If we compare him to other Hollywood celebrities, Robert Pattinson seems like a modest guy. The British actor rarely attends premieres or award shows. He keeps his hair short, typically wearing T-shirts and jeans. When he does show up at events, he mostly keeps to himself. So while the media fawns over the latest outfits he wears, it’s hard to pinpoint exactly what his style is. Is it retro? Is it a mixture of modern and vintage? Maybe it’s a little of both?
The Retro Icon
If there’s one style trend that defines Pattinson’s look, it’s retro. Perhaps he took a cue from his friend and stylist, John Galliano, who recently designed a capsule collection for H&M featuring a mix of 1950’s and 1960’s pieces. The retro craze swept through fashion and design, and for a while, it was all the rage. Thanks in part to the success of Quentin Tarantulinu’s Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, Hollywood nostalgia reached fashion heights. It wasn’t just a trend, it was a way of life.
One of the most iconic moments from the film is when Leonardo DiCaprio’s character, Joe, dresses up in a pink jumpsuit with yellow polka dots. The scene is a celebration of the retro fashion spirit that permeated Hollywood in the ‘70s. After the film’s premiere, DiCaprio was asked about his character’s fashion choices. He said:
“I kind of based my fashion choices on what was in fashion in 1969. I’m sure there were other influences as well, but I did want to stay away from what was too trendy or in fashion at the time and just focus on what was cool and timeless. It was important to me to find that middle ground, and I think that’s what makes this film so successful. People can relate to it, and it isn’t too far-fetched or trendy. It’s what actually happened, and it feels like it could happen again. This is the era when a lot of this stuff was in fashion: jumpsuits, bandanas, big hair, androgyny—basically, everything that makes up what we now call ‘metrosexuality.’ And it was very influentially posed, but it was very real.”
Pattinson’s look is definitely influenced by the retro styles that DiCaprio and company sported in the film. As the actor’s friend and stylist, John Galliano, pointed out to WWD, “There are definitely style influences [from Once Upon a Time in Hollywood]. I always say that anything that Leonardo wears is amazing. Even though this film is set in the ‘70s, it still holds up.”
Galliano continued, “It’s a very eclectic mix. But when I first worked with [Pattinson], I didn’t really have a clear idea of what his style was. He wasn’t particularly forthcoming about it. I think what happened is that he started noticing how much style influence he was getting from my work, and he started responding to that.”
The Mixture Of Modern And Vintage
Pattinson’s style is definitely a mix of vintage and modern. As with most things in life, he has a unique way of putting two completely opposite styles together in one look. It often starts with a T-shirt and jeans combination, but he wears a lot more than that. Take, for example, the white silk blouse he wears with jeans in the movie Dior Men’s Velvet Noir. Even the most fashionable people can get confused by this combination. Not many people could pull it off. Is it a vintage piece or is it modern? Is the designer trying to evoke the ‘70s or is it a nod to the ‘80s? You can’t really tell, but it’s a bold look nonetheless.
Pattinson also wears a lot of Day-Glo colors, often combining them together. His white sneakers are a perfect example of this eclectic style. The same goes for his dark sunglasses. While they evoke the retro style of the ‘70s, they are a modern interpretation of the classic style. It’s the best of both worlds. He wears bold, contrasting colors that bring out the individual personalities of the pieces he is wearing. This makes his style a lot more fun to follow. He never follows fashion rules, so it’s always fresh and exciting.
His Capsule Wardrobe
Pattinson is a guy who likes to keep his wardrobe minimal. According to his stylist, the actor usually stores his clothes in a capsule wardrobe. This minimalism approach makes his outfits look more interesting and cohesive. He often accessorizes his outfits with bold, colorful items. It’s like he wants to jam as many “colors in his face as possible,” as the old saying goes. He also likes to play with proportions, putting items of different sizes and shapes together. It’s a fun approach that makes his style look a bit more like performance art than usual fashion.
A Style Is Born
If you’ve been following Pattinson’s style for any length of time, you’ll know that it’s changed a lot over the years. It started with a fairly conservative style in the early days, with typical T-shirt and jeans combinations. From there, it gradually evolved into something more interesting and distinctive. If you ever wondered where his style came from, it all started with an unlikely place: the rainforest. While on the red carpet before the premiere of Dark Shadows, Pattinson reflected on how much his style has changed since he first started acting. “I’ve been fortunate enough to have had a few looks that I’ve kept for the whole of my career,” he said. “One of my favorite early looks is when I wore a necklace made entirely out of bones.”
This “bone necklace” is a reference to Edie Sedgwick’s character, Mina, in Barbarella. The piece is made out of real bones and covered in gold leaf. It is, in fact, one of the most iconic fashion items of all time. When Sedgwick wore it, it was a fashion statement. It was not meant to be worn as jewelry, but as a work of art. This is the kind of impact that Barbarella had on Pattinson’s style. It was the film that started his fashion career, and it was an incredible opportunity for him.
Pattinson’s style has evolved significantly since then. He has worn a lot of bold, colorful looks, but he has also done a lot to distance himself from his Hollywood beginnings. A lot of his style seems to come from a place beyond the Hollywood bubble. Is this an indication that he is moving away from being a style icon? Perhaps, but he is still clearly passionate about fashion. He regularly shows off his incredible style, and he always makes sure to keep himself ahead of the trends. This is a guy who knows exactly what he wants, and he is not afraid to go after it. We couldn’t ask for a better descriptor for Robert Pattinson’s style: uniquely, quirkily, and boldly forward.