Steve McQueen undoubtedly earned his title as the “King of Cool”. Whatever he was wearing he seemed to exude an effortless sense of style. He was one of the few men who could look as good in a bespoke three-piece suit as he could in motorcycle boots, jeans, and a t-shirt.
Suede Chukka Boots & Corduroy
Much of this comes down to his personal charisma as much as it does his wardrobe, but for the man who wants to emulate his style, it is worth noting that there were key pieces he returned to, time and time again. Heavy knit, shawl collar cardigans, light coloured corduroy trousers, and - more often than not - a pair of suede chukka boots.
Shades of Suede
This particular footwear featured a distinctive, thick crepe sole and it was this characteristic that set them apart from many of the other similar styles that were available at the time.
The distinctive crepe sole
Sanders & Sanders are based in Northamptonshire, the spiritual home of great British shoemaking, and have been manufacturing quality footwear there since 1873. Their “Playboy” boots feature fully lined, high quality suede uppers and, of course, the distinctive, bonded crepe sole. For any man who dreams of being like McQueen, or who simply loves a distinctive and stylish boot, this footwear is an essential addition to their wardrobe.
Sanders on a snowy day
One man who is often cited as sharing McQueen’s iconic sense of style is James Bond actor, Daniel Craig. As James Bond, Craig has worn almost identical outfits to those of Steve McQueen, and this is particularly evident in Quantum of Solace, where he wears a thick-knit , dark blue shawl neck cardigan, light chinos, and dark suede boots.
Daniel Craig in "Quantum of Solace" (2008)
Indeed, much like McQueen, Craig often wears chukkas in his personal life as well, which suits his particular style perfectly. However, it is in the final scenes of the 007 adventure, SPECTRE, that we see Bond wearing a pair of the Sanders & Sanders “Playboy” boots for the first time, illustrating the timeless appeal of the style.
Playboy Chukka Boots star in "SPECTRE" (2015)
After all, James Bond is perhaps Britain’s biggest style ambassador and Steve McQueen is arguably America’s greatest style icon. With these two legends of style both choosing to wear the “Playboy” chukka boot, there really can be no greater endorsement.
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