Look the Film: Ghostbusters

Ghostbusters

Five Minutes. I gave it five minutes before I buckled.

“A beige boiler suit?” I asked myself. “How am I going to work a beige boiler suit into a blog dedicated to the already flimsy notion of finding high street clothes to evoke my favourite on-screen characters?”

So here it is, the Ghostbusters getup compromised to an Olive Green Military Style (£17.99, Surplus & Outdoors) coverall which is much more day-at-the-races than the plain beige from the film. My first reaction is to be amazed at what the boiler suit does… it makes an entire outfit, IN ONE GO! The hands are even in the pockets, meaning I don’t have to go sourcing and placing those. This could save me hours of research, I’m already envisaging the fat proto-Italian mechanic from Speed Racer, the garage scene from Grease, Dean Jones as Jim Douglas in the original The Love Bug.

This last one stops the self-indulgent rant; that Jim Douglas was a pretty cool guy. Watch this space.

My second reaction is that this is going to need some serious accessories. But first, to keep things stark, we are sticking in a pair of Black Doc Marten 1460 Boots (£90, Doc Martens). Hard wearing and iconic, they look close to what Dan Aykroyd and Bill Murray et al. were wearing, and they are what I would want to be in if there was a danger of getting slimed.

Onward with the frivolities, I can let a boiler suit pass but up with skater’s elbow pads I will not put. It would be accurate, sure. But at the expense of making you look like you are in costume (which is definitely not what we are about here) or like you are on your way home from laying floor boards – obviously there is nothing wrong with the noble floor board laying profession, but this is your clothes money we are playing with here… if you want to look like that go and train up.

So the compromise is to round the corner where Ghostbusting Peter Venkman meets Parapsychology Professor Peter Venkman and sew on some Dritz Suede Elbow Patches in Beige (£4.12, Create For Less). And while you are in the creative mindset, you will also need to apply some belt loops to facilitate the wearing of an ASOS Suede Chino Belt (£15, ASOS).

Rather than gluing some egg cartons together and strapping them to your back, you can evoke the proton pack with a Shore Leave Black Canvas Backpack (£55, Urban Outfitters).

The notion gets flimsier.

Look the Film: The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou

The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou

All good outfits start from the shoes up, even at sea. That gets creating a sartorial (and not merely fancy dress) take on the Zissou look off to a ropey start. The highly coveted Team Zissou Adidas trainers from the film attracted such trainer-lust that the market is flooded with opportunist knock-offs. Whether these are rebranded trainers or complete do-it-yourself jobs is a £50 risk I am unwilling to take to find out.

As a compromise I turn happily to the 21st century’s shoe crisis resolution: the Converse All Star. Converse.co.uk currently offer the opportunity build your own from a variety of designs, colours and prints. Sticking the colour ways from the film’s three-stripe onto a Chuck Taylor All Star Ox Canvas (£54, Converse) gives us a shoe which may not belong to Wes Anderson’s vision, but at least now it belongs to us.Following the nautical military theme set out in the film sees us plump for the Dockers Bright Twill Chinos in light blue (£75, House of Fraser) for a crisp ordered feel. Up top the sharp military lines of an Alexander McQueen Epaulette Regular Fit Single Cuff Shirt (£325, Selfridges & Co.), and darker blue trim are evocative of the film’s detailing. The lack of a central stripe can be countered through a Turnbull & Asser Ribbed Blue Silk Tie (£75, Mr Porter) to pull the ensemble together. Some slight alterations might be needed, as the shirt comes long sleeved, sacrificing the sporty look worn by the crew of the Belafonte. But the McQueen costs the best part of £400, so it’s your call.
To complete the look add the Red Tiny Beanie (£8, ASOS) – shabby and bobble free for the Bill Murray look, with variations for the rest of the crew.

Outfit
Chuck Taylor All Star Ox Canvas – £54
Dockers Bright Twill Chinos in light blue – £75
Alexander McQueen Epaulette Regular Fit Single Cuff Shirt – £325
Turnbull & Asser Ribbed Blue Silk Tie – £75
Red Tiny Beanie – £8

Total Cost: £537
Total Cost with postage (UK): £550.90