How To Dress Well: Jonathan Ames From Bored To Death
The suave masculinity of a film noir hero and the dignified desperation of a failed writer, it's all in his look.
Bored to Death is a show of minute pleasures, which is not to say its pleasures are minute, but that if you were to try and pull apart its featherweight layers of enjoyment to discover its secrets, it would be like that time you attempted to really understand fairy floss. Better to just ingest the sugary wisp and not think too much about it. Following the madcap misadventures of various imbibers between Manhattan and Brooklyn, the show bridges the travails not so much between boyhood and manliness, but between the naive need for succinct narrative adventure and the messy actuality of life. It’s also very funny and the three main characters often don matching outfits.
When not kitted out to solve a crime, Jonathan Ames (played by Jason Schwartzman and his nebbishly cocked eyebrow) dresses as any self-respecting man of failed letters might (that is, exactly like the New York literary titans of old he so desperately aspires to join). Schwartzman’s somewhat small build is regularly decked in trench coats, blazers and ties; best to fill out the silhouette as it dashes ineptly towards maturity.
Plaid might seem tricky to pull off for the average Joe, but so did the standard sports coat just two years ago, and look at the state of menswear now: Cotton On is selling blazers! Ignore the loud, jazzy checks appearing in the latter seasons of Mad Men and stick with Ames’ sombre palette instead; your jacket should whisper Hemingway-esque sophistication, not scream bebop across the bar. Team it with a club tie (the sort that’s gifted alongside membership to the local elite whiskey drinkers’ guild – don’t worry, you can still order a white wine like Jonathan once you’re in), a pair of well-tailored trousers or a workman’s chino, a slim set of brogue-style boots, a button down oxford, and you’re set to go. It may not be the cheapest outfit you put together, but it’ll last a lifetime.
If you’re worried about looking too preppy for the downtrodden realities of this gritty town, fear not. Jonathan managed to partake in noir-ish capers, drop a story in The New Yorker’s ‘Shouts & Murmurs’ column, and engage the interest of beauties such as Olivia Thirlby, Jenny Slate and Isla Fischer. That’s a triumvirate of tiny dashing dames, the best accessory for any diminutive detective.
Checked blazer from ASOS: $147.81
Westminster red tie from MJ Bale: $129.95
Wrights chino from Jack London: $79.00
Kensington collar shirt from Ben Sherman: $80.00
Dovedale boots from ASOS: $344.80