Until writing this post, I’d never really thought that Tom Selleck could have existed without his moustache. Surely he’s always had it, from birth, hasn’t he? According to the commercial below, the answer is no, he once had a life where he was ‘tache less. And apparently he smelled like a man should smell, thanks to Safeguard soap!
I have always been a big fan of Magnum PI and I find the older I get, the more I find myself coming back to the series again and again. I think at some point in my youth, I determined that when I grew up, I would like to be Magnum. Sadly, the ship has sailed on most of the steps I would need to take to live a Magnum lifestyle. So what is a Magnum wannabe to do? They learn how to Dress like Magnum PI!
Sure, why not! You do not need the detective skills, combat training or exciting lifestyle when you have the gear to make you resemble the coolest private detective this side of Kauai. So here are my suggestions for dressing like Magnum.
The Shirt
What you need is a bold red Hawaiian shirt that worn in such a way that says local and mainland with just one look. You can get really close to the look of the original shirt with the Red Paradise Found Jungle Bird Red Aloha Shirt.
In early episodes of the show Magnum wore Vuarnet Skilynx Aciers, but those are very vintage and difficult to find nowadays. You could try for the later seasons’ Ray Ban Shooters, but for my money, if you are trying to pull off the Magnum look, I like the Glacier Mountaineering Sunglasses he wore when he was out Surf Skiing. Those are pretty difficult to find nowadays, but the Julbo Vermont Classic Sunglasses look like they would be a good substitute.
The Shorts
If you got the gams too pull them off, invest in a pair of UDT SEAL Swim Shorts in Khaki. They don’t leave much to the imagination, but what do you care….your Magnum!
The Watch
Magnum wore some pricey watches. I think the earlier season, Chronosport Sea Quartz 30, is the better looking watch, but good luck finding one.
The Shoes
When Magnum wasn’t wearing his “boat shoes”, he was ready for action in his Puma Men’s Easy Riders. They might look a little different today, but the Easy Rider has not changed much since the 1970s/1980s. If those classics aren’t available, check out this list of retro Pumas. Most of the classic Pumas will work for the Magnum look.
The “boat shoes” were Sperry Topsiders. I think the off-white ones he wore were called Seamates and in a few episodes he wore a Standard Brown Sperry Topsider.
The Weapon
Remember folks..shoot responsibly. But if you have to shoot, shoot like Magnum with the very cool Colt 1911 Government Model.
Really none of these matter without the mustache. So make sure you have a quality Mustache Trimmer and if you are face follicley challenged remember there are alternatives.
Yes, there are a dozen other pieces you could add to your wardrobe or arsenal to make yourself more Magnum-ish, but this is a good start and will certainly get you looking like Magnum in your day to day life. Of course it helps if you live in an oceanfront house or drive a Ferrari, but with this gear you will be half way there for when Robin Masters finally calls you up.
metagirl, who has an unnatural fascination with Magnum P.I. has been emailing me this link for months now and I just kept forgetting to put it up. This cake was posted waaay back in 2008 and while the cake is long gone. Its memory will live on forever in the hearts and minds of those who desire their own sugary Tom Selleck.
This montage of AT&T ads came from a 1993 Newsweek CD-ROM, when Newsweek thought that one day, magazines would be sent to you in CD-ROM form, sponsored with ads. It’s an interesting view of the future, narrated by Tom Selleck.