4 Ways to Wear the James Bond Navy Overcoat

At Iconic Alternatives, we try to focus on affordable clothing that will help us get the Bond style we want without emptying our wallets. So it doesn’t make a whole lot of financial sense to invest in a piece and then only use it with one “screen accurate” look. Versatility is the name of the game. That’s where our “4 Ways to Wear It” series comes in. We take one piece of iconic Bond clothing and combine it with other affordable 007 inspired alternatives to extend our wardrobe and get the most bang for our buck. In this post we look at the James Bond navy overcoat from Quantum of Solace. 

Now I say Quantum of Solace. But Bond wore a very similar coat in Skyfall as well. The first time is when he meets Q at the National Gallery (more on that look from BAMF Style). The second time is when he’s admiring the London skyline at the end.  And the same style of outwear can be used to update a couple of Brosnan’s looks from Goldeneye and Die Another Day or Dalton’s Bratislava look from The Living Daylights. The Suits of James Bond has more details on those films.

Not only is the navy overcoat a good choice if you want to capture a variety of Bond looks. As I hope we’ll show below, it’s also an extremely versatile piece of outerwear in its own right. For our four outfits below, we’ve gone with the Mango Tailored Wool-blend Overcoat, which is on sale for $99.00 at the time of writing. Sizes are running low on this alternative. But you can find more options in this post.

The Quantum of Solace Suit

Options

• Suit: Paul Smith Soho Charcoal Wool Travel Suit for $981.28; alternative for the Tom Ford Suit.
• Shirt: Broletto Trim Fit Twill French Cuff Dress Shirt on sale for $39.97; alternative for the Tom Ford Shirt.
• Tie: Magnoli Clothiers London Tie for $60.00; alternative for the Tom Ford Tie.
• Shoes: Johnston & Murphy Nolen Cap Toe in Black Calfskin for $230.00; alternatives for the Church’s Philips.
• Watch: Orient Mako II Automatic for $165.00; alternative for the Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean 2201.50.00. More options here.
• Cufflinks: Personalized Monogram Cufflinks from Etsy for $41.00; alternatives for the Tom Ford Mongram Cufflinks.

Notes

I’ll get this out of the way at the start. That suit is crazy expensive for a website that focuses on affordable alternatives. So if you’re looking for options more in keeping with our philosophy, you can try this one from Ike Behar for $380, this one from DKNY for $300, this one from Tommy Hilfiger for $82.63 to $227.82 or this one from Charles Tyrwhitt for $399. When looking for staple suits, it’s always a good idea to check out discount sites like Nordstrom Rack, Saks Off 5th and Yoox. The rest of the look is pretty straight forward and emphasizes the monochromatic look Bond has favored since Quantum of Solace.

Casual Spy

Options

• Shirt: River Island Black Muscle Fit Long Sleeve Polo Top for £15.00/$30.00; alternative for the Casino Royale black polo shirt. More options here.
• Trousers: Montague Burton Grey Wool Blend Slim Fit Puppytooth Trousers for £50.00; alternatives for the Neil Barrett SPECTRE trousers. More options here.
• Belt: Nordstrom Men’s Shop Saffiano Leather Belt for $49.50; alternative for the Quantum of Solace Prada belt.
• Shoes: Marks & Spencer Leather Lace-up Chukka Boots in Black for £149.00/$229.00; alternatives for the Crockett & Jones Tertbury Chukkas. More options here.
• Scarf: Marks & Spencer Pure Cashmere Fringe Trim Scarf in Charcoal for £39.50/$61.00; alternative for the Skyfall scarf.
• Watch: Seiko 5 Sports Automatic Black Dial SNZH57J1 for $194.00; alternative for the SPECTRE Omega Seamaster 300 Co-Axial 41 mm 233.32.41.21.01.001.
• Watch Strap: PhenomeNato Heavy Duty Bond Strap for $40.00; alternative for Omega OEM strap from SPECTRE. You can read our review here.

