Copyright jamesbondlifestyle.com
There is a website for everything.
The other night my husband was watching the James Bond movie, Quantum of Solace. He’s a big fan of Bond and, in particular, the new Bond played by Daniel Craig. In one scene, Bond is on a balcony talking to his friend, Mathis, and he’s wearing a black shawl cardigan (left, copyright Bond Lifestyle).
“That’s a really nice cardigan,” my husband said casually. “It would be even nicer in alpaca.” As he’s never been a clothes horse, I was surprised that he had even noticed what Bond was wearing. I know that I certainly never did during the movies. I’ve concluded since that women who watch Bond probably just see the body, not the clothes. And men see the clothes, not the body. Anyhow, my husband’s comment caused me to look a little closer. Combined with the fact that his birthday was coming up , I decided that this was a hint.
So I set out to research just what made this sweater Bond-worthy. I figured I’d be able to dig up a few still shots on the web, or at least enough pictures to enable me to recreate something close. So I googled. Imagine my surprise when a wealth of websites was returned, along with articles and reviews that specifically addressed Bond’s cardigan. Apparently the cardigan was big news. I learned that Bond wearing a rather staid shawl cardigan was a big fashion departure. That Tom Ford was the designer label behind it and also behind the 40 or so custom-made suits that Daniel Craig demolished during the making of the film. I learned that this particular cardigan was only available in a few stores , mostly in the UK, and only from Neiman Marcus in the U.S. And I learned that it had sold out at all stores with the release of the movie even at the designer price of over $2,000.
$2,000!
Clearly, there are a lot of devoted and well-monied Bond fashionistos out there. And so I found it to be so – there’s actually a website that details everything Bond wears, drives, eats, or drinks at jamesbondlifestyle.com. And there are several forums of James Bond lifestylers who discuss where to get everything Bond or Bond-like (that is, affordable approximations).
Which gets back to my first point: There is a website for everything.
Unfortunately for my husband, he will not be getting a Tom Ford Bond shawl cardigan. He will, however, be getting a hand knit alpaca shawl cardigan meticulously created a la Bond by me. Luckily, I have some beautiful bay black sportweight yarn from one of my dams that will knit up very nicely. I’m recreating the rib look using a slip stitch that will also strengthen the structure of the garment and prevent stretching. And it will be custom fit – I’ve already laid out the pattern. In that way, it will out-Bond Bond, because it will be custom AND one-of-a-kind.
And it won’t cost $2000.
The Pacablogger 
