It's no surprise that Steve McQueen was dubbed 'The King of Cool' in popular culture. In a short lifetime - he died at 50 - he managed to shape both mainstream cinema and men's fashion. His look is constantly referenced again and again - it's the very definition of timeless. Here's some tips to get the look.

COLOURS

Muted colours. You're talking beige, light brown and dark navy. McQueen's style was inconspicuous and functional, almost dowdy in places. That should be worked into the palette, nothing loud or overt. 

JACKETS

Steve McQueen favoured the Baracuta G9 Slim-Fit jacket. That's the one below. It's a good jacket; very minimalist and stylish too. You can pick one up here or try your luck on eBay. For leather jackets, particularly the one he wore in 'Great Escape', they're a little tricky to come by. Ralph Lauren do some very cool leather jackets that also work, however you're looking at upwards of €500. Don't get us wrong - they're great quality and they look fantastic, but you can get a similar-looking vintage jacket for half that on eBay. Schott do a jacket that's quite similar to one he wore, however it's goatskin leather. That means the leather is a lot more lighter than the actual one he would have worn. Goatskin leather, in our experience, does tear quite easily. However, you can get them repaired and strengthened for under €30 if it happens.

 

 

DOUBLE-DENIM

If done correctly, it can actually look good. Denim jackets are coming back into fashion and you can pick up some nice ones at the Dublin Flea Market or any half-decent vintage / thrift shop. The key to remember is that they should be as fitted as possible and, if possible, get one with a sheepskin collar.

 

CARDIGANS

Cardigans are great because they can work with either a T-shirt or a plain shirt and they actually serve a practical purpose. Plus, if you're not feeling it or if you're over-encumbered, you can ditch it easily. To get McQueen's look, you want a cardigan that's made of thicker material and is a little bit oversized. Those skin-tight cardigans you see every so often won't work. For one, they don't actually work - as in, they're about effective as keeping you warm as, well, a T-shirt.

 

PANTS & SHOES

Pair beige and light-grey chinos with suede boots. You want the chinos to be fitted, but not tight and have be just a touch too short. If you want a rule of thumb, have it enough so that ankles are half-visible. These are easy enough to come by, H&M usually have a decent selection. You can pick up a pair of brown suede Chelsea boots in River Island for €65. Alternatively, you can try Desert boots and see how they look. It's usually a case that the laces on the Desert boots will unravel on you at the wrong time and they're not great at keeping out the elements. The upside for either Desert or Chelsea boots is they can work well with black jeans. If you are going to pair them with jeans, don't go for blue. Keep them either black or grey. For the summer months, try beige deck shoes like the ones below. A pair of cream Converse shoes - not boots - work just as well.

 

SUNGLASSES & ACCESSORIES

Leather-band watches are a great choice because, depending on the colour, you can replace the watch with another one if you want to try something different. The thing to remember about leather watches is to wash them regularly and keep them dry. If any kind of moisture gets into the leather, it can leave a serious stank on your wrist. Go for a watch that has a round face - not a square one.

 

McQueen's trademark sunglasses are Persol 714's. Prices start at €200 and go right up to €700. Yeah. Brown-shade sunglasses of any description can get you the same vibe without forking out that kind of money.