Russian Sledges

Russian deputy prime minister Dmitry Kozak says protest group Pussy Riot provoked an attack on them by a Cossack security patrol in Sochi.

Why 85-year-old Jacques-André Istel established a town (population: 2) on 2,600 acres in the middle of the Arizona desert (but not before becoming a sky diving legend, among other things).

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DAMN IT, BETH, ARE YOU BLATANTLY PRACTICING THE DARK ARTS  IN PLAIN VIEW OF THE NEIGHBORS? DO YOU WANT TO HAVE TO MOVE AGAIN? 

NO, HONEY. THIS IS JUST YOGA.

THAT’S NOT YOGA, BETH. I KNOW WHAT YOGA LOOKS LIKE.

ASHTANGA, MAYBE, OR HATHA, BUT THIS IS ADVANCED IYENGAR. MY CHAKRAS ARE WIDE OPEN OR WHATEVER.

YOU’RE LEVITATING, BETH, AND THERE ARE OBVIOUS SIGNS OF RITUAL SACRIFICE IN THE GARAGE.

SHHHHHH, HONEY. YOU’RE DISRUPTING MY CHI FLOW.

Boston Public Library posted a photo:

Local Accession Number: FA_CC.001006
Connick Job Number: 4682
Title: #18 St. George, design for southwest window in narthex, Saint George's Church, Saxonville, Massachusetts.
Statement of responsibility: R. N. Connick Assoc.
Creator/Contributor: Charles J. Connick Associates (creator)
Genre: Design drawings; Gouaches
Date created: 1963
Physical description: 1 gouache : color ; 46 x 32 cm.
General notes: Title from item, from additional material accompanying item, or from information provided by the Boston Public Library.
Date notes: Date from item.
Biographical and historical notes: Window designed for Saint George's Church, Saxonville, Massachusetts.
Subjects: Stained glass; Windows
Collection: Charles J. Connick Gouaches - Massachusetts
Location: Boston Public Library, Arts Department
Shelf locator: Massachusetts Box #24
Rights: Rights status not evaluated.

Ukraine president President Viktor Yanukovych signed a deal with opposition leaders today committing to early elections and reducing some of the president's authority. Russia has not endorsed the deal, and many protesters want Yanukovych to resign. Andrew Kramer and Andrew Higgins, reporting in the New York Times:

In a further sign of the president’s diminished influence, Parliament voted to allow the release of former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko, who has been imprisoned for more than two years. In a 310-to-54 vote that is veto-proof, lawmakers decriminalized the actions for which she was incarcerated.

Related Boing Boing posts today:

• Conservative western bloggers: Ukraine strongman's pay-for-play useful idiots
• I am a Ukrainian: powerful, viral video about Euromaidan
• Scenes from a hotel near #Euromaidan

afghangster:

people romanticize growing up in the 90s but we had our struggles 

The ever-looming specter of death is bad enough — but imagine Facebook not being able to monetize your data after you've kicked the bucket?

In the shop this afternoon.

1930s Art Deco Blue Glass Mirror (sold)
1920-30s Roman Sphinx, Carved Wood, $495
1960s Carved Wood and Travertine Sculpture, $375
1820-30s American Empire Mirrored Lyre Shaped Console, $1150
Vintage Deco Styled  Dining Table, Macassar Ebony and Bronze, $2950

Gerard Rubio’s open-source knitting machine, OpenKnit, can make you a custom sweater in just an hour. I’ve waited in line for a fitting room for longer than that! via hackaday.

For all the hubbub about 3D printers leading a way into a new era of manufacturing, a third industrial revolution, and the beginnings of Star Trek replicators, we really haven’t seen many open source advances in the production of textiles and clothing. You know, the stuff that started the industrial revolution. [Gerard Rubio] is bucking that trend with OpenKnit, an open-source knitting machine that’s able to knit anything from a hat to a sweater using open source hardware and software.

We’ve seen a few builds involving knitting machines, but with few exceptions they’re modifications of extremely vintage Brother machines hacked for automation. OpenKnit is built from the ground up from aluminum extrusion, 3D printed parts, a single servo and stepper motor, and a ton of knitting needles.

The software is based on Knitic, an Arduino-based brain for the old Brother machines. This, combined with an automatic shuttle, allows OpenKnit to knit the sweater seen in the pic above in about an hour.

Read more.

