In the past the majority of our style icons have not often originated from the UK, many are from America and a few others from Canada and Australia. With the exception of those British stars we have already mentioned in our style icon lists, we’ve put together a list of our favourite style icons from across Scotland, Ireland, Wales and the UK. An article to prove that our homegrown talent is just as stylish as any other nation’s.
5) Benedict Cumberbatch
The star of hit BBC drama Sherlock, Star Trek Into Darkness, The Fifth Estate and the soon-to-be released Imitation Game, Cumberbatch has always been a class-act to watch on the big or small screen. His style commonly reflects his character, a sophisticated blend of charismatic wit and sharp intellect that is shown in his slim-fit tailoring and clean-cut style. Currently ranked by Empire Magazine as “The Sexiest Movie Star” in Hollywood he is a great style idol for the tall, slim gentleman who enjoys a darker touch to his outfits.
4) James McAvoy
The Scottish actor, Born in Port Glasgow, has played the lead role in a variety of films, from the dark and disgusting Bruce Robertson in “Filth” to the intelligent and charming Charles Xavier in two of the most recent X-Men films. He has already worked with some of the top heavyweights in acting including: Angelina Jolie, Hugh Jackman, Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellan and many more. His styling is a mixture of smart tailoring and rugged casual clothing, with some of his best looks combining the two. For any gentleman looking to smarten up their style, but keep a bit of a rougher edge, McAvoy is a strong figure to follow.
3) Robert Sheehan
This young Irish actor, hailing from County Laois (ok, not technically the UK but we still think he’s great), first jumped onto our screens as the sharp-tongued and incredibly witty Nathan Young in the cult hit “Misfits”. Two years later he got a starring role in “Killing Bono” and was soon widely known as one of the funniest young actors on TV. His style mirrors his humor, with sharp outfits spiced up with a hint of eccentricity through accessories or the clever use of patterns (after all he made an orange jumpsuit look good). Dapper, exciting and definitely suave he is an icon for young men who want to spice their tailoring up with something different.
2) Derren Brown
A magician, hypnotist, trickster, performance artist and all-round entertainer; Derren Brown is one of the few men in the world who sparks curiosity and intrigue, both on and off the stage, in his performances. He is also an icon in society, thanks to his unwavering support for gay rights and gay marriage, something that makes him more than an entertainer to us at The Male Stylist. His performances are filled with nods towards Victorian Theatre and stage shows, which is reflected in his outfits that combine sharp tailoring and vintage styles. For any gentleman looking to add a little vintage-flair to their wardrobe, we highly recommend following Derren.
1) Michael Sheen
Our top style icon hails from the Welsh valleys themselves, an actor who has portrayed David Frost, Kenneth Williams, Tony Blair and Dr William Masters to mention but a few of his iconic roles. A remarkable and talented man whose subtle and modest style says so much more than extravagance ever could. His clean-cut tailoring and simple use of knitwear is both classic and timeless, evoking a charming style that is relaxed but carries an element of gravitas with it. Suitable for men of all ages we encourage you to check out Sheen’s outfits and learn from them.
Well that covers our top 5 male style icons from the UK. As always if you’ve enjoyed the article feel free to like, comment and/or share this with your friends and followers. If you feel we’ve missed someone out make sure to comment below and we’ll see if they make it into our next article.
By Adam Walker