Tom Hanks names the band he considers to be the “epitome of glamour”
When you think about glamorous artists, you might picture the alien alter-egos of David Bowie or the perfectly coordinated outfits of ABBA. Perhaps the face of a young, long-haired Brian Eno springs to mind, or the glittering outfits and ever-changing sunglasses of Elton John. What you’re probably not thinking of is four lads from Liverpool donning black suits and bowl cuts, unlike Tom Hanks.
The Beatles rank at the top of the list for an unparalleled number of musical feats. They forged the industry as we know it today, experimenting with new recording techniques and penning some of the most well-known and well-loved compositions ever. Over half a century since they broke up, their relevance in pop culture has been unwavering, and they have become, undoubtedly, the biggest band of all time.
But the Fab Four didn’t necessarily live up to their name when it came to fashion. Unlike the glam-rockers that would succeed them, their penchant for sonic experimentation rarely extended to their style, and they preferred to stick to suits and ties over glitter and heels. They were undoubtedly stylish, with well-tailored silhouettes and classic looks, but they were rarely daring – perhaps with the exception of the iconic Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.
While most wouldn’t consider The Beatles to be amongst the most glamorous artists in music, Tom Hanks believed them to be the “epitome of glamour,” as he explained to Interview. “If I had my way, as far as fashion and style and everything like that,” he declared, “I’d look like the Beatles did on The Ed Sullivan Show in 1964.”
During their appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show, the Beatles wore identical outfits. A white shirt, a black tie, a three-piece suit and a pair of shiny black shoes. Each of them also rocked a shaggy brown bowl cut, in what would become one of their most iconic looks. While some might have watched the performance and seen four young men in suits, Hanks saw the height of glamour.
It wasn’t that the band were wearing anything particularly out there, but they looked tailored and put-together, which is perhaps what earned them Hanks’ admiration. If he had it his way, Hanks would don a skinny-lapeled suit and pointy shoes at will, as he deemed their look the “absolute be-all and end-all” of his understanding of glamour. “Maybe it’s just because I was living in a string of rented houses and apartments when I was growing up,” he shrugged.
The Beatles would gradually transition out of the suit-and-tie uniform as the years went by, and their sound shifted. They came to adopt more laid-back outfits – turtlenecks and corduroy – and eventually incorporated psychedelic influences. John Lennon’s circular glasses would become particularly iconic. Still, their suited and booted early years would remain one of the most enduring images of the band, and is still how many of us picture them today.
In his own career, Hanks has been able to recreate the glamour he saw in The Beatles’ early fashion on red carpets. Often donning a well-fitted black suit with a matching tie, or a matching bowtie, he seems to have found his own classic style in the image of his fashion heroes. It’s a more muted form of glamour than most of us would associate with the word, but it’s glamour nonetheless.
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