Read 6 remaining paragraphs | Comments

The 600-year-old, strangely-illustrated Voynich Manuscript (which resides at Yale University) has been called the most mysterious manuscript in the world. Not a single word of the secret language has been decoded, at least not until now. Stephen Bax of the University of Bedfordshire says he has decoded ten words from the Voynich Manuscript. This seems to indicate that the document is not a hoax filled with nonsense words, as some scholars have concluded.

Stephen Bax, who teaches at the University of Bedfordshire, has produced a paper and a video where he details his theories on the text and provides translations of ten words from the manuscript, which are proper names of various plants that are depicted in the manuscript. Professor Bax explains, “I hit on the idea of identifying proper names in the text, following historic approaches which successfully deciphered Egyptian hieroglyphs and other mystery scripts, and I then used those names to work out part of the script.

I have not yet watch Bax's 47-minute video, above.

Voynich Manuscript partially decoded, text is not a hoax, scholar finds (Thanks, Gareth and Syd!)

How much the world’s armies embrace gays

THE armed forces and homosexuality do not make natural bedfellows. Though tales from ancient Greece vaunt the heroism of gay soldiers, modern armies are mostly squeamish on the subject. So when New Zealand's brass let its soldiers participate in a gay-pride parade, it helped put the country first on a new index that ranks 103 of the world's armed forces by how open they are to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people. Countries at the bottom of the list—compiled by The Hague Centre for Strategic Studies, based on 21 indicators across five categories—are mostly those where homosexuality is a crime or considered an illness. Yet surprises abound. America's relatively low ranking at 40th is largely because it bans transgender personnel, though it has gay-friendly policies. In Israel, where military issues are ever-present, the army seems more progressive than society. Only 40% of the population accept homosexuality, whereas the armed forces completely opened up to LGBT people in 1993, almost a decade before Britain (which is tied for second).

Michele Bachmann, in rebutting Hillary Clinton, forgets her own campaign past.

MARTY! CARL! SORRY TO BURST IN LIKE THIS BUT I WAS UP ALL NIGHT DOING AN INADVISABLE COMBINATION OF COCAINE AND PCP AND THINKING UP NEW MARKETING STRATEGIES AND I BELIEVE I’VE GOT JUST THE THING TO TURN THIS WHOLE VENTURE AROUND! DO YOU HAVE A MINUTE? AM I INTERRUPTING?

Photo by D.A.ST. Arteam courtesy the artists

Photo by D.A.ST. Arteam courtesy the artists

Located near the Red Sea in El Gouna, Egypt, Desert Breath is an impossibly immense land art installation dug into the sands of the Sahara desert by the D.A.ST. Arteam back in 1997. The artwork was a collaborative effort spanning two years between installation artist Danae Stratou, industrial designer Alexandra Stratou, and architect Stella Constantinides, and was meant as an exploration of infinity against the backdrop of the largest African desert. Covering an area of about 1 million square feet (100,000 square meters) the piece involved the displacement of 280,000 square feet (8,000 square meters) of sand and the creation of a large central pool of water.

Photo by D.A.ST. Arteam courtesy the artists

Photo by D.A.ST. Arteam courtesy the artists

Photo by D.A.ST. Arteam courtesy the artists

Photo by D.A.ST. Arteam courtesy the artists

Photo by D.A.ST. Arteam courtesy the artists

Photo by D.A.ST. Arteam courtesy the artists

Photo by D.A.ST. Arteam courtesy the artists

Photo by D.A.ST. Arteam courtesy the artists

Photo by D.A.ST. Arteam courtesy the artists

Although it’s in a slow state of disintegration, Desert Breath remains viewable some 17 years after its completion, you can even see it in satellite images taken from Google Earth. You can learn more about the project in the video above or read about it here. (via Visual News, Synaptic Stimuli)

An ancient Tibetan Buddhist monastery demolished in the 20th century is partially reimagined through bits of its art installed in an Asia Society show, “Golden Visions of Densatil.”

This is the tragic Empress of Mexico, Carlota. Born Princess Charlotte of Belgium, the only daughter of Leopold I and his wife Louise of Orléans. She was married to Archduke Maximilian of Austria, brother to Emperor Franz Josef I. Carlota was known not to like her sister-in-law Empress Elisabeth. She became empress of Mexico when Maximilian was offered the throne of Mexico. Sadly three years later, Maximilian was deposed and executed. Carlota ran back to Europe and tried to rally support for her husband but to no avail. She spent the rest of her life in seclusion and descended into insanity. It is a sad tale for such a beautiful and unfortunate woman. 

