October 5 is World James Bond Day, coinciding with the release date of the first film in the saga: Agent 007 vs. Dr. No (1962). Handsome, brave, seductive, boastful, omnipotent… without a doubt a model of masculinity that many men have fantasized about, believing that it would imply the infinite list of sexual conquests. In fact, James Bond wouldn’t be him without chica Bondan absolutely misogynistic resource that degraded women to mere hunting trophies to take their masculinity out for a walk. The Bond girls changed in each film, the result of a sexual bulimia that prioritized quantity over commitment, but Moneypenny always persisted, who waited, self-sacrificing and patient, for him to offer her four crumbs of flirtation between mission and mission, trying to score the felt hat on the coat rack.
To build this character, the costumes have been crucial, to the point that James Bond has been a true style reference. It is clear that his appearance is associated with the elegance of the suit. This character, as a symbol of British culture, undoubtedly had to be paired with one of its cultural bastions: tailoring. In fact, Sean Connery was the most aesthetically classic James Bond. Elegance and sophistication but always effortless, so as not to dismantle the myth and make it more credible, although it is interesting to know that they made him sleep in the suit so that it would normalize it during filming. This clothing is one of the most recognizable masculine symbols in fashion, which grants power, control and respect to the wearer and that Connery’s Bond alternated, from time to time, with more informal pieces, such as the legendary blue fabric jumpsuit. towel that he wore in Goldfinger (1965).
Roger Moore went down in history as the James Bond Playboywith more daring clothing, with double-breasted suits rarely seen until then and safari shirts, without forgetting the impeccable ivory tuxedo that he wore in Octopussy (1983) and which has crowned him as the most elegant Bond. After the informal aesthetic of Timothy Dalton’s suits without ties, close to Richard Gere of American gigolo (1980), Pierce Brosnan came along, taking up the classic tone of tailoring, once again incorporating the tie and combining it with linen suits in the purest French Riviera style.
Daniel Craig has been the last James Bond and, for many, the most complete actor who has played the secret agent, a Craig who was characterized by very tight suits to the silhouette, to the point of seeming that they had shrunk or that they were of a He is smaller than his usual size, a stylistic resource from Tom Ford, who had no other desire than to make the actor’s muscles show off.
The reflection on masculinity is one of the main pillars of the James Bond films. Certainly, over the years the character has undergone a deconstruction with respect to its origins, since with Craig the character is more complex and the women acquire the status of equals. But nevertheless, it remains a stereotype of unattainable masculinity, with too much pressure on what a man should be. In any case, and for the peace of mind of many, it is interesting to look at the radical aesthetic change of Daniel Craig since he left that role. He was contractually obligated to dress and behave in a certain way, both on and off screen. Now, freed from being 007 24 hours a day, his appearance has undergone a 180-degree turn, much more relaxed and informal. Clearly, being James Bond is not easy, neither for most mortals nor for those trained to play him.
