Contrary to today’s perception, 1960s men’s fashion and style was not dominated by hippy bell bottoms, sandals, and flower shirts. The 1960s were about classic fashion, style, and elegance, much like the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s. Being a gentleman and wearing fashionable clothing were in vogue. Both formal and casual wear were clean cut and stylish.
In the 1960s several different fashion trends emerged.
British Traditional – high-end formal and semi-formal wear determined global style in business and formal occasions. The Savelle Row look of Michael Caine, Cary Grant, Sean Connery, Peter O’Toole, and Sidney Poitier led the way. Tailored suits, ties, tuxedoes, pressed pants, polished shoes, watches, overcoats, and dress hats.
American Dressy Casual – what today we call Ivy League, Ralph Lauren, and preppy. Led by Frank Sinatra, Paul Newman, Steve McQueen, Dean Martin, and Robert Redford. Dressy sports jackets, penny loafers, button-downed shirts, and cardigan sweaters. Casual yacht club sailing wear, country club golf wear, hunting and fishing sport wear, and horse riding country wear.
Italian Style – led by Marcello Mastroianni
French Style – led by Alain Delon
British Mod – stylish hip evening and party apparel driven by ‘Swinging London’ and ‘British Invasion’ style of the Beatles, Rolling Stones, Kinks, The Who, Yardbirds, Animals, Hollies, and others.
Youth Culture – the 1960s saw a semi-dressy casual fashion such as the Beach Boys surfing style, American Bandstand semi-dressy fashion, and Motown African-American style.
Hippy Style – at the end of the 1960s, counterculture bellbottoms, sandals, flower shirts, beads, long hair.
Michael Caine
The epitome of British cool and London men’s high fashion. Michael Caine, born in 1933, has appeared in 160 films over eight decades and has won 2 Oscars, a BAFTA, and 3 Golden Globes. Caine is known for his trademark Savelle Row suits. Though a high fashion icon, he plays a regular, down-to-earth, every day man.
Caine is known for such movies as, Alfie, Sleuth, The Ipcress File, The Italian Job, Mona Lisa, Get Carter, The Dark Knight, and others.
Sean Connery
The best and most stylish 007 Britist secret agent James Bond who created the role and played in 7 Bond films. Suave, debonair, in understated and subtle elegant Saville Row suits and tuxedos, drove Aston Martin sports cars, and carried an ultimare hip and cool persona. Scottish actor Sean Connery ( 1930 -2020) once voted sexiest man. He stook lessons in body technique to exude effortless poise, charm, and sexual prowess. He won an Oscar, 2 BAFTAs, and 3 Golden Globes
Known for his films Dr. No, From Russia With Love, Goldfinger, Diamonds Are Forever, Thunderball, Marnie, Thr Hunt for Red October, A Bridge Too Far, and others.
Sidney Poitier
A perfect gentleman and one of the greatest actors of all time. Sidney Poitier (1927-2022) from the Bahamas, was always sophisticated and stylish with classic conservative suits. One of Hollywood’s very best dressed actors. He was awarded an Oscar, 2 Golden Globes, BAFTA, Grammy, Tony, and 2 Emmy nominations.
Known for his films Lillies of the Field, A Raison In the Sun, In the Heat of the Night, The Defiant Ones, Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner, and others.
Frank Sinatra
Sophisticated, hip, cool, confident, and charming. Frank Sinatra (1915-1998) is one of the best-selling music artitsts with 11 Grammys with his distinctive swing, jazz, and crooner vocals. Always impecably dressed. As well a major actor with 3 Oscars, 2 BAFTA nomnations, 4 Golden Globes, SAG, and 3 Laurels.
Known for his films Oceasn’s Eleven, High Society, From Here to Eternity, The Man With the Golden Arm, The Manchutian Candidate, and others.
Alain Delon
The leading international sex idol of the 1960s and 70s, considered the most handsome man who ever lived. A leader in French fashion. French actor and singer Alain Delon was the leading man in several action, film noir, mystery, and romantic movies. Known for Le Samourai, Purple Noon, Rocco and His Brothers, Un flic, L’Eclisse, La Piscine, Le Cercle Rouge.
Muhammad Ali
“The Greatest”, Muhammad Ali, the greatest World Heavyweight Boxing Champion of all time – the People’s Hero. Ali (1926-1991) was champion 1964-1970 and 1974 -1979, named the sportsman of the century. A gentleman, charismatic, elegant, classic, he exuded greatness, awe, and respect. He wore classic understated, conservative clothing – dark suits, white shirts, narrow ties, buffed shoes, and minimal accessories.
Marcello Mastroianni
Italian sex idol and leading man icon in movies. A leader in Italian fashion. He did not like the ‘Latin lover’ label so he took roles to poke fun of the Latin lover archetype. One of the greatest actors in history. Receives 2 BAFTA, 2 Venice, 2 Cannes, 2 Golden Globes, and 3 Oscar nominations. Known for 8 ½, La Dolce Vita, Dark Eyes, Divorce Italian Style, Marriage Italian Style, A Special Day, Yesterday Today and Tomorrow, Days of Love, White Nights.
Miles Davis
Ultimate hip and cool jazz legendary pioneer Mile Davis (1926-1991). One of the most acclaimed and influential jazz figures in history with 8 Grammys with 32 nominations. He said he “created a hip, quasi-black English look”, modeling his style on Fred Astaire and Cary Grant, he worked with a New York tailor to develop his own style of suits.
Warren Beatty
Hollywood leading man with an 7 Oscars, 4 BAFTA, 4 Golden Globes. Known for Reds, Bullworth, Bugsy, Dick Tracy, Heaven Can Wait, Bonnie and Clyde, Rules Don’t Apply, Splendor In the Grass.
Steve McQueen
“Mr. Cool”, Hollywood’s top leading man and a race car driver, Steve McQueen exuded a hip and cool persona, rugged masculinity, and elegant style. Receives and Oscar and 4 Golden Globe nominations. Known for movies Le Mans, Bullitt, The Thomas Crown Affair, The Magnificent Seven, Sand Pebbles, Papillion, The Cincinnati Kid, The Getaway, The Great Escape.
Paul Newman
Actor and race car driver, a man’s man casual style icon. One of the greatest actors of all time with 3 Oscars, BAFTA, 3 Golden Globes, Emmy, Cannes, Berlin. Paul Newman (1925-2008) was dignified, thoughtful, and a decent family man.
Known for his films The Hustler, The Sting, Cat On a Hot Tin Roof, Harper, Cool Hand Luke, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, The Drowning Pool, and others.
Cary Grant
The ultimate leading man and fashion icon who said “I don’t dress for the moment.” Co-star Eve Marie Saint said “his style was like a skin”. One of the greatest actors of all time, mastering comedy, drama, and mystery – Hollywood’s “model of polished masculinity.” Handsome, charming, elegant, suave, debonair, sophisticated. He effortlessly wore suits.
Grant is known for the following films, Arsenic and Old Lace, Charade, Bringing Up Baby, Topper, The Philadelphia Story, Mr. Lucky, His Girl Friday, To Catch a Thief, North By Northwest, Notorious, Suspicion, and others.
Robert Redford
Stylish leading man Robert Redford actor and director. He receives 2 Oscars, a BAFTA, 3 Golden Globes, SAG. Known for The Sting, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, All the President’s Men, Three Days of the Condor, The Way We Were, The Great Gatsby, The Candidate, Jeremiah Johnson.
Sources
GQ
Harper’s Bazaar
MarieClaire
Vogue
Esquire
Gentlemen’s Journal
Gentlemens’ Gazette
IMDB