The television and film series that are inspiring 21st-century men

Television and film have long been instrumental in opening the minds of men to the world of fashion. The 21^st century, after all, has become the birthplace of the modern man. Men are now more than ever occupied and concerned with looking good, it is cool for a man to want to look sharp and dress well.  No longer are we living in an era of women having to look good for men, now men must look good for women too.

Whether it is a strong haircut or a sharp suit, it is easy to look at a man these days and know instantly what his favourite TV show is based on his attire.

Scroll through our list below to be inspired by some of the male characters from influential TV shows of the past several years. 

Peaky Blinders and Tommy Shelby

If you’re a 21^st-century man, it is time for you to sharpen up and dress with confidence and style, by order of the Peaky Blinders. If someone told you that a TV show based on a gang of illegal bookmakers set in 1920s Birmingham would inspire a generation of men, would you believe them? Whether you would or not, the BBC drama has done just that.

Walk around any English town or city and no doubt about it, you will see a Peaky Blinders haircut within minutes. The show showcases a variety of haircuts which young males aged between 13 and 30 have copied for themselves with the Tommy Shelby cut being the most prominent and popular. Arthur Shelby’s trim can be seen regularly on the streets of England too.

Irish actor Cillian Murphy, in his role as Shelby, the leader of the Peaky Blinders gang, has become a style idol of many English men. Beneath his perfectly tailored three-piece suits, pocket squares and strong haircut, Tommy Shelby oozes confidence and style. Cillian Murphy has even managed to increase the sexiness of the once un-popular Birmingham accent such is his appeal in the role he plays.

With season 5 set to be released this year, expect to see the Shelby influence continue well into 2020.

Suits and Harvey Specter

If you are ever in doubt as to the dress code of an event that you are attending, then put on a suit. Even if you are the only one wearing a suit, as long as you wear it well, you will still get compliments from others as to how sharp you look. Suits are sophisticated, smart and the epitome of a grown up and smart man. It was only a matter of time before a TV show was centred about men in suits.

During the Suits craze, Harvey Specter became the male idol for how to dress immaculately. Specter was the uber-confident lawyer who always wore the best tailored and most expensive suits. His hair was slick, his posture perfect and he was one of the best lawyers in New York City to boot. The part was played by Gabriel Macht. Macht inspired a boat load of men from all over the world to quit wearing the casual shirt and tie with a pair of pants and to don a perfectly tailored suit.

Mad Men and Don Draper

Mad Men brought back the classic smart, sharp and suave 1960s American male look back to modern men. The shows main protagonist is the enigmatic advertisement shark Don Draper and based on his looks and style he is a character that men want to be, and women want to be with.

Draper pulls off the “timeless” 60s America look with sumptuous ease – a style that men have been replicating ever since the show hit our screens in 2007. There is nothing overtly over the top about Drapers suits, they just look absolutely superb and give a truly masculine image.

Mad Men raised the bar for a generation of men to look good for both themselves and for their wives and girlfriends. Classic suits became popular again and men wanted to showcase their style to the world.

James Bond

Of course, a list discussing men’s style would not be complete without Mr Bond. James Bond has been a man’s fashion icon for decades now and since Daniel Craig took over the role, Bond has never been cooler. Daniel Craig’s version of Bond is unique in the sense that his subtle confidence (a complete juxtapose of Roger Moore’s Bond portrayal) makes him both feared and revered simultaneously.

With his perfectly tailored suits, stylish timepieces and his seemingly never-ending wardrobe full of clothes fit for every occasion, James Bond will always be a male style icon. To this day and for the past 50+ years, Bond is the pinnacle as to how a man wants to look when wearing a suit. The 007 agent always looks the part when he walks into the worlds most luxurious places. The best UK casino sites, the greatest restaurants and the fanciest hotels would all welcome Mr Bond thanks to his perfect style. Websites all around the world detail all the outfits James Bond has worn throughout the years so you can dress exactly how Bond does and get yourself into the most luxurious places from London to Dubai.

With Bond 25 just around the corner (hopefully) now is the perfect time to get the James Bond look.

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Photo: Courtesy of AMC