Plot Twist! Secretly Stylish Films

Style writer David Coggins on Hollywood's best under-the-radar menswear inspirations.

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WE ALL LOVE Michael Caine's overcoat in Get Carter, Jude Law's knit polos in The Talented Mr Ripley and what Steve McQueen wore in just about everything. Fred Astaire is eternally divine in black tie while Sean Connery's James Bond remains preternaturally put together. These criminally charismatic actors inspired generations of men, their sartorial savvy etched into our minds via the big screen and heavy rotation on cable and Tumblr.

But what classic movies are secretly stylish? That have unforgettable leading men not dressed by Wes Anderson or Tom Ford or lingering close-ups of tie knots and cocktail cuffs? Sartorial movies tend to be period pieces, either because they began life as such (Out of Africa) or aged into the role (Wall Street), but these six titles represent more unexpected-dare we say dangerously intriguing-contenders.

1. Barcelona (1994)

In Whit Stillman's world, it's simply a given that you go out in a coat and tie. His characters share the references and attitudes of their class, and these are un-reconstructed preps we're talking about-they're not looking to reinvent anything, let alone bring a 'modern twist to the classics'. The buttondown Oxford-cloth shirt is their native tongue; the yellow dress tie, their inheritance. "Very New Wave," one woman remarks when Ted, our forlorn hero played by Taylor Nichols, unexpectedly finds himself at a costume party. She thinks he's being ironic. (He's not.)