4 Ways to Wear the James Bond Safari Jacket
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 iconic James Bond Safari Jacket!
The James Bond Safari Jacket
We’ve already shared some alternatives for the James Bond safari jacket in this post. And now the question is: how do you wear it without looking like an idiot in a costume? Hopefully we can help with that.
The most popular Bond-inspired Safari jacket right now is probably the green one Moore wore in The Man with the Golden Gun. To learn more about that look, check out BAMF Style’s recent article. Recently, Orlebar Brown made their version of the shacket one of the key pieces in their 007 collection. It’s easy to understand why this particular piece is eclipsing the other styles Bond wore. Its unstructured cut certainly leans more casual. But the crisp symmetry of the pockets and military coloring add an air of authority that balances things out. It’s a versatile design that will work in a broad range of looks.
However, those other oft-ignored Safari jackets share many of the same qualities. So, rather than choosing just one jacket and building all the looks around it, I’ve done something a little different for this “4 Ways to Wear It”. I’ve selected four separate jackets. And built a look around each one.
Casual in Blue Linen
Options:
Jacket: Amfeast Linen Safari Jacket in Deep Blue (€199.00).
Shirt: YMC Camp-Collar Gingham Cotton-Blend Shirt ($140.00). Alternative for the Thunderball gingham shirt. You can see more alternatives for Bond summer shirt styles in this post.
Pants: GAP Straight-fit Linen Khakis in Sand Khaki ($69.95). Alternatives for the Casino Royale Ted Baker Lark linen trousers. We’ll be updating the dedicated post on these very soon!
Shoes: Viscata Capsasal Suede Espadrilles in Navy Blue ($99.99). Alternatives for the For Your Eyes Only espadrilles. You can see more alternatives for the Bond-style espadrilles in this post.
Belt: Torino Leather Co. Italian Woven Elastic Cotton Belt in Khaki ($70.00). Alternative for the For Your Eyes Only surcingle belt.
Watch: Certina DS Action Diver Automatic (on sale for $595.00). Alternative for the Pierce Brosnan era Omega Seamaster 300M. You can see more alternatives for the Brosnan-Bond style watches in this post.
Sunglasses: Rodenstock R7413 D ($219.00). Alternatives for the Quantum of Solace Tom Ford TF108s. You can see more alternatives for the Bond-style sunglasses in this post.
Notes:
For this look, I’ve gone with the Dark Blue Amfast Linen Safari Jacket as a more casual alternative for Roger Moore’s navy blue leisure suit jacket from Live and Let Die. The texture of the jacket works well with the linen pants while the contrast in colors keeps the whole things from looking like a bizarre mismatched suit. The gingham shirt also helps keeps things more relaxed and adds some visual interest without overwhelming the other pieces. Look, I know the surcingle belt may not be a popular choice. But, honestly, I like the way the cotton weave relates to the jute outsoles on the espadrilles. And if you keep the shirt untucked (which I’d recommend), no one’s going to see it anyway.
Summer Rugged Workwear Style
Options:
Jacket: Orlebar Brown Bond Safari Jacket in Sage ($595.00).
Shirt: Merz b. Schwanen 102 Henley in Nature (€109.90). Alternative for the Skyfall All Saints Henley.
Pants: Edwin ED-55 CS Red Listed Selvedge Denim Jeans (on sale for £74.00/$94.25). Alternatives for Daniel Craig style selvedge denim jeans. You can learn more about selecting the right selvedge denim for your style in this post.
Shoes: Sperry Topsider Gold Cup Rivingston Boat Shoes in Tan (on sale for $111.99). 007’s Jamaica shoes in Bond 25.
Belt: Badgery Queenslander Plaited Kangaroo Leather Belt ($56.00). Alternative for the Daniel Craig favorite R.M. Williams plaited belt. And you can read my review of the Badgery belt here.
Watch: Sturhling Regatta 792 Automatic Divers Watch ($215.00). Alternative for the Connery Bond Rolex Submariner 6538. You can see more Bond Rolex alternatives in this post.
Watch Strap: Esprit-NATO Goldfinger Strap (€12.90). Alternative for the Goldfinger Rolex strap.
Hat: Stetson Hatteras Linen/Silk Newsboy Cap in Grey ($75.00). Same make and style as one of Daniel Craig’s flat caps.
Sunglasses: Persol PO 3135S in Havana with Brown Polarized Lens (on sale for $180.00/£141.39). Alternatives for the Goldeneye Persol sunglasses. You can see more alternatives for the Bond-style sunglasses in this post.
Bag: OFTEN 15″ Messenger Bag in Coffee ($36.99). Alternative for the Daniel Craig style Belstaff 554 Messenger Bag.
Notes:
Fans of the workwear/rugged look can have a tough time during the hotter months. When your wardrobe is built around selvedge denim, leather jackets and Red Wings, it’s a challenge finding clothing that stays true to your style but you won’t boil to death wearing. One option is to stick with the jeans but go with a lighter weight fabric. Aphrodite1994 is having a great summer sale right now and these Edwins are in the ballpark of what we want. They’re made from a 12.75oz 98% cotton/2% elastane selvedge denim. So not super heavy. But still respectable for your average jean lover. The authenticity continues with the Merz b. Schwanen Henley. It’s a very cool shirt from a very cool company. You can read more about their history on their website.
The military styling of the Orlebar Brown Safari Jacket is also a good match for this look. Because it’s lighter weight and unstructured, it can work both as a shacket over light layer or as a shirt on its own. The Topsiders recall the looks of a much heavier moc-toe workboot. And the bag, linen newsboy cap and diver watch on the NATO strap all align with the military/heritage workwear vibe.
I’m going to Pitti!
Options:
Jacket: Mango Belted Cotton Field Jacket in Khaki (on sale for $69.99/£44.99).
