Let’s face it, summer dressing cues from cult films of the past decades sounds like an awful lot of polos, ill-fitted shorts, and boat shoes. If that’s what you thought, you’re absolutely right. That’s an idea of summer that has been ingrained in our minds from (unfortunately) terribly made-for-the-box-office films such as Baywatch and The Proposal.
Here’s how we can fix this — let’s get those ideas wiped fresh from our minds and take it from the meticulously-curated wardrobes of a few of recent cinematic history’s best films. While it’s hard to pinpoint if a film is ultimately depicted in the summer, we can infer from the locations and climate to make a wild guess. The wardrobe usually serves as a given as well. Expect denim, lightweight dressing and an absence of layering.
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Call Me By Your Name
Firstly, perhaps the largest influence in how men are returning to dressing up during warmer days would be the fashion (or lack thereof) from the 2017 film, Call Me By Your Name. Set in an Italian town during the 1980s, soft pastels as though out of a Monet painting sets the colour scheme for the fashion. Loose, linen-like short sleeved shirts and coloured shorts are key combinations. Expectedly, Houses such as Ermenegildo Zegna and Dolce&Gabbana have long carried these styles in their summer collections. It’s a style that’s cool and easy to replicate.
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Drive
As if the bomber jacket trend hasn’t returned in full swing this season, it seems appropriate to bring Ryan Gosling in the 2013 film-noir thriller — Drive — back unto the spotlight for many obvious reasons. One, the fashion comes straight out of a fashion fever dream — the iconic silver embroidered bomber/blouson resembles almost all of Saint Laurent’s menswear’s latest endeavours. Two, it’s a way of light layering during the summer that won’t cause a scene of stares. Three, it’s simply just effortlessly cool — every guy ought to own at least one, much akin to having a pair of leather jacket in your wardrobe.
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Inherent Vice
Inherent Vice is one of those movies you’ve always heard about, but never actually watched. The same goes for the wardrobe of the film, the linen safari jacket, denim shirt and straw hat are probably items you have in your wardrobe right now but have been left sitting in the dust. We’d imagine the beard provides the full look, but one can always make do without it. Houses such as Kenzo and Tod’s have recently carried the same styles.
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Chungking Express
It would be unforgiving not to include a Wong Kar Wai film in this list of greats, especially as it provides an East-Asian perspective to the definitions of the summer dressing. In Chungking Express, we see fashion that is neither too distracting nor boring, and fitting for its time. Plaid short sleeve shirts, reminiscent of those we’d see in our childhood is slowly making a comeback as well. This time, opt for an oversized fit and leave the top two buttons open.
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Nightcrawler
From Donnie Darko to Brokeback Mountain, Jake Gyllenhaal has always emulated the cool and effortless factor that’s crucial in summer dressing. In the 2014 dram — Nightcrawler — Gyllenhaal is seen in a reverie collar shirt and black tailored pants, with a pair of Ray-Bans casually resting on his shirt. We’d say ditch the backpack, grow your hair out like his and you’re done. This is perfect for those who are cautious of bright colours.
Once you’re done with this guide on summer dressing cues from cult films, click here to catch up with our June/July 2021 issue.
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