November’s usually a month everyone just wants to get through quickly. It’s gloomy, and it stands in the way between you and the festive cheer of Thanksgiving and Christmas. But things will be different this year though. Spectre, the latest James Bond film and possibly the last of Daniel Craig’s, will hit theatres on 5th November – and we cannot wait.
Thanks to suit-savant Tom Ford, we’ll get to see an impeccably dressed 007 sidle through glamorous banquet rooms, only to break into death-defying sprints accompanied by background explosions. And hopefully take out slimy old Christoph Waltz.
Whether he’s suited up for a ball, sporting a bomber while sniping enemies behind a castle’s crenellations, or sauntering topless on a beach scoping out a femme fatale, one accessory remains essential: his sunglasses.
FOR THE BOND-WANNABE
Sunglasses are the ultimate ‘cool’ factor boost: there’s something alluring and very handsome about obscuring your eyes from view. To get to Bond-level panache, you’ll need his sunglasses. Yes, literally. Even before the movie hits theaters, Bond’s “Spectre” sunglasses have made it to the market – and they are available for purchase.
Unmistakably Tom Ford, the Spectre TF237 is a glossy black version of the brand’s soft-squarish Snowdon style: acetate frame, greyscale lens, trademark silver ‘T’s on the temples. If you’re looking for some gentlemanly cool mixed with an edge of bold ruggedness – these will become easily indispensable. There’s also a tortoise shell version with green lenses, if you prefer pre-Craig 007.
Alas, not all men can be Bond. Fixing a silencer to a gun while sauntering through a parking lot may not be your thing. Sure it looks cool, but there are thankfully other ways to look cool without getting involved in a high-speed car chase.
FOR THE DOWNTOWN ADVENTURER
If your definition of cool is the occasional motorcycle ride through the country but mostly relaxing at an alfresco café downtown, the SM x MOS 001 might fit you better.
The brainchild of independent American denim brand Simon Miller and NYC-based heritage eyewear shop MOSCOT, this aviator-style pair of sunglasses packs a high style quotient without sacrificing toughness.
A more subtle interpretation of the uber-hipster “steampunk” style, the SM x MOS 001 gets its industrial cool from the extra-thick metal construction and oversized eyewire screw mechanism.
Add the hand-dyed, snap-on indigo sweat bar made with leather sourced from Kyoto, and Simon Miller’s signature passion for raw materials and vintage aesthetic is fully on display.
As heavy-duty as it is sleek, the blue-gradient tinted lenses are made with superbly tough polycarbonate, complete with anti-reflective coating. You know, just in case you expose them to the elements while you ride in an open jeep…or a convertible sports car.
FOR THE HOT NERD
All this talk about being stylish and tough is great, but let’s not leave out the guys amongst us who prefer to exercise their smarts. Because the hot nerd appears to be the new beefcake: just see how popular guys like Brad Goreski, Andy Samberg, Seth Myers, and Joseph Gordon-Levitt are nowadays.
To achieve the hot nerd look, you’ve got to marry studious and spiffy. And actually be clever. Enter the LEMTOSH smart, the aptly named pair of problem-solving sunglasses developed by MOSCOT – whom we already know makes stylish eyewear – and smart, the electric car manufacturer.
With an eye-catching Pantone 602 C Yellow outline that runs through the matte black acetate frame, the thick-rimmed glasses is equal parts elegant and playful, perfectly poised to add to the twinkle you already have in your eyes.
The best part of the LEMTOSH smart is in fact the MOSCOT smart Drive Package. Think of it as the ideal expansion pack: three clip-on lenses, each for different driving conditions.
For overcast days, a silver clip with vermillion lenses; for sun-drenched cruising, a yellow clip with polarized G-15 lenses; and for late night drives, a black clip with high contrast yellow lenses. Call us geeks, but getting everything sorted out is really quite attractive. Oh, and, these come in a convenient tri-fold case.
FOR THE BRAINY INVENTOR
Speaking of geeks – James Bond may look phenomenal clothed in Tom Ford tailoring, but what really glues men and boys to the screen is the spy stuff. Stuff, like submarine cars, shoulder-mounted rocket launchers, and tea sets that magnetically beheads enemies. And who’s behind it all? Someone who doesn’t wear sunglasses: Q.
If he’s your kind of guy, you’ll be glad to know that Bond isn’t the only one Tom Ford cares about. Those who like the classic inventor look will like the mid-thick, rectangular TF5295, which comes in classic tortoise shell acetate and the signature silver ‘T’s at the temples.
The half-rim style may be pretty throwback, but the TF5370 is a sleek update with a shiny blue titanium low-profile frame, and needle-thin Ts on the temples. Putting on your glasses to read the paper (or a teleportation device manual) never looked so good.
Whether you want to be Bond or not, the key to being effortlessly stylish is to wear what suits you best. Brawn, brains, whatever – let it show.
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Lucky you if you’re in Singapore – hop down to JAMCO Optical at B1-15, Katong Shopping Center, and you’ll get to try on all the aforementioned styles. Plus, get up to 20% off prescription lenses (bundled with frames) when you mention His Style Diary. Discount only applies for drop-in consultations.
This article was sponsored by JAMCO Optical.
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