Why You Should Learn To Dress Like Tom Hiddleston
A bad-ass action hero, a suave Englishman spy or a Nordic deity, Tom Hiddleston has done it all. Well known for leading roles in Kong: Skull Island or Loki, the God of Mischief in the Marvel Cinematic Universe as well as Hamlet himself in the London Theater, he is a well-established actor that everyone loves. Did you ever want to dress like Tom Hiddleston?
In addition to those traits Hiddleston is widely considered as one of the world’s best dressed men. In fact, he won the GQ award for 2017’s most stylish man contest.
A bold statement, but Tom Hiddleston certainly dresses very well and has some intriguing outfits. Ilaria Urbinati is his personal stylist but he is the one projecting a classic British sartorial message with a twist. He really makes it look effortless and the key is always fit.
We will analyse his style and explain what it is that he does so well. Lastly, I will give you some suggestions to try and replicate a similar look.
In today’s article, we will learn how to dress like Tom Hiddleston.
An Outfit For Every Occasion
Tom is no stranger to formal occasions. You will see him in the cover of magazines, making red-carpet appearances or cracking jokes on Jimmy Kimmel. However, he is also just a man and will often sport a casual athletic outfit for a walk with his dog.
More than often though he will wear a suit and has been the campaign star for brands like Gucci in memorable routes down sartorial lane.
It is evident that he really likes wearing clothes that have patterns with specific emphasis on windowpane and dots. Add to that some colourful socks and grey suede chukkas and you see how he defines his own style.
Never stop. Never stop fighting, Never stop dreaming.Tom Hiddleston
He is quite inspirational too and a UNICEF ambassador since 2013. Shall we start?
We begin with the classics, something you should always do when you are a beginner. By building a minimalist wardrobe that consists of versatile solid pieces you can create many different outfits.
Nonetheless, little will beat a navy or charcoal grey suit and this outfit is a testament to that. I really like the choice of glasses adding a touch of sophistication and intelligence.
Notice how flawless the fit is, the most important aspect of style. There is no creasing or excess fabric on the shoulder area and Tom has opted for pants without break. Look how perfectly they drape on the shoes.
No visible belt indicates side adjusters which is my new favourite trouser design.
As we mentioned in our detailed guide on dress shirts, white shirts are a great base for any business attire. A beautiful micro-patterned dark purple tie accompanies the outfit, giving a splash of colour. Navy and shades of pink/red work are a match made in heaven.
Lastly, he wears black oxfords which is an acceptable alternative to brown when it comes to blue suits. Brown just fits better, but in the picture you can see it is a red carpet event. Black shoes are always going to be more formal than brown ones. Remember to use shoes that are appropriate for the occasion and you can rarely go wrong with black oxfords.
This kind of suit is the foundation of your wardrobe and should be a future investment. Try to buy at least a half-canvassed suit made out of pure wool and avoid any kind of synthetic material. You should strive to buy the best that you with your budget, even if that means spending a little extra. It is worth it.
Suggestions
Your foundation is a blue suit and not much can beat Suitsupply for pure value and cost (3500 SEK/390 $/340 Euro) . The Napoli line sports flap pockets and soft shoulder pads, with a regular tailored fit and S110 wool.
I have been impressed by Thomas Pink shirts (1350 SEK/150 $/130 Euro), but be wary of your own budget. There is something for every pocket, just make sure you buy 100% cotton.
Choice of shoes also depends on your budget, but if you will own only one pair, please try to spend a little extra and get a pair of Goodyear-welted shoes. Carlos Santos (3100 SEK/345 $/300 Euro) has beautiful offerings and is a great entry-medium level shoe.
A tie speaks its own stories and few can tell it better than Granqvist (899 SEK/100 $/88 Euro). Handmade with immaculate quality, they are a great choice, albeit on the pricier range.
Total: 8850 SEK/985 $/850 Euro
2. Business Casual – Burgundy
This is not an outfit for the faint of heart. Not many people can pull this off and fewer can make it look as effortless as Tom Hiddleston does.
For starters, this outfit sits between business casual and formal due to the colour. This is certainly a more casual suit and one that will not go unnoticed. It is a statement. A Double-Breasted piece with peak lapels that will turn some heads. You will need a lot of confidence to wear it, but even if you have that, it is imperative that it fits well.
A white shirt is once more the blank canvas with a more neutral navy tie. Why not patterned and with a double-4-in-hand knot?
Derby shoes or Oxfords work really well, but fear not to use a pair of good Chelsea Boots or even monk-straps. Oxblood or brown works pretty well but make sure it is a slightly different shade than your suit.
Add a playful pocket square to compliment the outfit and there is nobody that will not look at you in the street.
