Goodwood Revival Mens Outfit Ideas

Goodwood Revival is an annual three day event held in mid September. Nothing can prepare you for quite how ‘Good’ this weekend is, bringing back all the sights, sounds and styles of the pre-1966 era for all to enjoy. The Revival is the only historic race meeting to be staged entirely in period dress and is a return to the halcyon days of Goodwood as the spiritual home of British motor racing. To keep the vintage feel of the festival, they don’t allow any modern vehicles within the circuit perimeter. Every year people who go to the Goodwood Revival weekend go to great lengths to make sure their outfit looks as accurate as possible which makes the weekend one of the highlights in the vintage scene calendar. What makes Goodwood so unique is that nearly everyone in attendance gets dressed up in some way. The list of what you could wear is endless but if you’re wondering what to wear to Goodwood this year, we’ve put together a few different ideas for each era.

1940s

For a 1940s men's fashion look, you can’t go wrong with a classic suit. It should typically be made from thick, worsted wool or tweed. Go for a muted colour such as dark brown, grey or navy, or opt for a wide chalk stripe. Double-breasted jackets also rose to prominence during the 1940s, wear one of these plus a pair of pleated notchback trousers with turnup hems and you’ll be onto a winner. Spearpoint collar shirts are also an important part of 40s fashion. In terms of accessories, you can complete the look with some leather loop braces and expanding sleeve holders. Go for a wide swing tie, slip on a pair of brogues and pop a wool Fedora hat on your head for a super smart forties look. For something more casual you could wear a collarless shirt with a Fair Isle knitted tank-top and fishtail trousers.

Another popular choice for the 1940s is military fashion. This can be a fantastic chance to show your patriotism and pay your respects to those who fought in the war. If you don’t want to wear full ceremonial regalia you could try something a bit more subtle. Khaki trousers and shined black boots paired with a muted shirt and cravat will give you that military style without looking too overt. You could even add a leather flight jacket if the weather turns.

1950s

The conservative business suit ruled once again during the 1950s, so why not try wearing a grey flannel suit with pleated trousers. To take your suit from business to casual, wear a sports jacket instead. Other popular leisure styles include bomber jackets, Hawaiian shirts, Argyle cardigans and blue denim jeans. The 1950s is the era that gave us Rock ‘n’ Roll and stylish cars. Many subcultures spawned during this time and this greatly impacted upon 1950s men's clothing. For a Rockabilly look go for a leather biker or denim jacket, a bowling shirt, jet black jeans and two-tone brogues.

If you want to emulate that James Dean Greaser style you could opt for a black leather jacket, dark blue denim jeans and a white t-shirt. Don’t forget to use plenty of hair pomade! It’s the perfect look for posing next to some vintage motorcycles at Goodwood. A very fashion forward option is the Teddy Boy look. For this style, you could wear a suit with a drape jacket and a velvet trim collar. Pull on some high-waist drainpipe trousers that expose your socks and add some creepers. To finish off the outfit go for a high-necked loose-collared white shirt, a bolo tie and a brocade waistcoat.

1960s

With the cut off point style wise being 1966 you should just be able to squeeze into some of those swinging 60s fashions. The decade stands out as one of the most defining eras in men's fashion. During the early 60s, men were still dressing quite conservatively especially when heading to the office. Don Draper from Mad Men is the perfect example of 60s business attire. To get Don’s look pair a single-breasted two buttoned suit in a muted colour with a skinny tie and a white dress shirt with French cuffs so you can wear cufflinks. Add a simple pocket square folded in your breast pocket and highly polished black Oxford shoes. Complete the outfit with a Fedora hat and a high-collared beige trench coat and you’ll be in charge of an advertising agency in no time.

If you want to wear authentic 1960s vintage clothing to the event you might be better off going for a suited and booted mod look. As 60s Mod culture was very UK-centric it should be easier to source true vintage pieces. To get the Mod look think slim fits, narrow cuts and clean lines just like those frequently worn by The Beatles in their 60s heyday. Throw on a polo neck jumper, preferably in black, and you're already off to a good start. Team the jumper with some skinny fit suit trousers and a blazer then finish off the look with a neutral coloured mac and some smart formal shoes such as winkle pickers or Chelsea boots. The key is to keep the silhouette slim and flattering, as most 1960s clothing was very form-fitting. Of course we can’t mention Mods without mentioning Rockers. For the classic look you just need some straight leg jeans, a plain black or white t-shirt, a short black leather jacket and a pair of sturdy leather boots.

There are so many other great 60s looks you could try. For a Beatnik look, think Andy Warhol. What’s great about the Beatnik style of clothing is that it is undoubtedly the easiest and most effortless to achieve, especially today. All you need are some black trousers, a Breton stripe t-shirt or roll neck jumper, black sunglasses, boots and a beret if you’re feeling adventurous! Bohemian is another style you could try. Made famous by music icons like Jimi Hendrix and Jim Morrison, the Bohemian look was eclectic and expressive. The bold style prominently featured items such as bell-bottom trousers, suede jackets and patterned shirts. A shirt featuring a floral, paisley or animal print will work well. Wear it open over a t-shirt or underneath a suede jacket. You could pair it with bell-bottoms, wide legged trousers, slim fit jeans or even leather trousers for the ultimate Jim Morrison interpretation. Finish off the look with a pair of Chelsea boots.

The Goodwood Revival weekend is always a good excuse to dress up and show off your love of vintage fashion. The event is one of our highlights of the year and we can’t wait to see you there. Hopefully you’ll be wearing some clothes from Revival!