Robert Redford, who died today at 89, will be remembered as a talented actor, an Oscar-winning director, a steadfast advocate of independent filmmaking, a dedicated environmentalist, and by all accounts a man of great integrity. For a guy who took the substance of his work so seriously, however, he also keenly understood style.
That’s why, despite all of his other accomplishments—most of which are, in the grander scheme of things, probably more important—the legacy he’ll perhaps be most remembered for is how well he wore his clothes onscreen. Whether decked out in western gear or strolling the deck of a yacht in a white double-breasted suit, one of the many things that make so many of Redford’s films such a treat is how rich they are in wardrobe inspiration. Here are a few of the most important of them.
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969)
Redford’s ill-fated bank-robbing buddies act with Paul Newman is easily among the best westerns of all time. Most of this is down to Redford’s career-making onscreen chemistry with Newman, but his stellar wardrobe of barn jackets, dungarees, and tailoring deserves its share of credit, too.
Downhill Racer (1969)
Redford wore the absolute heck out of his wardrobe of technical ski gear in this movie about an emotionally stunted Olympic hopeful. Redford’s mix of suede cowboy boots, Cébé shades, and turtlenecks—not to mention the yellow 1968 Porsche 911 he rips around in—set a high bar for slope style for many years to come.
The Way We Were (1973)
This movie is ostensibly about a couple weathering the ups and downs of a turbulent relationship over several decades, but you can also just watch it for the sweaters. Varsity, Fair Isle, fisherman, tennis, vest—all the greats are accounted for and, needless to say, Robert Redford looks good in all of them.
