Gents of the Year 2016
Time has announced its annual person of the year – the President-Elect of the United States, Donald J Trump. I’ve had my say on that. Mr Trump is the perfect winner. He typifies everything that has happened in 2016 and is, almost without doubt, the person who made the biggest mark on the world. But Time’s list is not a chronicle of aspirational people. There must be those out there who we could aspire to be a bit more like in the coming year. To rectify this, I humbly present my inaugural Gents of 2016 list. Dress Like Eddie Redmayne
He’s an Oscar winner, the newest star of the Harry Potter franchise, and both Tumblr and Pinterest go nuts for him. But Mr Redmayne, whose demeanor could teach a few of us a thing or two, really stands out in the style stakes. And well he should, he’s a former model. But he gets the basics right; he has a go-to colour that works (blue), he keeps it simple and effective, and he rocks the classics – from chunky knit cardigans to trenchcoats. As a result, when he goes for remarkable, he can pull it off – evidenced by the range of spectacular patterns he has worn on red carpets. So dress like Mr Redmayne: Keep your basics simple, your staples smart and commit if you’re going for a statement piece. Oh and his “I’m not trying too hard” swagger is a bonus, if you can pull it off. ******************************************************************************************** Work Like Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson
Dwayne Johnson gets up at 4.30 every morning to go to the gym – check his Instagram. Years after he conquered the wrestling world with eight WWF/E title reigns, he has starred in one of 2016’s biggest comedies (Central Intelligence) and the latest Disney smash hit (Moana), he has shot the new Jumanji film, the latest Fast & The Furious film, a new Baywatch film, a hit TV series (Ballers), been named People magazine’s Sexiest Man Alive and become a case study for Harvard Business School. Want to know why you should work like him? Because he seems to love every minute of it. ******************************************************************************************** Travel Like Zac Efron
The former High School Musical star is now the pioneer of #teamnosleep on Instagram. In part, that is because he spend so much time hopping around the world and posting pictures of himself on jets. But if you’ve got to fly, do it in style. From hopping across country to see his friends host an award show, to crossing rainforest bridges and popping over to Rio to meet Team USA at the Olympics – he did it in stlye. ******************************************************************************************** Stand For Things Like Sir Patrick Stewart
I am not going to make this a long one, the picture above says it all. Some of us are in a position to help those who need it; if you can, try to. Plus, his bromance with Sir Ian McKellan is proper friendship goals. ******************************************************************************************** Act Like Tom Hiddleston
This may seem like an odd choice; afterall, Mr Hiddleston did spend part of the year frolicking in an “I love TS” vest with American songstress Taylor Swift, rather denting his James Bond credentials in the process. But a few bad choices does not ruin a raft of good, and the man has splendid manners. Not only does he send chat show audiences into raptures with his dancing, but he larks about on movie sets and brings soup to cold reporters at premiers. Some say it is all a show, that’s fine, manners often are.
Originally posted December 29, 2016.