The Most Stylish Films Of 2017

The men in this film offered a catalog of ways to wear 1930s tailoring. From the sharp, gangster lines of Johnny Depp’s Samuel Ratchett, to the relaxed shape of Leslie Odom Jr’s Dr. Arbuthnot, to the almost sporty design of Willem Dafoe’s Hardman, to the eccentricity of Branagh’s Poirot himself, each suit looked period-appropriate but were all very different. We’d take every piece of Poirot’s impeccable wardrobe, but he can keep the mustache.

This film proves that putting on a suit doesn’t mean putting on a uniform. You can still look completely individual.

Free Fire

Ben Wheatley is one of the most subtly stylish directors working today. High Rise had a great seventies vibe going on, and Wheatley stays in that decade for Free Fire. It’s essentially one long shoot-out between two sides in a bungled arms deal. Everyone involved showed up looking sharp and stayed that way even after the bullets started flying.

It’s all of its time, with some truly extraordinary lapels and shirts unbuttoned almost to the waist, but these are looks. Everybody is distinctive. Seventies fashion is very much back in menswear, but you’d look like you were on your way to a fancy dress party if you lifted anything wholesale from the movie. However, there are a couple of rules that almost all these outfits follow. The first one: play with texture. Move away from cotton by having at least one item that’s leather, silk or coarse wool.

Then, keep the bulk of your outfit simple and subtle, with jackets and trousers in neutral shades, but use the lower layers to play with patterns. Try a more daring shirt under a suit. Just don’t copy the collars wide enough to hit your shoulders.