GENTLEMEN OF STYLE
Cary Grant – The Most Stylish Man That Ever Lived
“Permit me to suggest that you dress neatly and cleanly. A young person who dresses well usually behaves well. Good manners and a pleasant personality, even without a college education, will take you far.” – Cary Grant
From the beginning of creation, there have been exceptional men – extraordinary gentlemen, who have inspired us by their various achievements, personal style, lifestyle, and success.
Cary Grant …Mr. Cary Grant is the definition of an extraordinary gentleman, a charismatic style icon of ageless grace and one of the most stylish men of all time.
Only a few have left an impression quite like Cary Grant.
Mr. Grant walked the talk, and he talked the talk!
Whether it was an off-the-rack suit or a tailored suit, the quintessential gentleman wore it effortlessly. No wonder he was named by GQ as one of The 50 Most Stylish Leading Men of the Past Half Century.
He once wrote “I pretended to be somebody I wanted to be and I finally became that person. Or he became me. Or we met at some point.”
And more than three decades after his death, he remains a dominant presence in our sartorial imagination.
Just in case you don’t know who Mr. Grant is, I will give you a little history of the style icon.
THE HISTORY OF CARY GRANT
He was an award-winning English-American film actor who has appeared in over 70 films and was known as one of classic Hollywood’s definitive leading men.
Born Archibald Alexander Leach on January 18, 1904. He attended Bishop Road Primary School in Bristol, England where he was born. Grant had always had a passion for the theatre at a young age and began performing with a troupe known as “The Penders” from the age of six.
He traveled with the vaudevillian troupe to the United States on the RMS Olympic for a two-year tour of the country when he was sixteen years old.
He arrived in Hollywood in the early 1930s and remade himself. His acting career skyrocketed, and he became known for his transatlantic accent, debonair demeanor, light-hearted approach to acting, and sense of comic timing.
At the end of his film career, Grant was praised by critics as a romantic leading man and received five Golden Globe Awards for Best Actor nominations.
You see, what made him stood out was how he always paid attention to detail.
He ensured that he always looked flawless and perfectly cleaned, his suit crisply ironed and his hair was neatly combed – not a strand was out of place. Whether he was sporting a suit or a pair of jeans, he rocked it with confidence. Cary Grant also knew that clothes and manners make the man- I solemnly agree with him!
The legendary actor became the twentieth century’s model of polished masculinity and a true gentleman.
So what can you learn from the style of Hollywood legend and style icon, Cary Grant? Let’s find out in the style lessons listed below.
Also Read: The Top 30 Men’s Fashion and Style Mistakes to Avoid at All Costs
Cary Grant – The Most Stylish Man That Ever Lived!| 10 Style Lessons
1. HAVE A TAILORED SUIT TO LAST A LIFETIME
If there is one basic rule that we preach about here at MR KOACHMAN, it is that FIT is KING.
As Cary Grant once said – “I believe men’s clothes—like women’s—should attract attention to the best lines of a man’s figure and distract from the worst.”
Choose clothes that fit your body. Grant was always seen wearing a suit and they were always fitted. His clothes were often custom tailored at Cifonelli in Rome or Dunhill in London or in Hong Kong. So that’s a habit to pick from a style icon.
2. STICK TO QUALITY OVER QUANTITY
Cary Grant’s father once told him, “It’s better to buy one good pair of shoes than four cheap ones. One pair made of fine leather could outlast four inferior pairs and, if well-cared-for, would continue to proclaim your good judgment and taste no matter how old they become.”
This is a fact and one I stress in my articles. Buying quality clothes or shoes will always end up saving you money than if you purchase substandard cloth items. Buy the best you can afford even though it means buying less.
3. GO SIMPLE BUT BE ELEGANT
“Simplicity, to me, has always been the essence of good taste.”
Grant advised men who can only afford one suit to go with something simplistic. “A dark blue suit made of lightweight cloth that works during the day or at night. I suggest lightweight,” he said.
Blue and gray suits are the foundation of a man’s wardrobe. As for shoes, he advised that: “If a man must limit himself to only one pair of shoes for city wear, then they should be black. If two, then a brown pair of darkest chocolate color are used with almost all suits.”
