What to Wear to a James Bond Party: 7 Ideas for Women
You’ve been invited to a James Bond-themed party. What on earth do you wear?
Why not call on one of the Bond girls for inspiration. You have lots of choice. So far, there have been 81 Bond girls — one of the most memorable being Ursula Andress’ Honey Ryder.
OK, we know what you’re thinking. It takes a lot of chutzpah to rock up in a white bikini carrying a conch. And besides, the UK can get chilly.
Don’t worry, we’re here to help. In this blog, we’ve put together 7 ideas for what to wear to a James Bond party. Spoiler alert: bikinis don’t feature.
The red evening gown
Sylvia Trench, played by Eunice Grayson, represents a whole lot of firsts.
Trench was the original Bond Girl, appearing in 1962’s Dr. No. opposite Sean Connery. And if you’re into movie trivia, Sylvia was the first person to whom the famous spy introduced himself as “Bond, James Bond”.
She also wore the first-ever Bond girl evening gown — at the poker table, obviously.
To recreate the original look, opt for a bright red, one-shouldered dress and, for extra movie-knowledge accuracy, team it with a metallic gold clutch bag.
The suit
Want to channel the most infamously named Bond girl ever? Try Pussy Galore.
Played by Honor Blackman in 1964’s Goldfinger, Pussy Galore is a relative rarity amongst early Bond women.
Firstly, she manages to face plant James Bond with her well-honed judo skills (albeit disappointingly briefly).
Secondly, she gets to wear a suit. In fact, she wears several suits, rivalling Bond himself in well-tailored, sartorial elegance.
Her black satin jumpsuit is immediately recognisable, as is the single-breasted white two-piece.
Or, if you want to keep things simple, just go with one of Galore’s trademark looks — a gold waistcoat.
The goldfinger look
It has to be said that most of Bond’s girlfriends don’t survive the experience.
Jill Masterson’s gold-covered demise in Goldfinger is the most famous Bond girl death.
Recreate it with oodles of gold, complete with facial art, and everyone will recognise the reference.
In case you were wondering, despite Bond’s confident diagnosis, there’s no such thing as “skin suffocation”.
Even so, the movie’s director was worried enough to leave Shirley Eaton’s stomach unpainted when they shot the scene.He even had a team of doctors standing by.
She was fine.
The black cocktail dress
Of all the Bond girl villains, Xenia Onatopp wins the prize for high camp.
She steals the show in 1995’s GoldenEye, not least for her habit of crushing enemies between her thighs.
Onatopp, played by Famke Janssen, is an all-rounder when it comes to dastardly skills. She’s a former Soviet fighter pilot, assassin, martial artist, expert card sharp… and sexual sociopath, of course.
Her wardrobe is pretty spectacular too. To recreate the vibe without actually committing murder, look for a black cocktail dress — preferably with a dramatic curving neckline.
For additional Onatopp villainy, pull on a pair of black gloves and twirl a cigar between your fingers in a suitably menacing manner.
The black leather look
Staying with the uber-cool female Bond villain, how about May Day?
In 1985’s A View to a Kill, Grace Jones upstages an overly antiquated Roger Moore with her star turn as a formidable henchwoman.
May Day begins the film as a villain, then switches sides and saves Bond’s life.
To be honest, some might say that she saves the entire movie.
Jones’ sculptured, androgynous costumes were designed by the couturier Azzedine Alaia — although to make a May Day fashion statement, there’s no need to employ a top-class designer. Black leather will do it.
The understatement
As Dr Madeleine Swann, Léa Seydoux breaks the Bond girl rules. She lasts the distance.
Seydoux first appears as the sharp-shooting psychiatrist in 2016’s Spectre, reprising her role in No Time to Die.
Swann’s look is all about subtlety. She eschews the plunging necklines and ostentatious bling in favour of beautifully cut Parisian chic. It’s a masterclass in understatement.
To recreate Madeleine’s toned-down glamour, channel the seductive power of sheer textiles. Platinum silk and a high neckline is a classic Dr Swann look.
The tuxedo
Let’s forget the Bond girls for a moment. Here’s a thought…
Who says you can’t embrace the timeless elegance of the great man himself?
A tailored black suit and crisp white shirt can do most of the heavy lifting here..
Pair it with a bow tie, either worn in the usual way or (if it’s a tie-your-own) draped casually around the neck.
This tuxedo look is, of course, Bond at his sophisticated best. You can’t fail to look cool.
If you want to make an entirely different statement, you can always opt for the Roger Moore safari jacket.
On second thoughts, perhaps not.
So now you know what to wear, it’s just a question of finding a spectacular party to wear it to. To guarantee 007 sophistication, you can always book a James Bond Christmas party with us.
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