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William Powell as Nick Charles in “The Skinny Man” motion pictures was one of the vital fashionable and debonair gents to have ever graced the silver display.
I notice that’s a fairly daring assertion, particularly contemplating the truth that I don’t assume I’ve ever seen William Powell named in any sort of “most fashionable actors of all-time” listicles. Humphrey Bogart, Fred Astaire, Steve McQueen, James Dean, Cary Grant, Paul Newman, Alain Delon, Sidney Poitier — these are the names you’d count on to see.
However, for me, William Powell is greater than deserving of a spot in that canon. He’s suave, good-looking, elegant, quick-witted, exceptionally well-dressed, and one hell of a martini drinker. Look no additional for any of that than in his efficiency as Nick Charles in “The Skinny Man” (1934) primarily based on the e book by Dashiell Hammett.
Earlier than we go any additional, I believe you must know that I’ve an outsize obsession with “The Skinny Man” motion pictures. I can rapidly checklist all of them, so as, together with the years they have been launched. I can inform you who the killer was in every film, which I’ll inform you is barely attainable after numerous viewings and absorption of their considerably convoluted plots. I can recite massive parts of dialogue from reminiscence, a lot to my spouse’s chagrin. “The Skinny Man” motion pictures are why we all the time have a vacation meal of sea bass. They’re why I named our residence Wi-Fi community Lodge Normandie. Why our cats are named Nick and Nora, and our canine, Charlie. And I even have the ultimate line of Nick’s cocktail masterclass engraved on the again of my Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso.
The necessary factor is the rhythm. At all times have rhythm in your shaking. Now a Manhattan you shake to foxtrot time, a Bronx to two-step time, however a dry martini you all the time shake to waltz time.
Nick Charles
My monumental enthusiasm for “The Skinny Man” motion pictures stems from one in all my spouse’s mother and father’ vacation traditions, which has now been wholly appropriated and enshrined in our residence as nicely. There are six motion pictures within the collection — the unique, After, One other, Shadow, Goes Residence, and Tune. After Thanksgiving, we watch the primary film, and every week after we watch the subsequent within the collection — one per week — which implies that by New 12 months’s we’ve accomplished the cycle.
It was my spouse’s suggestion that we do that, and one which I believe she now wholeheartedly regrets, very like the time she obtained uninterested in making an attempt to clarify Passover to me and stated, let’s simply watch “The Ten Commandments” (1956), which I now topic her to each single 12 months — all 4 hours of it.
However I digress.
Though I’ve lengthy admired Nick’s fashion all through all of “The Skinny Man” motion pictures — his 4×2 double-breasted scarf collar dinner jacket from “Tune” is on my to-do checklist — it’s his first swimsuit that I’ve all the time felt was a knockout, which is why I made a decision to recreate it with our “traditional fashion, trendy sensibility” ethos in thoughts. So let’s check out Nick Charles’ first swimsuit from “The Skinny Man” after which our up to date model.
Nick Charles’ First Swimsuit (& Outfit) In “The Skinny Man”
We’re first launched to Nick Charles on the bar making ready a martini — shaken to waltz time, after all — and presenting fairly the cocktail masterclass to his captivated viewers of servers and bartenders. He wears the identical swimsuit right here as he does a pair scenes later on the Charles’ Christmas Eve social gathering hosted at their residence on the Lodge Normandie. It’s considerably unclear whether or not these two scenes happen on the identical night, however he’s carrying the identical outfit nonetheless.
And that outfit begins with a darkish three-piece pinstripe (or chalk stripe) swimsuit, although one would assume it could be a flannel chalk stripe given the time of 12 months. The material appears to be a slightly substantial weight and a pleasant construction, which leads me to imagine that it’s certainly flannel. By way of shade, nicely, that’s a troublesome one for the reason that movie is in black and white. One assumes it’s both a darkish navy blue or charcoal grey, although it’s unattainable to know for certain. Varied colorized promotional photos present it as navy, however I’ve additionally seen it as black so we could by no means know.
