Whichever James Bond is your favourite – they all have one thing in common; they’re cool. True, some versions of the British master spy are cooler than others, but they’re all pretty urbane, stylish and debonair – and of course, James always gets the girl.
#SPECTRE Costume Designer Jany Temime on Bond’s tuxedo. “I took my inspiration from Humphrey Bogart in Casablanca” pic.twitter.com/U3vAq1Kaqi
— James Bond (@007) November 27, 2015
Now whilst this is admittedly all the stuff of fiction – the whole James Bond “thing” is worth trying to emulate for those of us who want to trade up a little in the world in becoming debonair – so here’s how to do it.
Casino behavior
You’ve got to know what you’re doing before you head out for a night at the casino. Photo courtesy of Stuart-Buchanan
First off, you need to know how to behave in a casino. In virtually every James Bond movie, the super sleuth is coolly out-gambling the villain or the house – or he’s losing heavily, seemingly without a care. Now whilst losing isn’t recommended, knowing the ropes very definitely is. So first off, try out a few different games in a safe environment – the comfort of your own PC. Online casinos are plentiful and some of the best include Skyvegas, 32 Red, Caesar’s and Mr Green casino. With most of these sites you’ll get free intro bonuses and can quickly learn the ropes. In particular, the 32Red roulette games and other casino games really go the extra mile in creating a real casino atmosphere with superb graphics and sound effects etc. You’ll also get exposure to a wide range of different roulette games, so you can become familiar with how the odds change when you’re playing American or French roulette. With a return of up to 38-1 depending on the game you play, roulette can be a very rewarding casino game.
New players at 32Red casino also get $32 free for every $20 they put in as an initial stake, which goes a long way when you’re placing small stake bets as you learn how to play.
Pretty soon, you’ll understand how to behave in a real casino with charm and panache – even if you’re only gambling for pennies!
Dress code and hairstyle
Next, think dress code and hairstyle. James Bond is always immaculately dressed for all situations – sharply suited and booted. Now there are countless apparel providers out there and we won’t presume to tell you which to go to. But bear in mind two specific things here:
First off, you are probably not the best judge of what looks good on you – so take a trusted (preferably female…) friend along before you buy. The same goes for your hairstyle.
Secondly, don’t try to save money. You generally get what you pay for when you buy suits even if it’s not readily apparent to you. So think “fewer, better” or quality over quantity, if you will, with your entire wardrobe – then treat it all with great care.
Feeling good
Taking care of yourself increases your confidence. Photo courtesy of stoermchen
Next up, think about looking and feeling good within yourself. You really can’t fake this part of things; if you work out in whatever your chosen way is to a reasonable (not excessive…) level and you eat the right foods, avoid tobacco and alcohol, you will feel your best. And when you feel your best, this shines out from you in ways that are difficult to describe, but which you just know are there. This, in turn breeds a quiet confidence (but be equally careful never to come across as arrogant) which gives you further confidence still; confidence creates confidence.
Immaculate grooming
Perhaps more than any other single factor; groom yourself immaculately paying careful attention to the detail.
By now, you’re already feeling good, you looking good in what you wear and how your hair is styled, you’re fit and you know what it takes to behave and play in a casino – or how to be quietly confident in the bar / elsewhere. So to finish it all off, you really need to know how to make the best of your own look. This may be something you can do all alone – but do take the advice of others, particularly females who have no jealousy axe to grind of course!
Act as if…
And finally “acting as if” can work wonders for your James Bond psychology. The “As if” principle is a well-known psychological technique whereby you act as if you’re feeling and behaving in a certain way, and this kind of fools the subconscious into believing it’s true. It’s a little like method acting – and it will certainly help you give off a James Bond-like aura if you have all the other building blocks in place.
You don’t need heaps of cash, nor fancy Aston Martins; you just need to look and feel the part and you will “be” it.
Feature image courtesy of everstring.com.
