bucks on fitting. A skillful tailor can seriously step up the game of even a department store purchase (to a limit, of course). For a complete Bond look, complement your suit with a classic watch and a slightly-peeking pocket square.
The sharp dressing game, though, will only get you so far in becoming worthy of getting the 007 code name. While anybody with a couple of hundred dollars can replicate Bond’s style, it takes more than money and good-looking clothes to pull off his character. The agent’s well-put behavior has earned him the status of a “man’s man.” He is a doer, and once he sets on doing something, he does complete it.
On top of that, he gracefully adapts to any surprising situation, be it an unexpected trap by a villain, setting up a date with a gorgeous woman, or playing high-stakes poker. And Bond has a tendency to encounter such situations often. Virtually any story revolves around him standing up to an evil genius who boasts ill intentions. To Bond’s relief, though, his missions often involve encounters with delightful women and visiting equally delightful events. Thus, while 007 tried to save the world from the destructive hands of Dr. No (Dr. No) and Raoul Silva (Skyfall), he crossed paths with charmers such as Jinx (Halle Berry) and Vesper Lynd (Eva Green).
It was the last one who managed to read Bond in a way that left the agent himself worried about letting down his guard. Later in the movie, though, the Brit impressed Lynd with his own ability to read people, which he used to his advantage. As a part of the “save the world” plan, Bond joins a game of No Limit Texas Hold’em, a game where psychological and mathematical skills play a role that’s much more important than anything else. This particular scene shows Bond’s mastery of psychological abilities, a trait that has served him right many times and will do you good, too. Reading people and how they respond to you is key in presenting yourself with confidence and projecting the Bond aura no matter what the situation calls.
Undeniably, Bond perfectly fits the saying “men want to be him, and women want to be with him”. Now, the irresistible charm and smoothness of the men who portrayed the agent on the big screen, among whom we hope to see Idris Elba, was a product of countless hours of rehearsal and coaching. Nevertheless, with a few tweaks you, too, can project the confidence that seems so fitting for the British agent. The best part is that you can do it without the limitless bank account of 007.
