While the plot has had its viewers on the edge of their seats, the clothes and the shoes are just as intoxicating as Tom Hiddleston continues to encapsulate The Night Manager style in season two.
When the first season aired 10 years ago, Hiddleston was catapulted into the spotlight and touted as the next James Bond due to his all-action, suave and charming depiction of English intelligence agent Jonathan Pine. Yes, Hiddleston is blessed with height, good looks and an easy listening accent, but the clothes and the shoes also helped maketh the man.
In season one, he was dressed by his arch enemy Richard Roper to complete his transformation into weapons deal middleman Andrew Birch. The tailored suits, crisp shirts and handmade shoes look good on Hiddlestone to the point where you rarely see him out of a suit when he’s on the publicity trail.
For season two, he is dressed to become Matthew Ellis, a “wealthy man with a penchant for risk.” While the suit and open-necked shirt were still the main players, his shoes were a little more less traditional with brown penny loafers without socks a key choice, alongside single strap monk shoes. When the Ellis persona is dropped and Pine slips into his own clothes, black Oxfords are always his go-to.
Credit BBC/Ink Factory/Des Willie
The Night Manager style by shoes
Black Oxfords
Those traditional black Oxfords are key to the Pine aesthetic. Like the wearer, they offer a slim silhouette that are the perfect accompaniment to a dark suit. Pine and his alter egos are keen on a dark suit and a pale open necked shirt. Where his work takes him, it’s usually too hot to even consider a tie!
Pine likes a black Oxford, which seems to fit with his ultra professional, no-nonsense, ex-forces personality. He teams them with a black suit, black shirt and black tie for an evening event too. He also steps out in a dark grey suit, t-shirt and Oxfords for a more casual look.
Single monk strap shoes
When we first meet Matthew Ellis, he steps out of a car at his hotel wearing a navy pinstripe suit, white shirt, red pocket handkerchief and black single monk strap shoes. A less formal style than the black Oxford, they give a nod to the chancer character being played by Pine while remaining super-stylish and very sharp.
When he swaps the pinstripe for a dark cream suit and white shirt, he opts for tan monk shoes. It’s a good combination for the streets of Medellín in Columbia!
Brown penny loafers
When Pine’s team dress him to take on the part of Matthew Ellis, they insist on loafers with no socks. Worn with a suit, this is a very European style that is not often seen on British shores. As a Swiss banker running away from Hong Kong, the loafer is a fitting representation of Ellis’s international lifestyle.
In summary
While we may not all be blessed with the “everyone is attracted to you” charms and physical attributes of Jonathan Pine, we can still take a lesson from the wardrobe experts at the BBC. In whatever sticky spot he finds himself in, and he does find quite a few, Pine still looks elegant and unruffled care of his impeccable clothing and shoe choices.
I can highly recommend both seasons one and two of The Night Manager. Style aside, it’s a brilliant watch that will keep you gripped from start to finish. Catch it on iPlayer now.
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