Learn from the best: quick fashion tips from 5 of the most stylish film characters ever.

With professional stylists, endless takes and perfectly tailored wardrobes, it’s no wonder that movie stars always look so effortlessly cool and enviably well turned-out in every single frame. And sometimes, especially with films that feature some of the most stylish film characters ever, it’s tempting to try and emulate their style exactly. Remember that horrible period in the early 2000s when there was a large number of people who started wearing long leather jackets and wrap-around sunglasses to look like Neo from The Matrix? That’s what you want to avoid. Instead, what we do here at FT is to take elements of what works for the most stylish film characters and adapt them into our wardrobes. That way, you can look less like you’re in cosplay, and more like a well-dressed gentleman.

Let’s look at 5 quick examples of lessons you can learn from some of the most stylish film characters ever.

Robert Redford in Three Days of the Condor

Pairing a light blue shirt with two killer jackets and some aviators, he shows us that keeping things simple and classic is the best way to look good at all times.

If you asked us to name the most stylish actors ever off the top of our heads, we’re pretty sure Robert Redford would come close to the top of the list. Hell, the man’s an octogenerian now and he’s still dressing better than most men a quarter of his age. And in Three Days of the Condor, Redford is at his stylish best - even with a limited wardrobe. Pairing a light blue shirt with two killer jackets and some aviators, he shows us that keeping things simple and classic is the best way to look good at all times. (Oh, and that investing in a peacoat is more than worth it.)

Ryan Gosling in Drive

Surely nobody is surprised to see the baby goose on a list of the most stylish film characters ever? And in Drive, Gosling is at his cool, calm and collected best - and he’s dressed to kill, too. Now, as cool as that white jacket with an embossed scorpion might look, steer clear of buying a knock-off version to match up with your new tooth-pick-chewing habit. We’re going for style, not fancy dress. Instead, look at what Gosling wears outside of that jacket. It’s all items that you’ve definitely got at home. White tees, denim jackets, dark jeans. The difference is that they fit properly. Buy clothes that fit properly and you’ll be walking around to the sound of 80s-inspired synth in no time, you real human bean.

Eddie Murphy in Beverly Hills Cop

While Beverly Hills Cop’s legacy may have been tarnished by barely-repressed memories The Crazy Frog, one thing remains true: Eddie Murphy’s Axel Foley is a lesson is how to look good in a jeans and hoodie. Even if Levi 501s are a little light for our tastes, they’re still a timeless classic that -- when matched up with a faded grey sweatshirt, charcoal blue hoodie and Adidas trainers -- wouldn’t look out of place today. The tip we can learn here? Eddie’s clothes look good because they keep everything to an almost monochrome palette. Save for the white trainers, everything is either blue, grey or, in the case of the hoodie, a grey-ish blue. Sticking to a few colours that match is an easy way to put together a dependable everyday outfit -- just don’t match them too closely, otherwise you’ll look like a Crayola.

Steve McQueen in Thomas Crown Affair

The main takeaway from this film -- and it was hard to choose just one -- is the importance of a suit that fits really well.

The original Thomas Crown Affair (the less we speak about the Pierce Brosnan version, the better) is often thought to be the most stylish film ever made. And, by extension, Steve McQueen’s suited-and-booted eponymous thief has to be one of the most stylish film characters ever. (If you haven’t seen Thomas Crown Affair, then we couldn’t recommend it more. It’s got everything - nice cars, nice clothes, great heist scenes, a twisty-and-turny plot, and a killer cast. If you don’t finish the film wishing you were Steve McQueen, we’ll eat one of our ties.) The main takeaway from this film -- and it was hard to choose just one -- is the importance of a suit that fits really well. Steve McQueen’s suits aren’t just nice suits. They’re perfectly fitting suits that make him look like the self-made millionaire he plays. There’s little bits of accessorization here and there (including some enviable sunglasses), but on the whole, it’s just classic three-piece suits elevated by the fact they have been tailored to perfection.

Cary Grant in North by Northwest

Veering away from the same-old, same-old choices of accessories can have incredible results. These sunglasses aren’t wildly different from Wayfarers, but the little changes have a huge impact.

Cary Grant’s suit in Hitchcock’s North by Northwest is a thing of film legend. Tailored for Grant by Savile Row tailors Kilgour, the lightweight wool, three-buttoned single breasted suit is one of the film’s standout pieces. Grant - who used to choose his own costumes - pairs it with matching trousers, Oxblood leather derby shoes, a white shirt with double cuff, light blue cufflinks and a grey silk tie. And man, for a film that’s nearly 60 years old, it holds up incredibly well. (Grant apparently had a clause in his contract that he got to keep all of the suits tailored for him during film production, which is incredibly shrewd.) But that’s not the lesson we want to learn from Mr Grant. Oh no, the lesson we want to learn from North by Northwest is about the power of a great pair of sunglasses. We’re going to stick our neck out here and say that the sunglasses Cary Grant wears in this film might just be the coolest thing worn on celluloid, ever. The Tart Arnel sunglasses in tortoise-shell with green-tinted glasses offer a deviation away from the classic Wayfarer/Aviator decision and towards something with a little more cool, class and character. (You can still get yourself a pair right here, if you fancy copying the look.) The lesson here? That veering away from the same-old, same-old choices of accessories can have incredible results. These sunglasses aren’t wildly different from your run-of-the-mill Wayfarers, but the little changes have a huge impact on the overall impression.