Cool men in cool clothes

So the other day I went out and saw “Ocean’s 13”. As expected, it was a blast. Mostly because it is much easier to enjoy the movie than it is to dislike it. It wasn’t the story-line, the special effects, or even the star-studded cast that did it for me, though. What took me in, or better, who took me in, was Louise Frogley. The costume designer did such a superb job, I could not take my eyes off the jackets, shirts, and ties, all that gleaming silk! The fabrics were lustrous and the Italian flair was undeniable.

Each outfit in the movie was ensembled to perfection. Most jackets, albeit not all, even had correct sleeve length, exposing bejeweled dress shirt cufflinks. Frogley’s biggest success, however, was pulling the Vegas-flair through. Too often the scarf and the handkerchief in the breast pocket had the same pattern, which would in most cases arouse critique for being too matchy, but given the setting, it was more than appropriate.

The best dressed person in the movie was Al Pacino, followed closely by Brad Pitt. Of course, all other crew members looked great, and Damon’s Mao suit was a real nice touch, but for me personally, those two were the most pleasure to watch.

Al Pacino’s character’s dress style in the movie could be summed up in two words: powerful daywear. A pinstriped suit, paired with a white-collared shirt, a paisley tie and a silk square would be considered too risky in most cases. Such combination is inherently more aggressive, however also in this case, inherently more “Vegas”.

As “Rusty”, Brad Pitt was very casual and relaxed in his dress, but that only added to the freshness of his character. His shirts and jackets were of a trimmer fit, with very clean lines and double-button cuffs, all spelling out a lot of attitude.

All the shirts in the movie were supplied by Ike Behar. They supplied the shirts for first Ocean, so they definitely get kudos for succeeding at the task of updating the characters’ styles while retaining their credibility as the essence of cool.

This suit is you, sir!

It is in our nature to generalize, to simplify and to stick to the surface. It makes things easier to swallow and digest. It also eradicates understanding and joins ignorance by the hand.

When it comes to Fashion, it is too often assumed that its decorative attribute embodies its nature. Fashion is not ornamentation. It is not the purse we are carrying, the suit we are wearing or the pendants we’re dangling. It is not the what, but the why. It discloses where we come from, even if at times it does so in a very subtle manner. Most importantly, it reveals our aspirations. It is a manifestation of our ambitions, desires and pursuits.

Fashion is a dynamic outlet for self expression. It provokes thought. It raises questions. It answers questions. It’s a reflection. It’s the reflected. As with style and beauty, it is in the eye of the beholder. It is immanent and subjective by the virtue of being an intimate exhibition. It’s aesthetics. The aesthetics of who we are and who we want to become at once.

Pictures courtesy of Anita Bresser, www.anitabresser.com