Following a brief sabbatical, the fourth Bond movie, Thunderball, saw the return of both Terence Young and his inspired wardrobe item—the Cocktail Cuff Shirt.
Terence Young and Sean Connery behind the camera. Thunderball (1965)
Photo: Album
To celebrate the 60th anniversary of Thunderball, we are exploring different elements of the film. This week, we are focusing on the Cocktail Cuff Shirt - a wardrobe addition clearly influenced by the film's director, Terence Young (pictured above).
Kim Novak and Terence Young. The Amorous Adventures of Moll Flanders (1965)
Photo: Cinematic
Terence Young had directed the first two Bond films, before being replaced by Guy Hamilton for Goldfinger in 1964. Young returned for Thunderball the following year, as did the Cocktail Cuff shirts (following some wardrobe malfunctions with cufflinks in the previous movie).
Sean Connery being prepared by Anthony Sinclair
Young had famously introduced Sean Connery to his tailor, Anthony Sinclair, to prepare him for the first film, Dr. No, in 1962, and Sinclair continued to make Connery's clothes for all of his appearances as James Bond.
Michael Fish fitting Connery for his Cocktail Cuff shirts
At the same time, Young also introduced Connery to his shirtmaker, Michael Fish (pictured above) who worked as a designer at Turnbull & Asser, before establishing his own business, "Mr Fish" in 1966.
Terence Young directing Molly Peters. Thunderball (1965)Photo: Blue Robin Collectibles
The return of the Cocktail Cuff shirt in Thunderball was quite a remarkable turnaround from the double-cuff domination of Goldfinger. The wardrobe department even went as far as pairing the style with Bond's definitive outfit - his dinner suit.
Playing a good hand in Thunderball (1965)
The Cocktail Cuff Shirt is arguably the most versatile choice of chemise. It's a classic garment that can take you anywhere, anytime... to do anything!