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The Secret Origin of James Bond’s Style
There’s a very good chance that most men, at some point or another, have stood in the mirror when dressed to the nines and said, “Bond, James Bond.” Or maybe it’s just me.
This little quote has been ranked by the American Film Institute (AFI) as the 22nd greatest film quote of all time film. With the character himself ranking as number 3 in the all time film heroes. Created by Ian Fleming in 1953, James Bond has remained in film and literature as a dominant figure in popular culture.
The variety in which he is presented, by novelists continuing from Fleming and the various actors portraying Bond on screen, prove which elements remain elemental and consistent with who James Bond is and why he is needed. He’s the essence of the masculine, a gambler, and a man of imbecile style and sophistication.
The sense of style is important, not only to the appeal of the films, but as a representation of Bond’s inner strength and competence. As noted by Jeremy Black in James Bond and Politics, “Style meant competence, competence ensured style. Competence was enhanced by presence, the presence reinforced by the accoutrements and accessories of the Bond persona.”
If it was only about the clothes Bond would’t be the icon he is today, they bespeak of the the confidence and competence of the protagonist in how he…