Burgundy is a personal favourite of mine and something that I will try in the future.
Suggestions
It is not easy to find a suit in this colour scheme these days from quality fabrics in a good price, unless you want to spend a fortune into the Gucci models. It is a big no-no. What choices do you have then?
The only choice is to go Made-To-Measure. It is a custom process where you pick a fabric and colour of your choice and create a tailored suit. I have yet to find better quality-cost than Suitsupply (~7000 SEK/780 $/675 Euro).
The shirt is once more your playground but in this occasion I will stick with the Thomas Pink White Dress Shirt (1350 SEK/150 $/130 Euro).
Pair it with a silk navy dotted tie from John Henric (399 SEK/45 $/39 Euro) and a pocket square of your choice and you are almost ready to go.
If you want to copy this outfit, you probably have a larger budget. So why not go for a fantastic pair of derby shoes from Carmina (4100 SEK/455 $/395 Euro). I personally cannot wait to wear this with oxblood double-monk straps.
A friendly reminder: This is a style analysis and this suit should not be your first choice. This is for someone that has completed his basic wardrobe and wants to explore beyond his comfort zone. If you go for it, make sure it is quality and quality is often expensive.
Total: 12850 SEK/1430 $/1240 Euro
3. Business Casual – Checkmate
If you follow Tom’s style you will notice that he loves his checks. Windowpane is a much more casual pattern but is rather beautiful in both grey and blue hues. The pattern is quite loud so a rich blue dress shirt balances the outfit paired with a white pocket square and a slightly more casual knit grenadine navy tie to add some texture.
The absence of a belt is becoming a trend and the same can be said for the black shoes. Once again, black leather oxfords dress up the outfit which was a red carpet event during the Kong: Skull Island debut.
Once more, the fit is spot on and this is visible on the shoulders, the way the garment hugs his body and how the pants drape over his shoes. Perfect.
This is another suit that should not be first choice but also something that will take your wardrobe to the next level. Confidence, fit, smile, conquer.
Suggestions
There is no other way to say this, but I am in love with Suitsupply. People will tell me to buy Boss, but I reply no thanks. I would never buy a fused suit for 1000 $ when I can get a full-canvas quality suit for 2/3 of the cost. Not to mention they have a plethora of patterns and textures. This is part of the Lazio line sporting a half-canvas construction (4399 SEK/490 $/425 Euro).
Rich blue is perfect here and works slightly better than a light blue colour. One of my favourite shirt brands is ETON (1440 SEK/160 $/149 Euro) but they are more expensive than usual. Again the shirt is subjective to your budget.
A grenadine tie adds some texture and I was impressed by the quality and service of Granqvist (899 SEK/100 $/88 Euro). Navy is a great, flexible colour.
Allen Edmonds is one of the most iconic shoe brands and it would be a shame not to mention them. They also have regular sales that makes them a steal for half the price (2175 SEK/240 $/210 Euro). A black leather oxford should be in your closet.
Disclaimer: The Allen Edmonds price was during a sale valid at the time of writing. This might change at any time.
Total: 8913 SEK/990 $/860 Euro
4. Business Casual – Brown Is The New Black
Brown might not be your first choice for a suit but there is no arguing it is one of the best colours for fall and winter. Earth tones are perfect for this setting and it is exactly why I have commissioned a pair of custom flannel pants from Suitsupply. Brown also seems to have that vintage feeling that I long for in my wardrobe.
Here we see Tom Hiddleston in his GQ campaign wearing a cinnamon/gingerbread brown suit strolling casually through the city. Check out the perfect sleeve and shirt cuff length and how impeccable the shoulder fit is.
The pants appear to be a little shorter this time with a touch of Italian flair and tailored to a slimmer cut.
Once more, the shoes are a slightly different shade of brown (or oxblood) to not fade in the outfit but this time, Hiddleston wears a pair of wholecuts. A very elegant choice and certainly dresses up the slightly more casual suit. I really like how the shoes have a chiselled front making them look highly professional.
I feel like a white shirt would look too dull here and therefore I am glad to see blue again. Brown and blue work very well together.
Since everything is plain and has more emphasis on fit and a clean cut, it is great to see a little bit of pattern in the tie. Dots or stripes work wonders and are my own personal favourites.
Lastly, we should not forget about the briefcase. It is a more modern style of a laptop bag with the option of a shoulder strap and you can see it by the round edges instead of a classic sharp corner-cut.
Brown is very underrated and while not at the peak of the formality scale, it is something worth considering.
Suggestions
GQ uses worsted wool in this campaign, which means a sleek look and lack of texture. It feels smooth to the touch. However, with winter approaching, why not add some texture to the suit instead? Try flannel or even a blend of Alpaca. A very warm fabric with a soft touch, this suit is part of the Havana line from Suitsupply (4599 SEK/510 $/440 Euro).
