Image by: By jrmllvr
By Ivan Russo

There is more to James Bond than just rugged good looks, a chiseled physique and a license to kill. What else does he have, exactly? Style, that’s what. The 007 culture phenomenon represents an appeal to men who want to look stylishly handsome, and the women who love them. It’s not hard to look like him either. And no, I don’t mean cosplay or renting a tuxedo that Daniel Craig wore once. That’s … just weird, guys.

Instead, I’m just going to give you some basic tips on what makes a drunk killer still the coolest person in a bar. That’s right, it’s time to learn the secrets in style only available to MI6 operatives since the 1960s.

And anyone else who has had a passing interesting in fashion …

#1) Dark Colors and Fitting

Look, James Bond doesn’t wear seersuckers. Not that there is anything wrong with light-colored suits, I just don’t a chicken conglomerate nor do I own a plantation. So, save those suits for when you drink sweet tea in the south. For now, stick to dark greys, very dark blues or just black. These colors keep your tone down, but your style up.

You also want the suit to fit. It doesn’t matter how much money you put in a suit if you haven’t gotten it properly tailored. A suit needs to give your chest a nice V-look to accentuate what most people will likely mistake for muscle definition. Which is totally James Bond! Misdirection … Anyways, everything from your pants, shirt and jacket need to be fitted properly for a slim look. You’ll want to go to a real tailor for this, not the one at Men’s Warehouse.

A trick to looking slimmer if you need it, is to have your tailor place the buttons where the most narrow part of your chest/stomach is. This helps that V-look I mentioned earlier and can easily make you look ten or twenty pounds lighter.

#2) Good Fabric

If you truly care about your suit, you’re also going to want quality fabric. Having wool that’s too thick can make your suit impossible to wear and even make it hard for ladies to touch you (ever pet a sheep?).  Good fabric material is 9 to 11 ounces in weight. Things like Super 100-120 superfine wool or wool-blend are what you want to be looking for. This isn’t necessary, but putting extra touches into your looks like this won’t go unnoticed.

#3) Master the Details

Single-breasted suits are usually the way to go. Most people don’t wear double-breast, so it can be a lot harder to find one that works for the look you want. You want to have no vent, or double vent. Single vent suits are very common, so you’ll stand apart from others. Get a nice set of suspenders, as that’s always a much classier choice than just a plain, old leather belt. Shawl or peaked lapels are what you want to choose. Do not get a notched lapel. That’s not James Bond at all.

If some of these terms seemed weird to you, it’s OK. That’s why your here. Mastering little details like this are what separates the boys from the spies, and you want to be a spy, right? Do a little research if need be, if you’re planning on buying the end all, be all of your suit collection. Suits can be like tattoos, regrets that stay with you for life. Or, they can be a really cool conversation piece that mysteriously makes certain women want to have sex with you.

The world can be a strange place.

What kind of suit do you wear? What advice would you like to see from our fashion columnists? Let us know in the comments!