Three Style Lessons from Alain Delon
A few "paroles, paroles" about the late French King of Cool.
Growing up, my first exposure to French film icon Alain Delon is that people in my life said he was my dad’s celebrity doppelgänger. As such, I had an odd sentimental pull to the legendary actor before seeing a single frame of his filmography. And, to be honest, I can see the resemblance.
As I became more interested in style and fashion, I found myself gravitating towards Delon as a major mood board inspiration. As much as I admire other style icons like Steve McQueen, Paul Newman, and Harrison Ford, I found that their face shapes (either rounder or squarer than my own) and skin tone (warm-toned and tanned), made some of their tastes and outfits harder to emulate. Like all enviable legends of style, Alain Delon entered the pantheon because his taste was singular, but relatable enough to draw inspiration from. It helped that he was absurdly pretty, but you don’t have to be in order to learn something from his dressing - hell, I’m definitely not. In honor of his passing over the weekend, here is a tip of the hat to a legend, and a handful of ways we can all look and feel better in our clothes by drawing inspiration from one of the greats.
1. Don’t Just Buy Basics, Buy Your Basics
One of the striking things about Alain Delon’s on- and off-screen outfits over the years is that they’re not necessarily “innovative”. Many are comprised of pieces most would consider basics: black suits, navy sweaters, linen shirts… The color palette is muted and classic: navy, grey, black, white. Sure, sometimes the occasional cool green, tan, or funky 60’s pattern would pop in there, but for the most part he wore pieces that are essentially common in the modern man’s wardrobe. But the key word here is essentially. What makes so many of these outfits so ephemerally cool, and distinctly Delon are little details.
Take this iconic still from Plein Soleil (1960). The blue linen shirt is a staple - but the one-piece collar and looser fit on this shirt make it distinctive. Choosing a classic item with specific details in its cut and construction that you like can make something feel more deliberate, more considered.
To illustrate this point, I’ll use a different kind of blue shirt: Compare these two chambray shirts. Almost any menswear blog or influencer would likely argue that every guy should have a chambray shirt in their wardrobe. But while both of these would qualify as a chambray shirt, their details make these two very different shirts that say different things about the outfit and the wearer. The shirt on the left, from Drake’s, features a button-down collar, classic mother-of-pearl buttons, and a single rounded chest pocket. This is a style akin to a lot of office-friendly sport shirts. The one on the left, from Wythe, features western yoke detailing, pearl snaps, buttoned pockets, and a spread collar. It screams “yee-haw” in just about every imaginable way. Neither is empirically better than the other, but they’re certainly not interchangeable. Now apply this to our guy Alain, pictured below on the set of Le Samourai, another one of the most stylish films of all time:
Look at how a pearl-snap style button on the cuff of this shirt changes the vibe of this other wise deeply normal black suit. That’s what I’m talking about! Another example: a navy sweater.
An undeniable classic. And Delon loved this one - you can see it again in the picture below:
It’s deep, dark color and chunky knit reflect Delon’s taste, and tell us about his style. Choosing the shade, texture, and thickness of a sweater can tell a lot about where you live and what you like - hell, it can say something about who you are. Don’t just buy a sweater because someone said a blue sweater is a must in a “capsule wardrobe”. I’ve bought a bunch of things because they’re “classics” and then didn’t end up wearing them much because of these details. It wasn’t the version of that classic that actually suits me. Don’t just buy a sweater, buy your sweater.
2. The Devil(ishly Handsome) is in The Details
A kind of corollary to the last point is reflected in Alain Delon’s choice of accessories. There are certain functional accessories almost anyone needs: sunglasses, belts, etc. Delon often uses accessories as an opportunity to stand out. Take the above image. The outfit is simple standard: black overcoat, white shirt, black tie, trousers… but then the FUCKING SUNGLASSES. They subvert a subtle, even potentially boring outfit, and suddenly give it this freaky attitude. It’s a small difference that makes this ensemble completely distinctive. Let’s try another:
Admittedly, there’s a lot of 70’s going on this picture. The flared pants, the huge lapel, the hair. I’m sharing this picture for one reason, and one reason only: the belt. Check out that bonkers hardware. Any belt would do here, but being selective and distinctive with a functional accessory like this helps you wear your clothes, rather than your clothes wearing you.
I think the desire for more distinctive accessories is what’s driving the trend towards western belts, but you don’t have to go quite so far to get the same effect. These two belts, from Maximum Henry and Front General Store, respectively, offer unique and distinctive buckles that create an opportunity to show off some flair.
Particularly in today’s heritage-focused menswear moment, it can be tempting to buy a product in order to be part of a legacy. To get a classic item because its lasting power is emblematic of either its quality or fashion bona-fides. There’s nothing wrong with getting a pair of Ray-Ban Wayfarers, for example, because you want to nod to James Dean, Tom Cruise, or JFK, and join a community of people who wore an iconic item. But wearing a full outfit of “classics” can just read as safe or basic, because none of those individual items say anything about you, except for maybe that you’re student of history. If your sense of style leans conservative, taking these everyday accessories as an opportunity to break the mold can let you play it safe while still expressing your personal style.
By the way, I haven’t even touched on how well Delon wore subtle jewelry and watches. Those are accessories too, and they’re awesome. Perhaps a different topic for another time…
3. If You Got It, Flaunt It
Another classic Delon-ism is that he seems to rarely be seen with his top two buttons buttoned.
Alain Delon famously said in an interview with Femme magazine in 1996: “I like to be loved the way I love myself!” The lesson here, however, isn’t just to be really really ridiculously good-looking. Rather, what I find interesting about this fashion choice is that Delon’s sluttiness seemed to primarily focus on his chest and clavicle. Even his sweater choices seemed to gravitate towards v-necks that showed off the same area.
The lesson to take away from this is that great style requires a bit of self meditation, and I would argue, even the slightest touch of vanity. Take the time to find something you like about yourself; Hell, it’s an exercise in self-love! It doesn’t have to be a body part either: clothing can be used to showcase a sense of whimsy or honor your heritage. Frankly, it’s not entirely for other people, they may or may not notice - But you will move about the world knowing that you’re showing off an asset you’re proud of. Clothes should feel good, and you should feel good in them - suddenly you’re dressing up, not just playing dress-up.
You’ll notice this isn’t an outfit recreation post, with product links to individual pieces from iconic photographs. Those can be fun, but in this case it seems antithetical to Alain Delon’s Hollywood-defying attitude to encourage you conform with a non-conformist. Moreover, Delon didn’t really have specific pieces that were iconic - except for maybe a dangling cigarette, but that’s certainly less than advisable. His standout style was more of a vibe that comes from choosing individual clothing items deliberately, and outfits carelessly. An individualistic sense of self-assured cool. I’m still working to find mine, and I hope these little tips help you find yours.