I think the greatest thing about being British would be being able to lay claim to James Bond. Other than that, England is just terrible weather and not very fresh food. It's a great spring from which you get the best music and the best art, the best literature, but really, for lifestyle I would not recommend it. But James Bond... The coolest cat around - outsmarting the Americans, putting as many notches on his belt as he can and always, always looking dapper.
One of the first James Bond films I watched as a kid was a screening of Octopussy on Beta in the games room at the Cameron Highlands Strawberry Park resort. Wow, this is going back a while. My cousin Emil was the cameraman that trip for our Sony camcorder, those ones that were built like German tanks. Terrible home videos, he was in an experimental phase with his camera work... I digress. So, I was watching Octopussy again last night and of course, I was hunting for bow ties and what not. I think this is Roger Moore at his near best. After the screenshots of bows you you will find images of Octopussy's Silk Robe. I didn't find her so attractive as a Bond woman but I loved the Robe. I think the Spy Who Loved Me's Agent XXX still has my heart - she had a certain vulnerability mixed with a killer instinct.
Interestingly, there is no fly front on the white shirt. I also notice no satin on the lapel (am I wrong to expect satin on a white dinner jacket) and then a very very high collar which I love and what seems to be a rich heavy silk on the bow. The closest I offer to this bow is my premium satin in large butterfly www.lenoeudpapillon.com
Above: That looks like a pre-tied slim batwing - pre-tied is like a wet handshake - probably why he was losing at backgammon. (Exception to the rule are velvet bows).
The dress shirt is from Frank Foster of London and is made from a voile cotton. Foster made shirts for Roger Moore since the final “Saint” series in 1968. The jacket was made by Douglas Hayward the tailor who made Moore's suits etc from For Your Eyes Only onwards.
ReplyDeleteA white (or ivory in this case) dinner jacket need not have a silk covering on the lapel. It can do but it must not.
Finally, I'm not sure about the "always looking dapper" thing. Roger Moore (ditto Connery and Brosnan) definitely did but others like Dalton and the awful current incumbent, I'm not so sure about.
I love my blog - that people like david marlborough who would know such specific and interesting information might find it and leave comments. Thank you David. However, I have to disagree with you about white dinner jackets and silk. I have a white dinner jacket with a silk lapel and it looks amazing and sometimes I think it is okay to break away from tradition. Please stay in contact with the blog. I greatly appreciate your insights.
ReplyDeleteI agree with David, a satin lapel on a white dinner jacket, is somewhat of a fashion faux pas. Traditionally it would be a wool peak lapel, or shawl collar.
ReplyDeleteThe satin lapel is generally considered a tuxedo jacket- not a dinner jacket. A dinner jacket typically has a "self" lapel (meaning same fabric as the jacket). A silk lapel would make it lovely, but a tux jacket- not dinner jacket.
ReplyDeleteDoes anyone know where I can buy the robe of Octopussy?
ReplyDeleteThanks
Hélder Costa (Portugal)