If you want to make this look yours you can try a rich blue/medium blue shirt or even denim to dress it down. Both will make great choices and removing the tie means you are ready for the bar later. T.M. Lewin has very good cost-quality ratio and will not break the bank (460 SEK/51 $/44 Euro). I chose a herringbone pattern for added flair.
Oh, the polka dots. They just go with everything don’t they? I have a similar brown one but in this case, navy will break the monochromatic scheme well. You can find some great deals at Suitsupply (299 SEK/33 $/29 Euro).
With shoes the sky is the limit. I am eager to try Skoaktiebolaget’s own version of the wholecut in oak brown (3600 SEK/400 $/350 Euro).
The same can be said about the laptop bag. I am not so fond of laptop bags without a handle and prefer more classic options. Check out my Tuscany Leather Briefcase review here.
Total: 8960 SEK/1000 $/865 Euro
5. Smart Casual – Suit Separates
This is more of a testament to suit separates rather than hyping Hiddleston’ fashion sense. I am not a big fan of black, unless we are talking about shoes. It is not a versatile colour, it appears shiny during daylight and is best reserved for black-tie, funerals and goth gatherings. However, this is a red carpet event at the ACM awards and slightly dresses up his more casual outfit.
The jacket is a grey glen plaid check with the usual great tailored fit. It is a nice touch to break from the monotony of the black shades.
We have already talked much about how white goes with everything and why it is the most formal of colours. It is a requirement in black-tie and here is no exception.
Speaking of the tie…this is not one I like very much, but he is conscious that a different colour would clash with the black. In the end, it is a good call.
Chiselled black oxfords have a very elegant shape and the eye goes unconsciously to them.
All in all, this is a very casual approach to a more relaxed event and an attempt to keep it more formal with the use of black colours.
Suggestions
A Prince of Wales check is a classic suit and worth investing in. Using the jacket or the trousers as separates is a great advantage and here is no exception. This price of Suitsupply for their La Spalla luxurious S150 line is hard to justify, so I would instead get a custom blazer for half the price but here it is anyway (7999 SEK/895 $/770 Euro).
Instead of going full black, we can replicate the same look but with navy blue. During the night nobody will tell the difference and during the day you will not look out of place. Pure Wool navy trousers (1699 SEK/190 $/165 Euro) and navy tie (249 SEK/28 $/24 Euro) all by Suitsupply.
T.M. Lewin helps you keep the elevated cost slightly lower with a great white shirt (460 SEK/51 $/44 Euro).
The look would not be complete without a good pair of shoes. This time, be adventurous and try a navy pair of oxfords by the Carlos Santos Patina Service in the Norte colour (3825 SEK/427 $/369 Euro).
Total: 12530 SEK/1400 $/1210 Euro
A Quick Summary Of Tom Hiddleston’s Style
- Timeless classics: Both Double and Single Breasted
- Bold Patterns and Colours
- Suit Separates are as good as Suits
- Brown and Black Shoes dominate
- Usually a bold piece is toned down by his shirt/tie
- Confidence
Wrapping Things Up
This was a really long article. Quite honestly it does not even scratch the bottom! It would take thousands of words to decode Tom Hiddleston’s style. This is more of a guidebook to give you a better understanding of what makes him unique.
For starters, he is not afraid to dare. It might be his stylist that proposes the look, but he is the one deciding or making the final touches. How many people are ready to walk out with a burgundy Double-Breasted suit and look the part? Not many.
My suggestion is not to be afraid to dare. Look at the different colour schemes and how good they look. Brown, burgundy, and many shades of blue.
Moving on, you see that fit is the most important thing in the world of style. Buy an expensive Gucci suit that is baggy and not your size and you will look like a cheap clown that shops from Home Depot. I cannot stress this enough!
Tom also works with the basics. Navy and Grey are important for him and he knows it. Versatile, interchangeable and timeless, these colours can create the perfect combination. Do not be afraid to mix it up.
Lastly: patterns. Loud or subtle, add some patterns or texture to your outfits. Try some windowpane or glen plaid and everyone will remember you as the one that is always stylish without trying too hard.
Style Is Your Expression
The bottom line of this article and this analysis is that you should try to express yourself and break from the norm from time to time.
That concludes our article on “How To Dress Like Tom Hiddleston“. I hope you enjoyed reading as much as I did writing it. Is he a style icon for you or do you draw inspiration from someone else? Do you enjoy this kind of analysis and would like to see more? Let us know in the comments down below.
Thank you for reading,
Kostas Mandilaris,
Misiu Academy