Notes

Obviously, this one is primarily inspired by Bond’s outfit when he infiltrated M’s flat in Casino Royale. We’ve added some flavor from some of Craig’s other Bond films to keep things interesting. Together, they create a look that works great for a date night at a nicer restaurant or for a more formal take on “business casual”. What keeps it versatile is the polo shirt. Depending on the temperature, you can go with a lighter weight cotton option if you’ll be spending a lot of time indoors. And if the weather’s a little cooler? Try a style in merino wool like this one from Marks & Spencer. Whatever your choice, tucking it in will definitely dress things up.

Urban Longshoreman

Options

• Sweater: Alex Stevens Ribbed Turtleneck Sweater in Heather Grey on sale for $24.86 to $29.99; alternative for the SPECTRE N.Peal Roll Neck Sweater. More options here.
• Jeans: Levi’s 513s in Bastion for $69.50; alternatives for the Quantum of Solace 7 For All Mankind jeans.
• Shoes: Herring Shoes Orwell Chukka in Black Calf for $244.00/£235.00; alternatives for Crockett & Jones Camberley boots. More options here.
• Cap: Fishers Finery 100% Cashmere Ribbed Hat in Navy for $42.99; alternative for the SPECTRE watch cap.
• Belt: Nordstrom Men’s Shop Saffiano Leather Belt for $49.50; alternative for the Quantum of Solace Prada belt.
• Gloves: Harmms Best Luxury Italian Nappa Leather Gloves for $29.99; alternatives for the Dents Bond Gloves.
• Watch: Citizen Eco-Drive AT2340-56A on sale for $262.90; alternative for the On Her Majesty’s Secret Service Rolex Chronograph ref 6238. More options here.

Notes

Yeah, this looks leans a little hipster. But it’s not that extreme. And who says it’s a bad thing to get out of your comfort zone every once and a while? The fact that we’re going with black leather boots (double monks no less!) and gloves helps keep things from going full on lumbersexual. Especially if you shave the beard.

Space

Goldeneye Redux

Options

• Sweater: Carraig Donn Aran Sweater in Navy for £79.95; alternative for the Goldeneye navy cable knit sweater. More options here. 
• Shirt: Brooks Brothers Chambray Sport Shirt for $69.50.
• Jeans: Levi’s 508s in British Khaki for $39.99 to $54.99; alternatives for the Levi’s STA-PREST 306s from Quantum of Solace. More options here.
• Boots: Tallsem Corker in Brown Calf for €110,00; alternatives for the Crockett & Jones Islay boots from Skyfall. More options here.
• Belt: Beltiscool Comfort Stretch Braided Leather Belt in Tan or Brown: $24.80/£24.56; alternative for the Brunello Cucinelli belt from SPECTRE. More options here.
• Scarf: U.T. Wave Oblong Scarf for $57.00. Alternative for Bond’s stylish cravat.
• Watch: Orient Ray 2 FAA02005D9 Automatic for $178.02; alternative for the Omega Seamaster 2531.80.00. More options here.
• Sunglasses: Persol PO3135S on sale for $148.00; alternatives for the Goldeneye Persol 2611S. More options here.

Notes

I’ve made no secret of my love for this look from Goldeneye. And winter is the perfect time to bring it up-to-date. Two reasons for that. First, it is the perfect example of effective layering. You can easily add or remove pieces and still look put together. Second, winter is the only time I believe a grown man should even consider wearing a scarf. And so we have a legitimate reason to use an alternative for Brosnan’s ascot. ‘Cause I just can’t do ascots. We’ve also gone a more casual route here than SA outfit. Swapping out the original’s pleated khakis, dress shirt and oxford wingtips for jeans, a chambray shirt and boots in similar colors honors Bond’s look while giving it a modern spin.

Got some favorite ways to mix and match your James Bond navy overcoat? Leave suggestions in the comments below! Or, if you’re feeling really sociable, you can email us a picture at [email protected] and we’ll post it in our Gallery!