I thought it about time to introduce a purely educational clip into this series. And who better to educate us on style than a trio of musical gangsters. Musical gangsters? Yes, Robin and the Seven Hoods is a “B” movie at best from 1964. It was a personality flick that can only be enjoyed by those who are -I mean, were – slavishly devoted to the personalities starring in the film. A few decent songs, however, did come out of the movie including the biggest hit, My Kind of Town. The music was written by Sammy Cahn and Jimmy Van Heusen. Most modern audiences would find the film ghastly though; therefore, I am not going to recommend watching the whole thing unless you are trying to clear a wife or girlfriend out of the room.
This clip of the song Style is by far my favorite piece in the movie. The characters played by Sinatra and Martin are admonishing Crosby’s character for his lacking sense of style. In so doing, they point out some timeless tips we should all be reminded of from time to time. This clip also contains everything from a frock coat to Winchester shirts (shirts with contrasting cuffs and collar) to a double-breasted waistcoat. And check out those boater hats paired with the black-tie ensembles. Maurice Chevalier would be proud.
I would be remiss if I did not give a warning for more sensitive viewers. Please overlook the fact that Sinatra is wearing a belt with his waistcoat. He was of Italian blood, and it was noted by psychologists of antiquity that a somewhat chaotic sartorial streak ran through his people. Frank was just a belt guy. It is something I’ll personally never understand, but at least he went with one thin enough here to not create a bulge under his waistcoat. I still must recommend that braces be worn with a waistcoat and all other tailored clothing. Disclaimer done…
This clip is straight-up indulgence for those who love clothes. Incidentally, more than one of my fittings at Capra with Ivan has ended up looking something like this clip. It can be fun to play around with clothes to create different looks, but your money is best spent on the classics. In other words, every gent needs at least one frock coat in his closet, right?