I don’t know what’s spurred on the trend of velvet suit jackets on the red carpet as of late, but I am personally digging it. It looks the right side of classy, and the absolute best kind of stylish.
Naturally, there’s always going to be someone who latches onto a trend and does it better than anyone else.
My favourite Eastern European turned American, Sebastian Stan, is certainly no stranger to fashion. Currently featured in Hugo Boss’s Summer of Ease campaign, Sebastian can make just about anything look good. I mean, he once wore a turtleneck with a leather jacket and while it was groan inducing, it also didn’t look awful.
But if there’s one thing that he can make look especially good, it’s velvet.
“I like a lot of black and velvet, also leather,” is how the internet’s boyfriend described his personal style in the April 2018 issue of August Man.
One needn’t look far to see the truth of this statement, with Sebastian lighting up the red carpet and other events with a million watt smile and whatever velvet suit jacket his stylists have opted to drape him in for that particular evening. George Costanza would be envious. Hell, I’m envious. I’m over here wearing cotton like a sucker.
In the interest of having an eye on fashion (yes, totally just fashion), I’m having a look at some of Sebastian’s best velvet related looks. As the press tour for Avengers: Infinity War ramps up, I’m expecting to see a lot more velvet before the end of April, when all of our hearts will inevitably be ripped out of our chests and stomped on by Marvel Studios. Thanks, Feige!
Academy Awards (2018)
This feels like a controversial choice. Though all told the entire outfit works, the pattern on the jacket had some raising their eyebrows. Is that leopard print? You’re damn right it is.
Although, if we really think about it, velvet and a not-so-subtle leopard print go together very well. Or at least according to me—who really has no knowledge of fashion and how it works other than sometimes I like things that are actually kind of terrible. But this seems to be a texture that we might see often, just maybe not necessarily executed like this. But Sebastian pulls it off, mainly because he can pull off damn near anything.
Tuxedos can easily just be tuxedos. Unless you grew up on Sailor Moon (which I most certainly did), in which case it’s entirely possible that they stir something in you that still confuses you. But the blue velvet tuxedo jacket turns that notion on its head. Not that Sebastian is the first to do it, of course not, but it definitely grabbed our attention, whether we were questioning his fashion choices or not.
Night Before the Oscars Party and Fundraiser (2018)
Sebastian honest to goodness looks like a friendly vampire in this ensemble. Not that all vampires are unfriendly, I’m sure some are very lovely and prefer gnawing on animals as opposed to people. But I digress.
The velvet jacket here looks classic and not at all ostentatious. Given Sebastian’s penchant for black, it’s no wonder that his stylist sticks him in it from head to toe once in a while. And he really does pull this off very well. The patterned shirt beneath the jacket gives it a bit of a pop, helping the outfit from looking too monochrome.
The only bummer here? You kind of have to squint to see that the jacket is in fact velvet. Which is a shame, because it should definitely be appreciated for all its majesty without needing to put your computer screen or phone right up to your eyeballs.
To pay us back for this discretion we should all be allowed to touch the jacket.
TIFF (2017)
I will admit it right here and now—I am an absolute sucker for a guy in a blue suit. Take a suit, make it blue, and you’ve got me. I’m an easy gal to please.
Every man should own a blue suit, especially those who rock baby blues. The crushed velvet look of the jacket really brings out Sebastian’s eyes, and photographs very well. Something that is definitely lost when the jacket is black or a darker colour—it’s difficult to make out the finer details, or the material.
The only thing going against this outfit? The matching blue pants. I don’t think that it’s necessarily terrible, but I think that it would’ve looked much better with black (or even darker blue) pants to contrast how much the jacket pops.
Also, bow ties are dope.
Good Morning America (2018)
Not nearly as formal as some of his other looks, Sebastian sported this ensemble during a recent episode of Good Morning America, where he and fellow Avengers: Infinity War cast members Paul Bettany and Karen Gillian promoted Marvel’s Hero Acts campaign.
Whether or not it was meant to be reminiscent of Bucky Barnes’ Howling Commandos getup from Captain America: The First Avenger is based on who you speak with about it (I think that it was). Because I’m assuming you all talk to your friends and loved ones about things Sebastian Stan wears. What do you mean you don’t? What do you talk about then?
A blue velvet denim jacket is something that we could all probably easily get away with, and should all aspire to find a place for in our wardrobe.
Golden Globes (2018)
This. This is such a good look. And though I like to see Sebastian shake it up on the red carpet, and have said as much here, this look is extremely classic and extremely good.
The fact that he digs black probably made donning this getup for the Golden Globes this year an easy decision—where a number of attendees wore all black in solidarity and support of the #MeToo movement and the Time’s Up campaign (you can spot him wearing a pin on the lapel of his jacket). All the same, it’s a gesture that is appreciated. Yes, it feels like the bare minimum, but it something. And that’s not nothing.
And I know I kind of talked smack about darker colours in velvet, but it does work for more formal red carpet events. Bow ties also continue to be an extremely good choice.
As Sebastian says in his Instagram post here, “Everything should always be velvet.” I couldn’t agree more!
With the Avengers: Infinity War press tour coming to a close as the film’s release date looms over us like the impending deaths of some of our faves, hopefully we will see one or two more velvet suit jackets in the days to come! Failing that, I don’t think that Sebastian will let us gaze upon him velvet-less for too long.
Please, by all means, if you disagree with this list, comment with a photograph of any outfit I’ve missed in the comments. I’m honestly looking forward to it! You can never have too much Sebastian draped in velvet.
Check out all of our Sebastian Stan coverage here
Written by Megan
Current Obsessions: Megan is a freelance writer from Canada, who was born on one coast and now lives on the other. Her day job is at a local research university, but she’s eagerly awaiting the day when she can focus on her writing full time. Though she’s a 90’s girl, she has an inexplicable fondness for the 80’s. She’s been watching hockey since she was in diapers, and will immediately shut down any mansplaining of the sport. She misses the snow in winter, right up until there’s some on the ground for longer than a week, then she longs for summer. Megan is a self-identified habitual ruckus causer and feminist tornado, though asking those close to her would confirm these descriptions.
Her work has been published on sites such as Obvi we’re the Ladies, Culturess, Puck Prose, Guys Girl. You can find her portfolio here. Follow her on Twitter: @megancox
