Reference Point: Steve McQueen

At some point in most men’s style journey, they discover the sartorial subtlety of Steve McQueen.  McQueen was - and remains - the archetype for modern masculine style thanks to his rugged understated outfits and steely good looks.  There was both elegance and functionality in McQueen’s mode of dressing, which appeals to men because he never treated clothes as too precious.  He wore trim t-shirts when fixing his machines and sporty suits and turtlenecks while driving like a bat out of hell in Bullitt.  Iconic scenes and images of McQueen portray him as a man’s man, which gets at the rough and tumble part inside us all.

Part of McQueen’s appeal was that he lived the lifestyle he looked.  He grew up poor and blue collar, a deviant and delinquent during his adolescence.  After a stint in the military, McQueen used his G.I. Bill to study acting.  He made a small series of Broadway appearances before moving to Los Angeles for the bright lights of Hollywood, where he developed and perfected his playboy image and his taste for the high and fast life.  McQueen never left his roughneck roots behind, rather he refined them with a penchant for fine clothes, cars, bikes and watches (his 1967 Rolex Submariner Ref. 5512 - with a blue-green dial - is my ultimate watch grail).  From his Persol sunglasses to his suede Playboy boots and Baracuta Harrington jackets, he made everything he wore iconic.

The other part of McQueen’s appeal was his ability to look good in everything he wore.  Granted, it’s easy to pull such a feat off when one spends two hours a day on an intense fitness regime á la McQueen, but he donned tailored suits and beat-up sweatshirts with equal comfort.  He brought sportiness to the silver screen, roughing up the mod turtleneck trend with his brash masculinity and swaggering suits and boots.  He wore classic silhouettes that would still look good today, always tailored but never skinny.  And McQueen’s jeans, chinos and cords were cut and worn the way every guy should sport them, with a mid-rise and minimal break.

Since it was almost 40 degrees outside yesterday, I pulled my Baracuta Harrington out of the closet to kick around town in.  I hadn’t worn it since November and thought it would be the perfect piece to throw over my Todd Snyder x Champion sweatshirt.  The sweatshirt’s raglan sleeves and impeccable seam detailing remind me of the versions McQueen wore in the 1960s when riding motorcycles.  Admittedly he would’ve put his bandana in a pant pocket for functional - not decorative - use, but with raw denim and Red Wing Beckmans, it adds panache when tucked under the sweatshirt collar.  Think of it as McQueen for the 21st century.

Sweatshirt: Todd Snyder x Champion, Jeans: Baldwin, Jacket: Baracuta, Boots: Red Wing Heritage, Bandana: Fast Color (Vintage)