During the climactic action sequence in Venice, Bond wears a blue long-sleeve rugby shirt over a grey mélange Sunspel t-shirt. (Check out Matt Spaiser’s article over on Bond Suits if you want to know what makes it a rugby shirt instead of a polo shirt.)
This rugby shirt’s origin is a bit of a mystery—it wasn’t made by Sunspel like the Riviera Polo Bond wears in the Bahamas—so you can’t just go out and buy the real thing. Anyone looking to emulate the look has to find some kind of alternative. For those of you who like replicas, Magnoli Clothiers offers two different versions that you can check out here and here.
If you don’t go for replicas, Mack Weldon also offers a long-sleeve polo that is almost a dead ringer for the Casino Royale rugby shirt.
Mack Weldon
Returning readers might recognize Mack Weldon as the brand behind the Vesper Polo, my pick for the best budget-friendly alternative to the Sunspel Riviera Polo worn in Casino Royale. Unlike the Vesper, this shirt isn’t designed to replicate the rugby shirt Bond wears in Casino Royale. That said, it winds up being pretty darn close.
Like the rugby shirt in the Casino Royale, the Intrepid Polo features a spread collar with a two-button placket, long sleeves, a straight hem and the color is almost an exact match for the shirt Bond wears in the film. The Intrepid is made from a blend of Pima cotton and synthetic fibers to give it some stretch and anti-odor properties.
There are two primary differences between the shirt worn in the movie and the Intrepid Polo: the placket and the cuffs. The screen-worn shirt has a hidden-button fly placket that conceals the shirt’s buttons, while the Intrepid Polo has a standard placket. And the screen-worn shirt has elastic cuffs but the Intrepid has button cuffs. All in all, they’re pretty minor differences but you should be aware of them if you want something that is 100% screen accurate.
What do you think of the Intrepid Polo? Do you think it’s a good alternative or off the mark? Let me know in the comments below or over on Instagram (@bondonabudget). Thanks for reading!
Bond on a Budget 