16 февраля – День Звезды, когда родился великий Ким Чен Ир. Каждый год, когда наступает этот знаменательный февральский праздник, корейский народ тоскует о Ким Чен Ире.

Полководец Ким Чен Ир отдал всю свою жизнь ради народа. В его душе всегда был народ. Поэтому он, преодолевая обрывистые перевалы страны, без праздничных и выходных дней круглый год шел по пути руководства государственными делами на местах.

Во время посещения сельхозкооперативов он с родительской любовью интересовался вопросом питания населения, а во время пребывания на заводах осведомлялся о быте рабочих. А когда посещал жилые дома, он обстоятельно познакомился с житейскими проблемами. Действительно, Ким Чен Ир был не руководителем, а родным отцом для всего народа.

Все воины и народ нескончаемым потоком посещают бронзовые статуи Ким Чен Ира со страстной тоской по нему и чувством вечной преданности, который всю свою жизнь отдал ради народа.

Корейский февраль не месяц, когда цветут цветы.

Мир бесконечной тоски корейского народа о Ким Чен Ире приблизил сезон цветов. Вечная преданность воинов и народа, почитающих Ким Чен Ира как вечного родного отца, стала питательным веществом, в результате во всей стране цветут красивые цветы солнца, цветы Кимченирхва.

Цветок Кимченирхва цветет и в семьях, на рабочих участках. Его выращивают и взрослые и дети. Вечно чтить память великого Ким Чен Ира в цветах – таково единодушное пожелание всего нашего народа.

Об этом рассказывает Выставка цветов Кимченирхва, которая идет каждый год. Ее посещают многочисленные воины, трудящиеся и учащиеся страны. Идут и разнообразные торжественные мероприятия, в том числе и художественные концерты и фотовыставки, посвященные февральскому празднику.

Тоска народа о Ким Чен Ире становится рычагом производственного новаторства. Вот что говорит Ли Мён Сун из Пхеньянской текстильной фабрики имени Ким Чен Сук:

Нам особо посчаствилось повидаться с великим Ким Чен Иром на своей фабрике. И сегодня мы каждый день, осматривая памятную фотографию, вывешенную на стене дома, вспоминаем о том незабываемом дне. Перед нашими глазами всегда яркий образ Ким Чен Ира, который сфотографировался с нашими текстильщицами на память. И кажется, что слышится его добрый голос о том, что нужно снабжать население больше доброкачественной тканью. Сердцем восприня его указания того дня, мы, будучи многостаночниками, сильно зажжем пламя движения за увеличение производства.

И рабочие Намхынского химобъединения «Молодежное», и сталевары Сталелитейного объединения Чхоллима, и труженики Тонбонского сельхозкооператива уезда Хамчжу провинции Южный Хамгён и весь народ страны каждый день совершают новаторство в производстве.

Февральская тоска – это чувство преданности корейского народа, полного решимости во что бы то ни стало реализовать заветы-указания великого Ким Чен Ира.И вот-вот наступит февральский праздник с такой горячей тоской всего народа по великому Ким Чен Иру

Революционный Чучхейский календарь на новый 103 год Чучхе (2014) и другая печатная чучхе-продукция

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Read Drew's blog: The Worst Things For Sale.

A copy of "Green Eggs and Ham" signed by Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) auctioned for $1,000, the San Antonio Express-News reported Thursday.

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“Best thing about Harvard: I thought there would be a lot of class conflict at Harvard but it turns out that Old Money and New Money can totally coexist.”

Photo by William Eakin

Photos by William Eakin

In North America, Europe and many other parts of the world, bee populations have plummeted 30-50% due to colony collapse disorder, a fact not lost on artist Aganetha Dyck who for years has been working with the industrious insects to create delicate sculptures using porcelain figurines, shoes, sports equipment, and other objects left in specially designed apiaries. As the weeks and months pass the ordinary objects are slowly transformed with the bees’ wax honeycomb. It’s almost impossible to look at final pieces without smiling in wonder, imagining the unwitting bees toiling away on a piece of art. And yet it’s our own ignorance of humanity’s connection to bees and nature that Dyck calls into question, two completely different life forms whose fate is inextricably intertwined.

Born in Manitoba in 1937, the Canadian artist has long been interested in inter-species communication and her research has closely examined the the ramifications of honeybees disappearing from Earth. Working with the insects results in completely unexpected forms which can be surprising and even humorous. “They remind us that we and our constructions are temporary in relation to the lifespan of earth and the processes of nature,” comments curator Cathi Charles Wherry. “This raises ideas about our shared vulnerability, while at the same time elevating the ordinariness of our humanity.”

