The stories we see on the silver screen have a way of inspiring us. The Pursuit of Happyness taught us to chase our dreams in the wake of adversity, Freedom Writers taught us that we all have a story to tell, and 127 Hours taught us not to go on a hike alone lest we end up having to chop off our own arms.
But for some of us, the greatest lessons that film and TV can teach are how to dress to the nines. And in the past decade, there have been some excellent examples of fine, fashionable fellas gracing our screens. These are the best-dressed male film and TV protagonists of the last ten years.
Django (Django Unchained, 2012)
Obviously, no one comes to a Tarantino spaghetti-western expecting historically accurate costuming. But that definitely didn’t hurt the style of the film’s title character, the former slave turned bounty hunter, Django.
Every element, from Django’s fitted olive-green jacket to his Bonanza hat to the knit scarf, is effortlessly cool, adding a sharp look to a gritty hero. Although, we’d probably leave the “blue boy” suit on the rack.
Tommy Shelby (Peaky Blinders, 2013)
Early 20th-century figures like Big Jim Colosimo, Al Capone, and Bugsy Siegel have made us all appreciate the charisma of a well-dressed crime boss. But it wasn’t just American mobsters who had style on lock. The BBC’s look at the Peaky Blinders, a post-WWI Irish gang, proves it.
The gang’s boss, Tommy Shelby, can undoubtedly be a ruthless man, but you can’t deny he’s an elegant one. A grey suit and a trench coat are usually his go-to, along with the iconic peaky blinders flat cap with a razor sewn into the brim. He is probably one of the reasons flat caps have become a popular hat style for men again.
Eggsy Unwin (Kingsman Secret Service, 2015)
A well-tailored suit has long been the clothing of choice for British spies on the silver screen, and the Kingsman series takes it to the next level by making it part of a spy’s persona.
The series’ protagonist, Eggsy, the former marine drop-out turned spy, embraces the look of a Kingsman spy with a collection of suits, from a dapper blue pinstripe to an orange and black number. Eggsy may not have quite the film history of James Bond, but it’s hard to deny that he’s earned his place among TV and film’s best-dressed male protagonists.
Chunk Palmer (Bull, 2016)
When you think of legal dramas, no one’s first thought is high fashion. But Bull’s focus on the role of psychology in the courtroom sets it apart as a unique spin on the legal genre. And given the way clothes impact people’s perception, it only makes sense that it would play a role in it.
To that end, one of the series’ main characters is a fashion designer by the name of Chester “Chunk” Palmer. Chunk throws the legal drama black suit fashion out the window with bright patterns and colors, all without making himself look over-the-top or gaudy.
