Steve McQueen

Steve McQueen’s style is just as popular and inspiring as it was at the height of his film career: he was the ultra-cool male film star of the 1960s, and rose from a troubled youth spent in reform schools to being the world’s most popular actor. Over 25 years after his untimely death from mesothelioma in 1980, Steve McQueen is still considered hip and cool, and he endures as an icon of popular culture.

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The Baracuta became synonymous with McQueen; easily recognised for its British red-and-blue checked lining, which onlookers caught a glimpse of as McQueen strode on by.

Steve McQueen knew the importance of layering and opted for the very-English Aran sweater or cable knit under his coats. On their own or with the Harrington, the textural wool in cream or navy felt nautical and masculine and fit snugly under McQueen’s iconic sunglasses.

Savile Row’s Douglas Hayward provided McQueen with his three-piece suits. Other British greats are Hackett London and Gieves & Hawkes for traditional luxury. As do Australia’s M.J. Bale and London’s Paul Smith for made-to-measure.

Steve McQueen’s STYLE

McQueen’s style was limited to one core outfit—with a couple pieces thrown in to change things up—in The Great Escape; The Thomas Crown Affair cast a wider net in terms of his character’s wardrobe. Crown, McQueen’s character, wore three-piece suits by day but opted for casual menswear on weekends that was a close reflection of McQueen’s personal preference. Again, countless pieces have been written about the stylistic influence of The Thomas Crown Affair, and the outfits McQueen donned have been carefully outlined previously, but what’s interesting is how different Thomas Crown’s style is from any other character in the movie.
Film legend Steve McQueen working on a punch bag in Hollywood.