If you want to learn more I suggest watching the video above from the Confederation Centre of the Arts, and if you want to see her work up close Dyck opens an exhibition titled Honeybee Alterations at the Ottawa School of Art on March 3, 2014. A huge thanks to Gibson Gallery as well as Aganetha and Deborah Dyck for their help. All photos courtesy Peter Dyck and William Eakin.

Thirty years ago, the XIV Olympic Winter Games were held in Sarajevo, Yugoslavia, a momentous opportunity for the Eastern European nation to emerge from the shadow of two World Wars — and a Cold one.

"This Serbian Austrian-Turkish town is about to become known for something besides the assassination of the Austrian archduke and the igniting of World War I. That something is the 1984 Winter Olympics," read the Christian Science Monitor in 1981. At the time the Olympics were seen as a chance to revitalize the city and, similar to Sochi, make it more appealing as a tourist destination. 

The Games, the first since the boycotted Moscow Summer Olympics, were wildly popular. In March 1982, Ahmed Karabegović, the secretary general of the Sarajevo Olympic Organizing Committees told Sports Illustrated that, last December:

A special referendum was held in which Sarajevans voted on whether to give a percentage of their salaries—"a self-contribution" of 2% over four years—to underwrite part of the cost of the Games. No less than 89% of eligible voters turned out, says Karabegović, and of them 96% voted yes. "It's one thing to talk in favor of something," he says, "but it is quite different to actually give money out of your pocket."

By 1992, the Yugoslavian Federation broke up, triggering a three-year civil war between Bosnia's Muslims, Serbs and Croats. The 44-month Siege of Sarajevo killed 11,000 people and was the longest siege of a capital city in modern history. The shining new city was left in ruins.

Along with much of the rest of Sarjevo, the Olympic Village and Zetra stadium were early shelling targets of the Serbs, who fought against the Muslim-Croat alliance. 

From the Associated Press:

Making the most of the latest cease-fire around their city, Sarajevans stroll across a main city square inlaid with an Olympic emblem, Sunday, Feb. 13, 1994. Despite the relative calm, and bright but cold winter weather, people here are recalling happier times past this weekend as the Lillehammer Winter Olympics get under way. Ten years ago, Sarajevo was abuzz as it hosted the 1984 winter games.

From The New York Times in 1994:

Scott Hamilton soared to a figure skating gold medal under the snowflake-shaped roof of Zetra, a new $20 million indoor arena where Vladislav Tretiak, the legendary Soviet goaltender, earned his fourth gold medal in his Olympic finale.

As a major target of Serbian artillery, Zetra is a burned-out shell. It is surrounded by graves.

After the war Sarajevo rebuilt the stadium with help from the International Olympic Committee. In 1997, U2 performed in the stadium. 

But many of the Olympic landmarks are still in disrepair.

Despite the tragedies to follow, the Olympics, which were suppose to revitalize the country, are still a source of pride. According to this AP photo credit, "Sarajevans cherish the memories of the Olympic Games held here and each year celebrate the anniversary of the games." 

 

In 1984, Sarajevo hosted the Winter Olympics. Just a decade later, the region was torn apart by a bitter years-long conflict, leading to widespread death and suffering. One not-so-familiar effect of this war was the toll it took on the Olympic infrastructure which had been built not that long ago. Today, these structures stand as a visual reminder of how quickly things can change.

As Pope Francis continues his literally and figuratively dress-down papacy, Cardinals start falling in line with less gold, velvet and regal fur.

This is part 2 (part 1 HERE) of an expanded article Clothes on Film editor Christopher Laverty wrote for men’s style resource MR PORTER analysing Michael Caine’s suits in The Italian Job. This post covers all the costumes he wore during the film.

We rejoin Charlie and his ragtag crew at the big meeting when the gang are all introduced to each other. It had to be a Doug Hayward moment and thankfully does not disappoint. In actual fact it is probably Michael Caine’s best fitting suit in the whole movie:

Dark blue worsted wool suit; double breasted jacket, wide peaked lapels, 6 on 2 fastening, slanted hip pockets, ticket pocket, high rear vents; white high collar medium spread shirt with double cuffs; narrow leg trousers; white silk necktie.

