As many of you will know I have a long standing passion for movie posters that started off 20 years ago when I was living in Paris...my preferred era being from the 1950's-1970's. I find the scale and scope of poster art fascinating - as many of you will know from coming in to the stores the posters that adorn the walls are vivid, striking and inspiring.
For this week I am connecting my choice of movies with both posters and still images, showing off the belt styles that prevailed in each one and giving you suggestions as to how we might help you recreate each look!
Hope you enjoy watching some of these movies - would love to hear your thoughts on them...
All the best,
Key Largo - 1948
For good reason our 2 most classic belt designs go by the name Bogart & Bacall..what could be more apt. The movie art is typical of the time using 3 core colours and bold typeface, it conveys the drama and tension of the movie really well. The clean crisp styling of the costumes typifies the 1940's - Bogart's pleated high waist trouser and Bacall's cinched skirt are timeless...
ER Suggestions...
Clean and simple is the way to go...neutral tones to go with the earthy colours both were wearing. For him a mottled texture is perfect for the heavier weight of trouser material and much the same for her. The mock ostrich is a bit more contemporary but with the frame style buckle you will get the same look!
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid - 1969
The apocryphal story of Butch and Sundance and their abiding friendship is one of the classic western tales. The poster shown is actually a Polish version and one I own. Polish art from the time was extremely distinctive (being behind the iron curtain) and a whole clan of talented artists created the artwork for movie posters that looked totally different than the US or UK versions...making them very collectable. As for Newman & Redford a rugged earthy look for both that typifies western style - but interestingly a less ornate western style than often seen.
ER Suggestions...
Both characters wear classic western style belts but neither are particularly embellished or ornate. Their clothing styles are not that flamboyant and the belts are in keeping - more about function than anything else. Hence our choice of 2 of our most classic rugged belts
Roman Holiday - 1953
A classic romance set in Rome with Audrey Hepburn as the princess who escapes the strict control of her guardians and falls in love with newspaper reported Gregory Peck. A timeless classic of a movie with the wonderful scenery of Rome in the 50's to add extra romance. The poster is not the original release version but I find it more charming with the image of the 2 protagonists on the Vespa with the backdrop of the Coliseum...a little like Bogart and Bacall above the style is refined and restrained - crisp and clean.
ER Suggestions...
The costumes were very much of the time and although the film was set in Italy the look is not particularly Italian inspired. Above all the feel is elegant and restrained, typical of a time before greater flamboyance came to the fore again. Hepburn wore soft pastels in this movie and Peck more traditional tones...for her we are going to suggest something in a lighter more summery tone in Nubuck with a softly curved buckle, for him something more streamlined in Black but in a 30mm width the same as he wears in the movie.
Rebel without a cause - 1955
This is the British quad poster for a movie that still resonates as much today as it did back in 1955. The struggle for the James Dean character to escape the shackles of his parents and a conformist society is unbelievably powerful and in no way feels dated - his performance is really visceral. The boldness of the poster, the contrast of yellow and red to show the different moods and even the wording, shows that this was a film destined to shock. It also shows James Dean in what is now an iconic pose. In terms of style everyone recalls James Dean in jeans with his red bomber jacket but pay attention too to his more preppy look - see how he wears a really skinny belt in the photo below, probably only 15mm wide.
ER Suggestions...
We would find it a stretch in this day and age for most men to wear a belt as skinny as the one James Dean wears above, but certainly with a higher waisted tailored trouser, pleated as above then a skinnier belt definitely works. We are seeing this styling more and more so it is a trend that will continue over the next few years and one to bring into your wardrobe. For the more casual look I guess James would have been wearing black but in a nod to his red jacket we are going to style him in this chunky dark burgundy belt...
West Side Story - 1961
One of my absolute favourite movies that 60 years later still brims with tension, addresses the racist undertones of society whilst being wrapped up in a doomed to fail love story...seems unbelievably current still and the dance and music is truly memorable with so many tunes from the incredible Leonard Bernstein that stand the test of time. The poster is simplistic with its focus on the structure of the wording and overlapping letters giving the sense of the New York tenement buildings around which the movie is set. Stylistically we have moved on from the clean cut 50's to a more subversive 60's - there is still a uniformity of style with great juxtaposition between the colours and tones of the 'Jets' and the 'Sharks'. Everyone wears a belt...along with the de rigeur chinos and all stars.
ER Suggestions...
Most interesting is not just that everyone wears a belt but also how they wear them - a lot of the belts are worn with buckle to the side, almost as if they were modern day holsters. I really like this look, especially in summer where the belt and buckle are more visible worn with a T Shirt...many also wear belts with studs and metal hardware on them...here are a couple of suggestions for styling...
American Gigolo - 1980
This film is a little more modern than most in my repertoire but for its importance as a style reference it makes it into this selection. Not only did the Armani styling of Richard Gere launch Giorgio Armani globally but the role reversal of the man as escort challenged stereotypes. Of course all of this backed by the incredible soundtrack by Blondie with rock classic 'Call Me'. From a belt style perspective there are multiple reference points throughout the film...from tone on tone belt/trousers to casual weave styles.
ER Suggestions...
Greige...this was the film that launched a new men's colour palette that pervaded the 1980's..tone on tone styling to the fore. Gere was styled with all number of belts to match his never ending 'working' wardrobe...he wore a few narrower belts (25-30mm) but we will focus on the tone on tone aspect as seen in the photo above and go for this all grey affair. For Gere's more casual sport look a coloured handweave would work perfectly with his tight fitting chinos.
Annie Hall - 1977
You may or may not be a fan of Woody Allen's movies but I have always found his neuroticism both endearing and fascinating. But Annie Hall as a movie is most famous for the ditzy Diane Keaton character and above all her take on masculine dressing which really broke down gender barriers. The poster I have shown below is not the original - that one featured both Keaton and Allen - I prefer this quite recent artistic iteration in its lithograph style for its focus on the Keaton attire and its mellow colouring.
ER Suggestions...
Diane Keaton's outfit gave the confidence to many other women to free themselves from shackles of stereotypical female dress. Sticking with that theme we have chosen a couple of belts that are at best androgynous...perfect for recreating the look. Black of course and then a more tonal Antelope suede colour for pairing with those beige trousers!
