The 5 menswear looks you should copy from Michael B. Jordan’s 'Thomas Crown Affair' trailer
From white tuxes over black, to doubled-up stripes on tie and shirts, these are the style moves we're taking away
THE FIRST trailer for the latest take on The Thomas Crown Affair has arrived. What’s that, you cry? Another one? We’re just as weary of reboots as anyone else, but at least this one will give us another chance to look at some very nice clothes.
The 1968 original is, after all, held up as one of the great menswear films. It starred Steve McQueen as an enormously wealthy thief, going about his bandit business in immaculate tailoring and very nice Patek Philippe watches. Think sharp three-piece suits and two-button jackets with well-suppressed waists. When Pierce Brosnan starred in the 1999 version, he did a valiant job of picking up where McQueen left off; it had an air of corporate elegance, with the Irish actor wearing the hell out of bold-shouldered herringbone suits by Milanese tailor Gianni Campagna.
Jordan’s new take, which he will not only star in but also direct and produce, is something of a twist on the concept. “The first two films were about rich white guys stealing for fun. That doesn’t land today,” he told Variety earlier this year. “Ours is more personal. The stakes are higher.” The same goes for his wardrobe, which seemingly looks like it might’ve come straight from the rack at Bottega Veneta.
We’ve done a deep dive into the looks and the style moves that Jordan makes. Some you don’t even need to be a man on a mission to to make. Read on, take note. After all, who doesn’t want to dress like Michael B Jordan?
White tuxedos are more impressive than black ones
The trailer opens with a cracker of a look: Michael B Jordan in a muscle-hugging white tuxedo. Sure, some people associate white dinner jackets with cruise ships on the Med, but really, they’re chic as hell. In a black tuxedo, you blend in. In white, fortune favours the bold. You’re the star of the show in a dark room. It’s classic, but pops like the champagne you’ll probably have in hand. What’s more, white tuxes are not as frowned upon as they once were. See Austin Butler at Cannes Film Festival, or Jeremy Allen White at any premiere – in Louis Vuitton, usually.
That said, black is not a bad idea
Cut to another scene in the trailer, and Jordan is wearing the hell out of a black tuxedo during what appears to be his big action sequence. He’s strapped a gun to his waist, because apparently that is his black-tie accessory of choice (not advised). Perhaps he just switched the jacket, or maybe it’s an entirely new look. Whatever it is, it’s faultless.
A white t-shirt, for richer or poorer
Thomas Crown is a wealthy guy, granted. Billionaire status! But that doesn’t stop him from reaching for the most humble garment in menswear: the white tee. He probably gets his custom-made at Sunspel (that’s a thing), or from designer brands that source their wool from Italian mills. Either way, it’s a piece of clothing that works for every walk of life, and always looks good.
Get playful with your shirt and ties
Gone are the days of a white shirt and jazzy tie. Now you can do it all. Stripes and patterned neckwear? Jordan’s doing both. It’s sort of Seventies, but also the type of styling move the coolest brands in menswear – see Saint Laurent, Auralee, Mfpen – are up to right now.
Black swim shorts are timeless
Sure, on holiday you might reach for the jazzy Frescobol Cariocas, or try to replicate the pale-blue Speedo moment Daniel Craig became famous for. But what Jordan proves in the trailer is that a black pair of 5in-inseam swim shorts is really where it’s at. The sort of thing you can swim in and then wear to the beach club. Or, in his case, woo a lady and rob some art.
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