Odd to wear a white tie out of formal occasion or evening wear, but it works well as part of the ensemble. The colour of the suit if difficult to pin down; it could what is occasionally termed ‘Crayola blue’, though is much darker when backlit against the window. Caine has the height to pull off a high double breasted so it is a pity he does not wear another such suit in The Italian Job. It gives him an aura of the boss. The colour is serious but not sombre, the fit faultless with no indulgence to fashionably tight. He looks like the business. When Croker says “do everything I say” for the first time you are inclined to believe he has it in him. For all that wide boy goofing and charm, Charlie Croker is a leader of men.

Croker’s Carnaby vibe comes into full effect in the flurry of scenes making up the ‘testing phase’ sequence. Thankfully some of these separates would be mixed and repeated thus eliminating the feeling that Caine is a catalogue model in search of a catwalk:

Beige split suede reefer coat, double breasted, tortoiseshell buttons, single vent with set-in waist pockets and what appears to be a male variation on princess seams; mid-grey flat front trousers, narrow leg with a slightly low-waist; white high neck poplin shirt with wide vertical stripes; kipper necktie with thick stripes to exactly match shirt; Burgundy nappa leather gloves with pin-tucking; brown leather belt with curved gold buckle; laurel green suede Beatle boots.

Croker arrives with Lorna at a disused factory as Mr. Bridger’s cars are being modified, which in fact provides our first look at the Mini Coopers used for the getaway. Caine’s shoes may seem to be loafers on first inspection, though they’re actually Beatle boots. Made popular, some say invented by The Beatles, these are similar to Chelsea boots; they’re the same ankle height with a pointed or rounded toe, but have a single side fastening zip instead of two elastic gussets.

We will see the suede coat again when the crew arrive in Italy. Next though is Croker’s most on-trend outfit yet, foreshadowing the influence of ethnically styled hippy clothes that would continue well into the 1970s:

Reddy brown suede waistcoat, hip length, 2 hip pockets with braiding detail, side and shoulder lace fastening and double tie front; slightly lower rise pale beige flat front cotton trousers with single crease; brown leather belt with curved gold buckle; beige and light blue vertical striped shirt (one wide blue stripe followed by four narrower stripes and repeat) with double cuffs; silk cravat in brown and burnt orange paisley with green stars.

The scene outside Croker’s flat in Portobello Road when Freddie visits is probably what many envisage as hip and happening London. Actually it was a heavily dressed street set with stalls, crazy sculptures and bric-a-brac that would be called nostalgic even back then. The clean, youthful fun of the sixties had passed – things were about to get a whole messier. Caine’s costume at the racetrack feels ‘off model’ for his character, yet true to the era. The waistcoat exemplifies hippy, even worn over a double cuff shirt. It’s two fashion worlds colliding with only partial success.

For the most famous scene in the film, we only get to see the very top of Croker’s outfit. Altogether now, “You’re only supposed to blow the bloody doors off!”:

Purple, burnt orange, brown and off-white diagonal striped shirt with matching necktie; beige suede reefer coat.

A stylish outfit in context but would look terribly affected today. Matching shirts and neckties are still worn, though are more effective with florals. That shirt Croker tries on at his tailor’s, and sadly we never seen again, would have been a far better choice.

As Croker and his crew run through the specifics of the job he wears the same waistcoat with a different shirt. Again it’s striped but copper brown featuring wide white stripes and narrower ones in-between, and a cream silk cravat. Cravats were still commonly worn at the end of the sixties and would be for the early part of the next decade. Interestingly as fashion became more experimental in the seventies, cravat and necktie designs actually calmed down somewhat. Although the outrageously fat kipper tie (so named for tailor Michael Fish who popularised it) was everywhere.

Caine dons another flattering double breasted garment at the ‘funeral’ arranged by Mr. Bridger:

Black double breasted Melton wool British Warm overcoat, 6 on 3 fastening, high single vent, epaulettes with buttons to the shoulder, finishing just above the knee; black narrow leg trousers; black shoes; light blue button-down shirt with fine white stripes; plain midnight blue wool necktie.

The British Warm is a military overcoat made from thick Melton wool. It can be any colour, though is usually black or dark blue; it varies in length, sporting wide rounded lapels and shoulder epaulettes. Croker’s version however is lacking leather buttons and buttons at the cuff. The British Warm provokes more interest than a Crombie overcoat, which was hugely popular at the time. It is odd for Croker to choose a casual button-down collar for a funeral, real or otherwise. But this does bestow an air of rebellious youth when as he stands alongside traditionalist Bridger.

