Icons in Denim: James Dean

“He dressed like an unmade bed,” one film critic said of James Dean. An icon of the 20th Century, over the years Dean had become sort of a cliche for the Hollywood heartthrob. Obviously, he was a beautiful man. But unlike finding out Steve McQueen was a wife beater (which diminishes his attractiveness), Dean was adventurous, mysterious, playful and had a wide range of friends. He would take dancing lessons from Eartha Kitt, and enjoyed bull fighting and of course to his demise, race car driving.

On the set of Giant, Dean wore the same shirt for two weeks straight without washing it. Being extremely nearsighted, he wore glasses (which I think adds to his appeal.) He also made the tee-shirt and jeans look a trend that would last, well it’s still a thing. There aren’t that many men who have the sartorial longevity of James Dean. His style has indeed withstood the test of time.