Nick’s jacket is single-breasted with three buttons, a peaked lapel, and has a welted breast pocket, two flap pockets together with a ticket pocket, and doesn’t have a vent. His waistcoat is a traditional six-button model with two welted hip pockets. And his trousers, whereas a bit troublesome to see, seem to have a plain backside slightly than a cuff. No belt is seen and I imagine it’s secure to imagine Nick wears suspenders and his trousers have aspect adjusters.
For the remainder of his look, Nick wears a crisp white button-up shirt with a traditional level collar and double French cuffs, which he fastens with oval cuff hyperlinks. His tie is two-color with American right-down-to-left stripes, with the bottom shade being darker than the swimsuit. His pocket sq. is white — some declare it’s linen, although the way in which it billows out counsel to me that it’s silk — and we assume his darkish Oxford sneakers are black.
The lower is beneficiant, as was the fashion of the time, and enhances Powell’s physique impeccably. Let’s additionally not overlook to say the good instance of blending related patterns on show — Nick’s swimsuit and tie, each stripes, work as a result of their completely different scales of the identical sample. All in all, it’s an exceptionally dashing and traditional look.
A Swimsuit Impressed by “The Skinny Man”
I have to admit that I’ve wished to create a whole assortment impressed by Nick Charles’ wardrobe in “The Skinny Man” motion pictures for a while, however wasn’t in a position to absolutely notice it this previous 12 months. An excessive amount of occurring with the relaunch of the location and store, however that’s neither right here nor there. However I used to be decided to get no less than one Nick Charles-inspired piece within the HSS Store and what higher place to begin than Nick’s first swimsuit.
I tried to be as devoted as attainable to Nick’s swimsuit — three-piece, peaked lapel, pinstripe/chalk stripe, flap pockets plus a ticket pocket — although, after all, there are some trendy updates in addition to one thing of a roll of the cube on the colour.
One factor I want to point out is that I typically don’t add a ticket pocket to my fits as I really feel it could actually come off as try-to-hard, however right here, and particularly as a result of it is a three-piece swimsuit, I believe it’s greater than acceptable and never in the slightest degree misplaced.
The variations needs to be fairly apparent, however I’ll go forward an level them out anyway. The largest distinction between my swimsuit and Nick’s is the way in which it matches. Nick’s swimsuit has a a lot fuller match, which was the fashion within the Nineteen Thirties, and whereas I’m all for having a little bit of room in my clothes as of late, I believe going with a full throwback look by way of match feels greater than a bit costumey, which I’m not a fan of in any respect.
The subsequent distinction is the colour — or slightly, the darkness of the colour — since we’ve already established that the jury’s out on whether or not Nick’s swimsuit was navy blue or charcoal. It’s clear that Nick’s swimsuit is a bit darker than mine. The reason being as a result of we have been unable to supply a cloth that was an actual match.
For me, the extra necessary factor to think about if I used to be making an attempt to be as true as attainable to Nick’s swimsuit was the spacing of the pinstripes. There was a darker charcoal grey with a wide-spaced chalk stripe to think about, however protecting the tighter spacing appeared paramount, so I opted for this explicit medium grey material. Not a nasty alternative, because it makes it simply the slightest bit extra versatile and fewer of a one-trick pony.
Two ultimate (and minor) particulars which are a bit completely different from my swimsuit vis-à-vis Nick’s. Somewhat than a jacket with no vent, I’ve gone with a double vent. And I’ve additionally chosen a two-inch cuff for the underside of the trousers, as is my normal alternative for a flannel swimsuit. I’ll say it agin — I’m all about traditional fashion with a contemporary sensibility.
The Backside Line
In conclusion, the timeless fashion of Nick Charles in “The Skinny Man” motion pictures continues to carry invaluable fashion classes for the fashionable man. Whereas the style of the Nineteen Thirties was decidedly completely different, the magnificence, sophistication, and confidence displayed by Nick Charles are qualities which are nonetheless admired in the present day — to not point out, worthy of emulation.
Our recreation of his first swimsuit, whereas up to date to suit the fashionable sensibilities, is a tribute to the timeless fashion that he represented. It’s a traditional piece that may be a invaluable addition to any man’s wardrobe. So, channel your inside Nick Charles, shake up a martini — to waltz time, after all — and step out in fashion.
Thanks, as all the time, for studying.