Shirt: Banana Republic Slim-Fit Linen Shirt in Light Blue (on sale for $45.00). Alternative for the SPECTRE Orlebar Brown blue linen shirt.
Pants: Nudie Jeans Lean Dean in Ecru (on sale for £69.00/$91.08). Alternatives for the Quantum of Solace Levi’s STA-Prest 306s from the Haiti scenes.
Shoes: To Boot New York San Marcos Monk Strap Shoes in Brown (on sale for $229.90). Alternatives for the The World is Not Enough Churchs’s Westbury monk strap shoes.
Tie: Aklasu Brown/Burnt Orange Grendadine Tie ($80.00). Alternative for the SPECTRE Tom Ford Morocco Knit Tie.
Belt: Orvis Woven Leather Belt (on sale for $59.00). Alternative for the SPECTRE Brunello Cucinelli Morocco leather belt.
Watch: Edox C1 Divers Watch (on sale for $219.99). Alternative for the Quantum of Solace Omega Planet Ocean 600M. And you can see more alternatives for the Omega watches from Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace in this post.
Sunglasses: Polaroid 2076/S Sunglasses ($59.26/£39.54). Alternatives for the SPECTRE Tom Ford Henry sunglasses. You can see more alternatives for the Bond-style sunglasses in this post.
Notes:
I figured I had to have one “Safari Jacket as a Tailored Piece” look since that’s very much a “thing” right now. Don’t believe me? Just search “#pittiuomo” on Instagram. So I decided to fully embrace the style. Pairing jackets in earthier tones (browns, olives, muted blues) with cream or off-white trousers is pretty popular at the moment. But to get the look, it’s also important how you wear the pieces.
The pants should be hemmed just below ankle height with no break. As for the shoes: go sockless (or better yet no-show socks). Your shirt and tie should definitely be done up to keep things from getting too casual. Or (if you’re really brave) open the shirt to the second button and replace the tie with a bandanna. The jacket belt should be tied, never buckled! And if ever there was a time to roll up the jacket sleeves, it’s now. It’s all about the sprezzatura ….
The Stylish Weekend Escape
Options:
Jacket: Saks 5th Avenue Collection Field Jacket in Off-White (on sale for $313.95).
Shirt: White Stuff Lymington Linen Shirt in Pink (£55.00/$86.00). Alternative for the You Only Live Twice pink linen shirt. And you can see more alternatives for Bond summer shirt styles in this post.
Pants: REISS Fielder Garment Dyed Slim-Fit Chinos in Beige (on sale for $95.00/£50.00). Alternatives for the SPECTRE Brunello Cucinelli Aged Gabardine Chinos. If you want to see more alternatives for the chinos, check out this post.
Shoes: Vince Camuto Iden in Brown Suede (on sale for $105.00). Alternatives for the Quantum of Solace Church’s Ryder III chukkas.
Belt: Orvis Woven Leather Belt (on sale for $59.00). Alternative for the SPECTRE Brunello Cucinelli Morocco leather belt.
Watch: Steinhart Ocean 1 Vintage Red ($460.00/€395.00/£355.00). Alternative for the Connery Bond Rolex Submariner 6538. You can see more Bond Rolex alternatives in this post.
Sunglasses: Serengeti Leandro in Satin Tortoise ($259.99/£204.22). Alternatives for the A View to a Kill round tortoise shell sunglasses. Check out this post for more alternatives for the Bond-style sunglasses.
Luggage: Steamline Luggage Pioneer Carryon ($995.00). Alternative for the SPECTRE Globe-trotter Luggage.
Key Chain: Golden Gun Key Ring (£14.99/$18.88).
Entertainment for the drive: The Man with the Golden Gun Audio Book narrated by Kenneth Branagh ($15.98/£14.99). Or select your favorite Bond book from Audible.
Notes:
A kind of romantic, 1980s inspired look. With some fun Bond touches thrown in. And I could totally see Simon Le Bon or John Taylor wearing this in an old Duran Duran video …
Do you have a favorite Bond item you’d like us to use for a “4 Ways to Wear It”? Let us know in the comments below! We also regularly post alternatives, deals around the net, and assorted fun stuff and general silliness on our Facebook page, Instagram account and Pinterest boards. You can also visit our official Amazon Store Page! We created it to make it easier for you to find all the different alternatives we find on the giant on-line retailer. Hope you’ll check it out and let us know what you think!
Thank you for your recent focus on safari jackets! I just received the Saks 5th Avenue Field Jacket. It is exceptionally well-made and exudes just the right amount of that TMWTGG vibe I was looking for. My only quibble? It runs a touch large. The sleeves are a tad long. I may have them tailored or I may, as you have stylishly suggested, roll up the sleeves. Either way, I am exceptionally happy with this item. It has a wonderful sky blue lining. While the upper pockets have no buttons, the lower pockets have hidden snaps. There is also a very nice inside zippered that s perfect for one’s passport. I would also like to add that it is is currently on sale for $224.00.
That’s great! I really like that one as well. It still has the right “Moore” style but updates the design. Cheers!
Great as always, didn’t do the screen look as usual. I was for sure you’d use the orlebar brown shacket with stone chinos for a golden gun look!
I don’t have one, but if the linen jacket in your things I want post was maybe grey I’d be able to do that look. I’ve got a chino Barbour room jacket that has this type of look but three pockets instead of four, that maybe a good substitute.
Thanks! I wanted to try something different since there are so many styles of Moore safari jackets. Just sticking with one seemed a little boring. I think you can easily switch out different jacket styles and colors with almost any of these looks. I tried to make them versatile. Cheers!
Love this! Very thoughtful approach to incorporating Sir Roger’s classic safari looks in a modern casual context. Time for me to do some shopping!