Style Scenario: Contemporary Phil Connors in Groundhog Day
About the Author: Brandon D. is a trial attorney for the government living in Houston, Texas. He’s a new dad for the second time (congrats Brandon!), which has made working from home that much more interesting for him, his wife, and their dog Charlie.
Groundhog Day is the greatest movie ever made. This is not an opinion. It’s a fact. It makes you laugh. It makes you cry. It makes you think. And not just about whether you should drive on the railroad tracks (spoiler: don’t!). But deep, meaning of life (or lives) kind of thoughts. And with a 141-minute runtime (approximately half of a Marvel movie), it gives you most of the rest of the day to think about the masterpiece you just saw.
Then there’s the cast. Bill Murray at the peak of his curmudgeonly powers. Andie MacDowell as his optimistic counterweight. Chris Elliot as the affable loser. Michael Shannon making his cinematic debut as a newlywed who’s very excited to get WrestleMania tickets. And if that’s not enough, the soundtrack features an earworm of a polka song written by (checks notes) “Weird” Al’s dad. Like I said, perfection.
Finally, there’s the genre. Groundhog Day has been redone as an action movie (twice), a horror movie, another comedy, and whatever term you’d use to define Russian Doll, just to name a few. It’s only fitting that a movie about endless repetition and eventual growth has been repeated and grown into just about every type of movie you can think of.
But the men’s style of Groundhog Day? It’s a tad dated. That’s where we come in. So whether you’re a celebrity, in an emergency, or a celebrity in an emergency, this style scenario uses updated fits and brands, while still staying true to Phil’s Pittsburgh weatherman style in the movie. (Top Photo Credit)
The Overcoat: Charles Tyrwhitt Merino Wool Overcoat in Light Grey – $449 w/ TAKE50 ($499). It gets awfully cold in Punxatawney, Pennsylvania in early February. Even if you think that you make the weather. So you’re going to need an overcoat. This one from Charles Tyrwhitt should do the trick. Though if Phil really were going to brave that storm, maybe he should have had that battery powered heated jacket from Huckberry.
The Suit: Suitsupply Dark Grey Double Breasted Italian Wool Suit – $599. It takes a certain type of man to wear a double-breasted suit. He might be a pianist. He might have a keen interest in French poetry. Or he might be a god (but not the God, to be clear). Phil manages to be all of these things (he did, however, have quite a long time to develop these talents). And if Phil would have managed to get stuck in a time loop on this Groundhog Day, he’d be wearing this option from SuitSupply.
The Shirt: TheTieBar Point Collar Pinpoint in Light Blue – $55. Reasonably priced with a classic point collar. No full spread collars for Phil. Sold in more precise neck and sleeve sizing, instead of ballpark S/M/L. And Phil has got to get his fit on point if he’s gonna knock out Ned Ryerson, or to catch that little brat who has NEVER THANKED HIM.
The Tie: Tie Bar Art Deco Gems Black Tie – $25. What is it that makes Nancy Taylor fall for Phil? Is it the elaborate plot to pretend he knew her based on knowledge gained from previous identical days? Maybe. Okay that’s 10% it. But I like to think his patterned tie had something to do with it.
The Scarf: Tie Bar Bridgeport Plaid Navy Scarf – $12.50 ($25). A bit more subtle than the serape that Phil (or Bronco) wears, and much more versatile. Since just about all of Phil’s outfit is solid colors, this punch of plaid sets him apart as the best weatherman announcing a long and lustrous winter.
The Watch: Orient Bambino Small Seconds – $175. What is time in a time loop? A flat circle? Even so, Phil needs to tell the time during his one day. And something that’s a bit more precise than “ten, nine, eight, car, six, five, quarters, three, two …” The Bambino can fill in that gap.
The Gloves: Banana Republic Knit Cuff Leather Gloves – $98.50. Even if you’re set to cover an event of 1,000 people freezing their butts off waiting to worship a rat, you need to keep your hands warm. These gloves are leather and have a knit cuff for extra warmth. That should do.
The Alarm Clock: TourKing Flip Clock Classic Retro Vintage Clock in White – $17.99. You’re going to see the clock strike 6AM a lot. Like “a lot” a lot. This one has some retro vibe and is on the cheaper side. So when you inevitably break this clock, at least you won’t be mad it was expensive.
The Pencil: Office Depot Presharpened #2 Pencils (12 pack) – $1.99. Does Phil need a lot of pencils to properly conduct the pencil test? No, just one, right? Well either way, the standard #2 has always be #1. And when he finally does get out of the loop, he’ll have a full twelve pack of pencils!
The Shoes: Allen Edmonds Strandmok Weatherproof Cap-Toe Oxford with Dainite Rubber Sole – $249.47 ($395). Weatherproof because that first step’s a doozy. Classic cap-toe brogues with a grain leather upper because he’s a rust-belt meteorologist, not a model at Milan fashion week. At least not yet. Depends on how long he’s stuck in the time loop.