You've almost certainly scrolled through one of those 'sexiest actors' galleries. The genre has barely changed in twenty years: a parade of portraits, a few torsos, a more or less arbitrary ranking. What has changed, though, is the way we look. The oiled torso has lost its monopoly. What catches the eye now is a cut, a drape, a way of taking up space.

So rather than yet another podium, we're offering something else: six actors everyone can agree on, and above all how each of them builds his style. Because that's where the subject becomes useful. What they wear, you can make your own — and it doesn't have to cost a fortune.

The shape of sexy has changed

In the 2000s, male fantasy was written in pecs and open shirts. American shows of the era mined that seam heavily, and a whole generation kept the same image: golden light, gaze to camera, three buttons undone.

What works today is more subtle, and frankly more interesting. You judge a look by how it occupies space, not by bicep circumference. A well-cut jacket on a slightly narrow shoulder has more effect than a tight tank top. Clothes do the work — on one condition: that they fall just right.

A marker I often repeat: before you look at the abs, look at the shoulders. A seam that sits exactly on the shoulder, and the whole silhouette follows. That holds on a red carpet as much as on a sofa.

Shoulder of a charcoal wool jacket, armhole seam sitting precisely on the shoulder, workshop
It all starts at the shoulder: get the seam right and the silhouette follows

Timothée Chalamet, the art of layering

Timothée Chalamet was born in New York in 1995. He broke through in 2017 with Call Me by Your Name, then went on to Dune, Wonka and the Bob Dylan biopic A Complete Unknown, which earned him an Oscar nomination for Best Actor. He is also an ambassador for Bleu de Chanel fragrance.

What interests us here is his wardrobe. Chalamet treats a red carpet like a playground: backless jumpsuits, printed jackets, all-cream looks, trainers slipped under a tuxedo. And it works, because his slender silhouette can carry layering — fine shirt, knitwear, straight jacket — without ever looking bundled up.

The lesson to take away: a statement piece doesn't have to be loud. A well-cut roll-neck carries an entire outfit on its own. And layering, when the first layer stays fine, does all the work.

Young man in layered cream outfit: fine shirt, knitwear and straight jacket, bright gallery
Layer without bulk: keep the first layer fine

Pedro Pascal, controlled dishevelment

Born in Chile in 1975, Pedro Pascal spent twenty years becoming a global face. Narcos, The Mandalorian, then The Last of Us in 2023: that's when his popularity changed in nature. Social media nicknamed him 'daddy'.

His wardrobe is built on the opposite of the dry-cleaned suit. He wears knitwear that's a little too big, pleated trousers, a shirt open over a tee — and the whole thing gains texture, the texture of a man who hasn't spent three hours in front of the mirror. Colour does the rest: purple, rust, deep green, where many play safe with black.

Man in oversized rust chunky knit, shirt open over a tee, sitting on steps
Controlled dishevelment: a loose knit and a colour that dares

Jacob Elordi, the long, lean silhouette

Jacob Elordi is very tall. That's the starting point. Born in Brisbane in 1997, he became known through Euphoria, then played Elvis in Priscilla and Felix in Saltburn, both released in 2023.

His preferred cut: generous but structured volumes. Straight jacket, wide pleated trousers, smooth leather, thick knitwear as soon as the temperature drops. On a tall frame, these proportions rebalance the silhouette instead of stretching it further. In other words: tight is not the only way to be elegant — it's often the opposite.

Tall, lean man in oversized structured jacket and wide pleated trousers, in the street
On a tall frame, structured volume rebalances the silhouette

Michael B. Jordan, the full look, owned

In 2020, People magazine gave him its annual 'Sexiest Man Alive' title. The label is showbiz, but he wears it seriously: Creed, Black Panther, a filmography built on physical roles and a wardrobe that follows the same line.

His territory is solid colour, clean cuts, controlled proportions. When he puts on a suit, he adds nothing: no chain, no watch spilling out. A well-executed full look beats an overload of accessories.

Black man in a plain burgundy full look, sharply cut suit, no accessories
A well-executed plain full look beats an overload of accessories

Paul Mescal and the end of the short-shorts hang-up

Impossible to miss. Irish actor Paul Mescal, born in 1996, broke through in Normal People in 2020, before Aftersun (2022) and Gladiator II (2024). But his real fashion claim rests on one garment: short shorts.

He brought them back by wearing them everywhere, including far from the sports field. The gesture looks innocuous. It isn't: it says that a piece considered risky works very well when the cut is right, and that length matters as much as fabric.

Man in beige short shorts with fine knit and linen blazer, sunny city street
Short shorts work when the cut and length are right

George Clooney, the lesson that doesn't date

He had to be mentioned. Born in 1961, George Clooney built his sex-symbol career on something other than his physique: a voice, a tempo, and a way of wearing a tuxedo like a second skin. ER in the mid-1990s, then directing, humanitarian commitments, marriage to Amal Clooney in 2014.

He embodies a simple idea: style is not a question of age. A black jacket, a white shirt, and everything else comes down to bearing — in the postural sense of the word.

Man in black tuxedo with satin lapels and bow tie in soft event lighting
The tuxedo, a second skin for a look that never dates

What you can steal from their wardrobes

You don't need a red-carpet budget to get closer to that look. A few moves are enough, to try with your next outfit.

Two pieces that fall just right are worth more than ten approximate ones. Shoulder, sleeve length, trouser drape: three checkpoints to verify in the fitting room, before you even look at the label.

One statement piece per outfit. The rest should serve it, not compete with it. And if you accessorise, keep one strong accessory, not three.

Solid colour, textured fabric: choose one area of expression at a time. A print, a texture, a colour that pops — not all three at once.

Finally, layering works as long as the first layer stays fine: light knitwear or poplin. Beyond that, it becomes armour.

Budget

Wardrobes are where price gaps are most violent, and it isn't always justified. Some typical UK price bands.

A decent poplin shirt can be found for £30 to £70 on the high street or in a chain, and more like £90 to £160 for a considered cut in a multi-brand boutique. Fine knitwear, round neck or roll-neck, sits between £40 and £100. A straight jacket or blazer, between £120 and £350: the top of the range doesn't necessarily mean the best drape, so always try before you buy. Pleated trousers, between £50 and £120.

What moves the price: the city and type of shop, the quality of the fabric, and maintenance. A piece that can be machine washed and repaired often costs less over time than a fragile piece reserved for the dry cleaner.

Where to look: high-street chains and department stores for basics you replace often, multi-brand boutiques for pieces with character, online resale for access to premium cuts at lower cost — provided you check seams and hems in the photos. If you want to limit impact, look at recycled or certified materials and repairable pieces: that's often more concrete than a 'natural' word printed on the label.

Sources

  • People, annual 'Sexiest Man Alive' list.
  • Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, Oscars results (2025 edition, Timothée Chalamet's nomination).
  • HBO, official series pages for Euphoria and The Last of Us.
  • Warner Bros. Pictures, Dune and Wonka.
  • Chanel, Bleu de Chanel — ambassador: Timothée Chalamet.