If you’d like to adopt his dressing style – a Light Gray Suit paired with simple white shirts, dark ties, and great shoes is the way to go!
4. INVEST IN WHITE SHIRTS
There’s very little that won’t go with a white shirt – it goes with almost anything. It is the most versatile item in your wardrobe. It can be worn with a suit, sweater or with a pair of jeans or chinos.
Also Read: The Man. The Myth. The Style Legend – Mr. Ralph Lauren
5. AVOID UNNECESSARY ACCESSORIES
“All it takes are a few simple outfits. And there’s one secret – The Simpler, The Better” – Cary Grant said.
Mr. Grant never wore belts with his suits. Instead, he’d wear them with casual slacks. He was very simple with his style, a simple pocket square, and a wristwatch was good enough for him. As a stylish gentleman, it is essential to know how much is too much. Just as Cary Grant said, ‘the simpler the better’.
6. OPT FOR HIGH ARMHOLES
“If the sleeves seem disproportionately wider than customary, it indicates a very deep armhole. Don’t contemplate buying if you are of average or slim size—you’ll get a well-fitting back but an extremely loose-fitting front and sleeves that tend to ride up if you lift your arms. A deep armhole is popular with many manufacturers because each coat fits a wider range of customers,” Grant advised. They’re one mark of a well-tailored jacket.
7. SWEATERS ARE A GENTLEMAN’S BEST FRIEND
“It isn’t only money that determines how well a man dresses—it’s personal taste.” – Cary Grant
Cary Grant was as known for the suits he wore as he was known for the cardigans. A cardigan is one of the most flexible staples a man can own. It can protect the white dress shirt and tie from fingerprints and dust. You can also wear it casually (with a pair of denim jeans or a jacket).
8. DO NOT OVERBUY
Cary Grant once said regarding men’s fashion, “All it takes are a few simple outfits. And there’s one secret — the simpler the better.”
This is a style gospel we’ve constantly preached about! Your wardrobe shouldn’t be filled with rubbish clothing you will never feel like wearing.
“How much one should pay depends on how much one has to spend. Buy the best you can afford even though it means buying less,” Carey Grant added. Every item of clothing you own should serve a specific purpose.
9. LET YOUR APPEARANCE BE NEAT
Grant once said: “Do see that your socks stay up. Nothing can spoil an otherwise well-groomed effect like sagging socks.”
Your dress socks should always come up to your calves anytime you are wearing trousers. You must not show any part of your bare legs, when you stand, sit or walk. “Don’t stuff your pockets with heavy articles and bulging wallets filled with seldom -used cards.
They ruin not only the neatness of your appearance but the actual tailoring of your suit,” he added. Wearing a wrinkled cloth can make a man look incompetent.
10. YOU SHOULD EXUDE CONFIDENCE AND BEHAVE WELL
“Permit me to suggest that you dress neatly and cleanly. A young person who dresses well usually behaves well. Good manners and a pleasant personality, even without a college education, will take you far.” – Cary Grant
Being well dressed is not just about your choice of clothing but your attitude as well. “Wear, not only your clothes but yourself, well, with confidence.” With a boost from your excellent wardrobe, let your style project ease and confidence.
“Pride of new knowledge —including knowledge of clothes. —continually adds to self-confidence,” Grant said.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Today, Mr. Cary Grant is remembered for his unusually broad appeal, as a handsome, suave actor, an elegant dresser, a man of charisma and wit, and above all – an extraordinary gentleman -Something very rare today.
For the next 30 years, Mr. Grant would always be referred to as one of the Extraordinary Gentlemen that ever lived.
I’ll close with one of his quotes which has impacted my own lifestyle –
“One pretends to do something, or copy someone or some teacher until it can be done confidently and easily in what becomes one’s own style” – Cary Grant
I hope this quote inspires you too. Go ahead, tweet it.👇
Now that you’ve learned style lessons from the greatest Hollywood style icon – go forth and dress stylishly!
Till you hear from me again, continue to do well, live well and dress really well. Stay Dapper!
Yours in Style,
Kobi O. Mbagwu (Mr. Kobi)
Founder, KOBI KOACHMAN
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