If good style is finding your eternal uniform, then Bill Nighy is a menswear god proper. For decades, the British actor has doubled-down on the immaculate suit. It fits well. It goes everywhere. And for those that treat Nighy spotting as a real world hobby (it's pretty easy in and around Mayfair coffee shops), it's a means of retaining some consistency: you'll rarely see him in anything else.
At the premiere for The First Omen in Los Angeles last night, the Love Actually star rocked up to the red carpet, both arms aloft in holy joy, because his fit was impeccable. Up top, he wore a white dress shirt and a bespoke navy pinstriped suit, both by Lanvin. He finished the look off with a pair of lightly-polished black loafers.
It's a classic, no-nonsense fit that goes perfectly with Nighy's classic, no-nonsense aesthetic. And whether he's wearing the most excellent Savile Row suit or experimenting with denim shirts, he's proven time and time again that, when it comes to timeless tailoring, he is king. Because, ultimately, these sorts of suits work when you're 22 or 72. All you need is a razor-sharp fit, some solid shoes and shoulders you can hold up high.
“I take clothes very seriously as objects,” said Nighy to British GQ in a 2022 interview. Before becoming the Bill Nighy, the Oscar nominee would compromise on his living situation just so that he could spend more cash on his clothes. Today he's “always a little overdressed,” and even if a rehearsal involves him just rolling around the floor, he always wear a suit. “I’m going to work,” he said. “So I dress as though I am.”
So kids, if you're really struggling to find your own personal style and you just can't seem to pull off deconstructed vests and Tabi shoes, get Bill Nighy on your moodboard ASAP. Because no matter what era we're living in, or what TikTok is coughing up from the ether, a good, solid suit will always work.
This story originally appeared on British GQ with the title ‘We want to dress like Bill Nighy when we grow up’