Why do spies wear suits

This article has been viewed 68, times. You can imitate a classic spy appearance with trench coats, trousers, and tuxedos, or you might upgrade to a contemporary look with a tactical turtleneck, like fictional secret agent Sterling Archer. It doesn't matter if you're trying to reproduce the style of your favorite spy character, or perform your own undercover surveillance, with some tips, you'll soon be dressed like a proper secret agent.

Random Article. Home Random Terms of Use. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. By using our site, you agree to our cookie policy. Cookie Settings. Explore this Article methods. Tips and Warnings. Related Articles. Method 1. Groom your hair. Spies have been known to be smooth operators and suave characters. Ladies might achieve the same effect by styling a sleek, extravagant hairdo. Keep your trench coat handy. Not only will these protect you from the elements, the cover offered from the high collar of your trench coat makes this garment iconic among spies.

High quality, fitted jackets, will earn you style points and perhaps a nod of approval from James Bond himself. Dress to the nine's in your best evening wear. It is a spy's job to discover the secrets of high level dignitaries and political figures. If you are a man, this means you'll need your best tuxedo to fit in at black-tie political events. Female spies can infiltrate events with elegant dresses and evening gowns.

Think about having your clothing tailored so that everyone knows at a glance you are a genteel and cosmopolitan individual. Be prepared for every weather condition. James Bond and Sterling Archer both have skied down slopes to escape or pursue their foes. Have an ace up your sleeve. Spies are equipped with innovative gadgets to outwit the countermeasures of their enemies.

In ancient China, hollow bamboo staves were used by agents of the Roman Empire to smuggle out the priceless silkworms of the Chinese Empire. Method 2. Make black your only option. This color is perfect for blending into the darkness of the night. It will help you evade detection while you infiltrate enemy facilities. Stick with close fitting, durable clothing that will protect you yet not get in your way.

Clip carabiners to your utility belt or climbing harness. Weight tested carabiner clips can save your life if you need to scale a wall or climb a cliff face. And you can store valuable on-the-job spy tools, like handcuffs and binoculars, on a utility belt. Both utility belt and climbing harness, along with the things you might carry with these, are useful additions to your spy kit. Disguise your face with a mask of your choice. Some spies prefer the anonymity of a plain ol' ski-mask.

Other spies like to disguise themselves a little more comically, and sometimes chose to wear masks imitating infamous characters. US spies 'favoured Harris Tweed'. Bond at 50 - Designing Best dressed fictional spy? Daniel Craig as Bond in Skyfall. Angelina Jolie's played a CIA agent with a taste for cashmere coats.

Ear bashing. Matt Damon played dressed down secret operative Bourne. Resistance fighters. Published 10 April Published 6 July But I agree that only Roger Moore can truly pass for it, and he has played true upper class characters in other roles. None of the other Bond actors speak with their natural accents as Bond, though Dalton is the only one besides Moore who comes close to speaking RP, as he has the most serious acting training.

So in the upper class would you say that the people around you are assimilating to the individual? Your title? Or your money? Here in the united states people are assimilating to your money. No need to pretend otherwise. Awesome article , Matt! I agree with your comment that Bond might not need to dress in a full suit in some situations.

Perhaps wearing a three piece suit to confront Blofeld on his oil rig base is too much but there are also other times such as travelling in Bolivia. Can you please send me the photoshop file you used to draft that cocktail cuff breakdown picture including all the shapes and layers? Thanks in advance. The most glaringly obvious example of dressing out of place is in Spectre. The cream dinner jacket in Morocco. Bond brought a warm weather dinner jacket with him from London?

Bond asks the attendant on the train to press his dinner suit. I assume the writers put this throwaway line in to bring realism to the situation. No man can be THAT prepared. The greatest gadget Bond will ever be equipped with is a lazy screenwriter! I think that line can be interpreted in a number of ways. In any event, there are far more ridiculous examples of this, such as in TWINE where Q gives Bond a gadget-laden ski coat before Bond has any way to know that he will be going skiing on his mission.

As Bond fans, we must overlook these things. I was itching to make this point as I read the replies but you got there first! I totally agree. Sometimes we are asked to suspend our disbelief to the max! Anyway great article Matt and some great points made in the replies too. I particularly liked and concurred with: 1. The irony that wearing a suit these days can set you apart and in some ways be seen as a sneaky act of subversion in itself.

Brosnan looked very good suited and booted but his casual clothes were often form-follows-function tactical wear. Now they have Craig in situation-appropriate casual wear that looks good too.

I have totally nicked the Sunspel polo and white jeans with brown suede shoes look! The Bond brand requires the suits, the flash cars, the martinis, and the beautiful women. Bond wanted to make an impression, and he could do that better if he wore a suit as opposed to casual clothes. You never know how a Russian mob boss might react to a poorly-dressed British guy who wants to meet him. While the other dead MI6 agents were also in suits, they were part of the meeting, presumably negotiating the retrieval of the hard drive.

I got the impression he was waiting outside and keeping a lookout with Moneypenny. Presumably he heard Patrice kill everyone and then entered the building to check it out.

The mix of tailored and casual clothes in Spectre was perfect. Odd jackets are popular again, with people now wearing them to the races here in Australia, on TV shows and regular people to work or out for dinner. Icon or not, there is no excuse to be wearing Alfani! I would sell it during my retail days. Wonderful article as always. The suit and tie should always be the staple uniform of Bond. Part of the fun and appeal of the character is that he has this brazen can-do attitude.

Outside of work and attending a wedding that is. Suits are still appropriate at classical music concerts and the opera, certain houses of worship and fancy restaurants.

That is a good question Matt what situations do find it appropriate for a suit or even odd jacket in this day and age? A suit can be appropriate at all times in my opinion, apart from doing household chores or gardening. It is important to remember that the colour, type of cloth and even the cut of a suit can make it more casual or formal. Always wear a tie though. I wore a dark navy small herringbone suit to the premiere of Spectre in Australia.

It addresses something many of us Bond fans have considered and clarifies a lot of things in my mind. I also find it encouraging that so many fellow fans are positive about our favourite spy remaining suited. But, for how long? Because, sadly, as you point out at the start of this article, all the occasions which, up to about a decade ago, were taken as normal for formal or neat dress, have allowed shabbier protocol.

Ignorance in the non-pejorative sense of the word. You are absolutely right David. I suppose one should not be surprised anymore but its hard not to.

And theese are people that are generally looked up to for their knowledge on style. In any case, tomorrow as I go out to dine I will wear my double breasted blazer in its honour! Great article. Rightly or wrongly people generally treat you with more respect if you wear a suit and tie.

I wear a suit every day and never feel over-dressed. I saw a man wearing a grey suit jacket with chinos to a summer wedding last year. Even at some functions these days people are made to feel over dressed wearing a sports jacket and slacks.

It is rather similar to the image of a knight, well armored with shiny plate armors, sitting on a nice horse, wield his weapon in a very showy manner, and look, well, presentable. Well, still, the first aspect of qualitative assessment still lies primarily in the presentation of the outfit. Bond, thusly, is sewn to his suit, and will never be able to take it off, fully. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam.

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Bond Suits is an unofficial information resource and is not linked to the official James Bond production companies. All Rights Reserved. The Book The Films Dr. Sign in. Forgot your password? Get help. Create an account. Password recovery. Bond Suits. Otherwise an interesting article.

All the best!