Dressing Like Marvin Gaye - Fashion by Marvin Gaye

Fashion Icons From the Past: Dressing Like Marvin Gaye

Just last week we added a new piece to our "Icons From the Past" series when we wrote about Steve McQueen's style. After looking through pictures and movie clips we were inspired to continue this series. This time around we focus our attention to Marvin Gaye.

Marvin Gaye rose up from an extremely abusive home-life to become one of the most popular soul/r&b figures of all time. A household name to this day, just about everyone knows who Marvin Gaye is, and many are likely to have a great deal of his albums in their record collection. While Gaye was certainly known for his voice, his penchant for style certainly didn’t help him rise to the prominent position that he held before his tragic death. It’s no surprise that Gaye’s sense of style has influenced generations of individuals, which is why it is still worth analyzing the way he dressed in order to incorporate his style cues into modern-day fashion. With the following tips on your side, you can dress like Marvin Gaye without issue, and surely turn a few heads in the process.

The Smart, Suited Marvin Gaye
When Marvin Gaye first began to take the music industry by storm, he understandably wanted to put his best foot forward by looking his very best at all times. As a result, Gaye often took the stage in a smart, sophisticated and well-tailored suit. In fact, Gaye was quite partial to tweed suits, which helped lend him an air of class that had a large part in his ability to shoot to the top of the charts. Many people often refer to the look exemplified by Gaye’s early years as “Vintage American.” This look is beginning to find its way back into the limelight as American men begin to take cues from ‘60s fashion and incorporate them into their own sense of style. Our tip to emulate Gaye's style: add one or two tweed suits to your collection. A perfect place to shop: thrift stores and antique flea markets!

The Shearling Leather Jacket
Once Gaye started to become an established figure in the music industry, his penchant for dressing in a more funky manner began to open up. While Gaye never fully ditched the suit, he very quickly began to embrace the shearling-lined leather jacket. This look was the ultimate personification of Gaye’s music in the ‘70s, and caused him to stand out amongst a sea of imitators. Casual, cool and yet still sophisticated in many ways, the shearling leather jacket still holds plenty of weight in today’s world of men’s fashion. Try pairing this jacket with a pair of your finest designer jeans, sticking with a dark wash whenever possible.

Denim on Denim: Not Always a “Faux Pas”
Most fashion-forward men will agree that the denim on denim combination (also referred to as the “Canadian Tuxedo”) is far from flattering on most men; it can be downright embarrassing in certain scenarios. This is not to say that denim on denim is always a fashion faux pas, however, as if anyone could pull it off, it was Marvin Gaye. Gaye’s penchant for wearing denim jeans with denim shirts may not seem like a great idea to many, but he certainly made it work like no one else. Throw on a pair of Aviators and whatever other accessories you see fit, and you’ve got an eye-catching outfit that’s fit both for the stage or lounging around town.

Other Icons From the Past:
Dressing Like Jim Morrison
A Look at Cary Grant's Fashion

Your Bows-n-Ties.com Team