Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982)

Okay it's time for some highschool movie. They're always good for the hip styles at the time the movie was released. Ridgemont High is a typical American highschool that houses pretty girls, cool guys with varsity jackets, cheerleaders, nice cars they got from their parents, smooth Italian dudes and stoned skaterboys. This one is a classic with such still young actors as Sean Penn and Forest Withaker.

Interesting are some of the timeless styles these highschools bring along. Varsity Jackets with leather armsleeves, Ray-Ban Wayfarers and the twins with their button-up-top shirts could've been some contemporary hipsters. What really grabbed my attention here were the sneakers: Off the Wall Vans, Converse All Stars, New Balances and the Nike Cortez.

Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai (1999)

Jim Jarmusch is one of these contemporary directors that know how to portray coolness in a very sophisticated way. Like Wes Anderson, but in a significant different design, although their mixing of the serious and comic genres with a high sense of dry humor are very similar.

I already featured some samurai in the traditional fashion. But with Ghost Dog Jarmusch choose to portray a samurai in the present, utterly well played by Forest Withaker. A quiet figure, very decent and dedicated, plus he's got some fantastic items and uses of things. A secret compartment in his wooden floor with a secretly situated key, the self-made boombox out of wood and car hi-fi, his communicating by carrier pigeon and the glossy dark-blue suit. Lots of shoe styles are found either, from the all red Nike Low Air Force Ones as the Reebok Pumps to classic American footwear like L.L. Beans (not featured) and the Red Wings worn by Isaach de Bankolé. Not unexpectedly, because of his love for ancient Asian practices, the RZA made the soundtrack for the movie.

Gama No Abura (2009)

Up until now the best film I've visited in the cinemas this year. It's the first movie directed by Kôji Yakusho, known as an actor. Yakusho must like style, for the fact that most of the caps I've selected from this film subjects his character (young and old) or his belongings.

The character played by Yakusho, Takuro, is a stock investor and sits behind his desk checking stocking quotes all day. His office is probably the nicest one I've ever seen: eight fully equipped iMac's (with the black backsides) and a corner with targets to hit with all the imaginable toy guns available. Then he continuously wears his khaki colored chino's, the fine leather jacket and completed with, not sure though, Red Wing 8181's and his Australian Akubra hat. And even when not at home, he makes sure to bring along his three MacBook Pro's in his trailer. And have a look at the Takuro character as a kiddo, he knows how to look cool and get at places he shouldn't be. Just superb. This film is highly recommended - and not only for style.

Dalkomhan Insaeng (2005)

The best Korean gangster epos there is. Not a lot of styles on menswear in this weeks choice; A Bittersweet Life is all about cinematographic style.

The cinematography in Dalkomhan Insaeng is pure art, beautiful shots are put together by very smooth camera motion. Ji-Woo Kim has got an eye for composition, the decors - especially the interiors - and lots of very cool items. Have a look at the fully automatic penholder aside the lighter at the desk and the antique hourglass on the table. But what really makes the film is Byung-Hun Lee, by far the best Korean actor out there, in his black and white suit showing off incredible Taekwondo skills. Since it's a gangster film there's a lot of mean looks to be found on the character's faces. And I shouldn't forget to mention the great cello soundtrack.