(Keep your eyes peeled for Camp Freddie in the funeral scene; he looks as sharp, if not sharper than Croker. If demand is high enough we will publish a follow-up post about him too)

There is just a glimpse at Croker’s next ensemble while waving his crew onto the cross-channel ferry:

Light beige trench coat worn over shoulders, thigh length in gabardine or cotton drill, with storm flap to collar and belt; suede reefer coat; cream lambswool rollneck sweater; burgundy leather gloves.

This is a fairly classic trench even if it does lack wrist straps. Judging by the half-lining the coat could be an Aquascutum. With it slung nonchalantly over Caine’s shoulders, we wonder if this coat was a last minute addition due to the inclement weather in Dover.

When arriving in Italy the sun is shining, Quincy Jones’ instrumental version of Days like These floats gently in the background, and Croker has quite rightly abandoned the trench coat. Soon, after the crew splits into different directions, Croker encounters the Italian Mafia staked out on the hills of the Alps. We know they are the Mafia because of the black suits, fedoras, white shirts, black ties and Tommy guns. It is not a realistic interpretation of the organisation but unfortunately one that lasted in cinema.

Mafia leader Altabani (Raf Vallone) is spot-on in terms of Italian trends. His suit is shinier and flashier than anything Croker would choose. It is a profoundly jingoistic, basically racist comment on those villainous, greasy Italians. Thankfully the film is silly enough that no-one took offence.

Croker keeps on the same suede reefer, rollneck and cotton trousers to sabotage the electricity power station. It might have been an opportunity for a costume change, but actually works better as a contrast to the smug Americans and Italians in their tuxedos toasting the British failure. It’s the scruffy, plucky Brits giving them the finger. Freddie on the other hand will not be scruffy for anyone. He breaks into the traffic control centre wearing a garishly patterned silk scarf. Of course he does.

Caine’s next outfit worn when seeing Lorna off at Turin airport is another Doug Hayward; some would say his most famous ever. It certainly holds up today as a timeless example of sixties Brit tailoring. Frankly if you can’t look good in this suit, you will never look good:

Beige linen single breasted suit; 3 horn button fastening, slanted hip pockets, high notched lapels with single heavy needle stitch, high double vents, single button cuff with no flare; flat front trousers, narrow leg, worn slightly below the natural waist; white high collar medium spread shirt with light gold-brown vertical stripes, double cuff; round gold and onyx cufflinks; burgundy silk pocket square printed with darker brown and purple pattern (possibly paisley), folded in single point style; cream necktie with reoccurring dark brown stamp pattern; brown leather belt with curved gold buckle; chestnut brown slip-on leather shoes; Yvan tortoiseshell frame sunglasses with light brown tinted lenses.

This suit is almost perfect. Sure, it is very narrow and the trousers are a tad low. Plus the left lapel sits up slightly making it seem a mite untidy, also implying fused but Doug Hayward’s suits were never fused. Really to nitpick is to miss the point; this is what we think of when we think of a sixties suit. It is the epitome of the era and the epitome of Caine. It is cool precisely because it’s not perfect. As always with a Hayward suit it helps to be tall, but he could easily make an occasionally flabbly man like Caine lose six pounds instantly. Incidentally the sunglasses seem to be based on Caine’s prescription pair worn for The Ipcress File in 1965.

This is the last Hayward suit Croker wears before donning his blue flightsuit and badminton shoes for the heist. He adds leather gloves after the airport for a final pep talk with his crew. We get a glimpse of what looks to be beige silk socks as he marches around pointing his finger and barking instructions. The linen is more evident here too, those telltale creases on the legs (thighs) and shoulders. Just to be this presentable the suit probably required several presses during however many days it took to shoot the final scenes. Linen is supposed to crease, it’s characteristic of the fabric, but onscreen, and especially in a close fitting cut, it can appear unavoidably shabby after a while.

From this point on the story becomes all about the robbery and Mini getaway. Sartorially the finest moments of The Italian job have now passed. Yet whereas the Mini has rather unfortunately become a rose-tinted cliché of the era, Doug Hayward’s suits refuse to date. Shirt collar height has dipped, tie width has narrowed, and waistlines have dropped, but the silhouette itself, so empowering and lean, remains as coveted today as it ever was.

Read further details of The Italian Job suits in this article at MR PORTER.

NOTE: Images have been screencapped from Blu-Ray and cropped to better highlight the costumes.

© 2014, Lord Christopher Laverty.

Very simple but extravagant dress with an interesting shape

SMERSH.

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