Mailbag: Hooking Matt Hooper's Style

It's been a very long time since anyone wrote me asking for style advice (clearly, you've wised up). So imagine my shock and delight when Australian reader James sent me a message asking how to go about finding clothes similar to what Richard Dreyfuss's character wore in Jaws. Let's have Roy Schneider demonstrate my reaction to James' email.

James came across my story on Richard Dreyfuss's character's style in Jaws and explained his predicament: "I've been attempting to find some Drefussian style garb for my summer on the coastal beach of Wollongong. I've tried searching charity shops, but to no avail. My friend is a semi-Roy Schneider lookalike and I'm (at least in the gut department as well as height and baldness too) semi-Dreyfuss like. Our plan is to don the costumes and take tribute shots down at the local pier."

This is possibly the most amazing email I've ever received from a reader, nay, in my entire life. My five plus years as a fashion blogger have been leading up to this very moment. After all, I've been known to don a costume and pose in front of strategicly scouted locations too. But back to James and his awesome idea. In Jaws, Dreyfuss plays young Matt Hooper, whose wardrobe of coastal graduate student preppiness evokes a certain, as James put it, "nebbish charm." It's well-edited beach town scrappiness. James was looking for things that could be found online.  To get in the spirit, I made - what else? - a collage.

Let's start at the top and work our way down. We should also keep in mind that Matt Hooper dresses differently when he's far inland vs. when he is on a boat or near water. So, seeing as James' planned photoshoot is on a pier, we're going for the latter kind of look.

Matt Hooper wears a little knit navy blue beanie when he's on the docks. I'd definitely go with that. Those can be found at military supply stores as well as online. Next, the glasses! It should be noted that both Roy Schneider and Richard Dreyfuss wear glasses in the film, but the main difference is that Scheider's are metal frame double bridge and Dreyfuss's seem to be without frames at all. But if they do exist, they're whisper-thin. Go for the John Lennon style glasses if all else fails. I've been known to find frames in charity shops/thrift stores and simply knock the prescription lenses out with a hammer. Try eBay too, you might find something for a song.

So, you've got your beanie, your glasses, and your scruffy beard (hopefully). Next comes a weathered gray top. A simple sweatshirt will do, or, if you're feeling fancy, a fishermans cable knit sweater. From there, find yourself some well-worn blue jeans. If getting the genuine article on the cheap isn't possible, Levis or Lee would be the most appropriate. Last is footwear. Matt Hooper wears simple, somewhat distressed blue sneakers with white laces, and classic boat shoes are a very safe bet. If that falls through, simple blue Vans would work as well.

So, to recap: beanie, beard, glasses, light gray sweatshirt, old jeans, and dark blue boat shoes. That's your super basic Matt Hooper. Good luck with everything, James!