Fashion can be quite a mysterious thing, and one celebrity’s style choices can often spark countless conversations and debates among the fashion community, especially when he or she opts for bold fashion choices that may cause a stir. It was certainly the case with actor Robert Pattinson, whose choice to wear a black v-neck T-shirt with a white oxford shirt and charcoal trousers caused quite a conversation when he wore them in public for the first time at the 2012 film festival in London. The fashion choice seemed to be a deliberate attempt to channel Marlon Brando in his famous film rendition of The Wild Bunch, and although some welcomed his style choices, most doubted that they would ever work for them. However, the style icon has since graciously admitted that his fashion choices weren’t exactly the result of a well-thought-out plan and that he had simply always felt this way. This is somewhat reminiscent of the famous quote by designer Yves Saint Laurent, who once stated that:
“Fashion is not functional. It is not designed to work. It is an accident. It is not logical.”
Nevertheless, Robert Pattinson’s style choices seem to have, in fact, been the result of a bit of both – logic as well as experimentation. After debuting the look at the London film festival, where he starred as celebrated author and playwright William Shakespeare, the style icon has continued to indulge his passion for artsy photos and has even begun to experiment with other fashion choices, such as leather jackets and drainpipe jeans, which he has slowly begun to integrate into his wardrobings.
Black V-Neck T-Shirt
To fully appreciate Robert Pattinson’s transition from the arty photo sphere of his artistic youth into the fashionable world of his adult life, one must first take a trip back in time to the beginning of his professional career. It was in the early 2000s that the former child star first burst onto the scene with his portrayal of Lyle Wootton in the television series Lost and Found, and although he had already established himself as an artist in the medium of photography, it was in these early days that he began to experiment with fashion, as seen in the photos below.
These are the early 2000s, the golden era of the internet, and although social media had yet to evolve into what we know today, sites like MySpace, Facebook, and Flickr were already popular, allowing users to share their creative works and style choices with the entire world.
It was on one of these sites, MySpace, that Robert Pattinson first began to experiment with fashion, sharing his passion for photography and his desire to learn more about the craft. The actor’s MySpace profile even lists his favorite fashion designers and offers a glimpse into his style journey, from black lace-up boots to leopard print dresses.
Although it would be years before he would sport a brand-new look as a professional, the actor began to slowly evolve his style in his early-to-mid-2000s. He would frequently change his hairstyle and nail polish color, and although he wouldn’t sport a completely new look, he would often borrow from and combine pieces from different collections, as seen below.
White and Tan Oxfords
As time went on, Robert Pattinson’s experimentation with fashion would continue, and he would soon add white and tan oxfords to his wardrobe, as seen in the photos below.
The fashion choice would continue to evolve, and although he would wear the same piece multiple times throughout the year, he would also switch up both the shirt and the tie, as seen below.
The actor frequently referenced his love for both Savile Row tailors and 1950s Americana in a 2014 interview with British Vogue, saying:
“I love a good suit and a good pair of shoes… I have a Savile Row tailor, who makes all my suits and my shirts and my ties. And I also love vintage American movies – the sound of the music, cars, and clothes is so inspiring. My dad was a really big film fan, and growing up, I would stay up late watching movies with him. There’s something about driving down the street in a vintage American car that makes me feel like a real man.”
Charcoal Jeans
Although he may not always put his fashion choices out there for the world to see, the actor does sometimes offer little glimpses of his wardrobe choices through his Instagram account. In one such instance, he posted a photo of himself in jeans with the hashtag #jeanaddict, and although the snap is a little on the dark side, it does give us a good look at his everydaywear, as seen in the photos below.
It would appear that Robert Pattinson has slowly begun to make the transition from arty photographer to stylish male fashion icon, and although it may still be early days, it’s evident that this is a man who truly knows how to dress a man.