The Style Shift - BAFTA's: The Dawn Of The Plain Black Suit
Women, for the better part of a century, have time and again reverted back to the classic ‘Little Black Dress’ (LBD). This wardrobe staple has carried us through years of outfit dilemmas and unexpected plans. Whilst most of us do tend to branch out fashion-wise when it comes to more high-profile events, there is one constant to be seen. Be it the Grammys, the Oscars, or even the Met Gala, you can always count upon an excruciatingly high percentage of male attendees coming dressed in their own version: the timeless, if repetitive, ‘Plain Black Suit’ - aptly dubbed the PBS from here on out.Â
The 2025 BAFTAs that took place last Sunday proved no different. Whilst initially on the hunt for standout looks upon which to shape this article around, I found myself devoting far more attention to the humble suit than I would have hoped. Maybe as a result of my penchant for misandry, or perhaps because I hadn’t yet fallen in love with any of the outfits worn by the women, I spent the evening despairing at the sheer amount of PBS’ on display at the ceremony. Nevertheless, whilst conducting more research into who-wore-what, I am loathe to admit that I was pleasantly surprised by some (emphasis on some) of the suits on display.Â
Whilst trawling the internet for examples, I noticed that I was sorting the menswear into three categories, creating my own BAFTA awards - PBS Done Badly; PBS Done Well; and, lastly, PBS Without The ‘P’.
First up, the PBS Done Badly. Our nominees are: Succession star Jeremy Strong, One Day Heart-Throb Leo Woodall, star of upcoming film Warfare Will Poulter, and creator of critically acclaimed film, A Real Pain, Jesse Eisenburg. For me, a badly done PBS is ill-fitting, perhaps with the wrong shoe-choice, or overshadowed by a half-hearted attempt to insert interest with a brooch or overcoat (a personal message to Mr Jeremy Strong: you cannot layer a fur coat over a creased suit and call yourself red-carpet-ready).Â
Considering the wealth, power, and influence of the attendees, one would hope it would not be too cumbersome to ask for a well-fitting suit. Unfortunately, this is not the case. Take, for example, Jesse Eisenberg, our first runner-up in this category, whose trousers and sleeves needed lifting by at least two inches. Failing to achieve an oversized look, Eisenberg instead looked as though he was wearing the slightly-too-big school uniform his mum bought in an attempt to leave room for growth for the following year. Will Poulter in Dior, whilst not technically sporting a plain black suit (the blazer being navy, arguably an even poorer decision), also served us back-to-school realness, with trousers seemingly plucked straight from the F&F boys’ section.Â
However, our winner of the PBS Done Badly award, as much as it pains me to admit, is Leo Woodall. Not only was his PBS ill-fitting and made out of cheap-looking material, to add insult to injury the Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy star received much commendation for the look because of the Tiffany & Co brooch attached to the blazer, proving once again that while you can’t polish a PBS, you can certainly try to hide it behind glitter.Â
Our next category, PBS Done Well, generally encompasses a well-fitting suit that varies slightly from old-fashioned black tie conventions. Runner-ups in this category include Jharrel Jerome in Burberry, and Corey Mylchreest in Saint Laurent. Whilst the intended focal-points of the ‘fits are clearly Jerome’s sparkly shirt and Mylchreest’s sunglasses, the suits actually gain their gold stars for being just the right amount of oversized. For Mylchreest, extra brownie points are earned for the pussy-bow neckline in favour of a classic tie, which adds a hint of femininity to the masculine silhouette.
The winner of this category, for me, is the Little Women star - and surprisingly accurate Bob Dylan doppelganger - Timothée Chalamet. The Bottega Veneta suit is not overly-experimental, hence its place in the second category as opposed to the third, but the jacket is well-cropped, the choker draws attention, and the new haircut evokes a certain Supercuts charm that only our Timmy can pull off on the red carpet.
Last but by no means least, we come to our final category: PBS without the ‘P’. These suits are black, but they’re certainly not plain. Here, we have an honorary mention as well as a runner up. This goes to renowned playwright Colman Domingo who attended the awards representing American prison drama, Sing Sing. Whilst the look, a leather trench with gilded interior layered atop the Boss suit, is not plain, due to the ill-fitting trousers, pointed-toe shoes, and the pattern which quite frankly calls to mind the knock-off Versace scarf your friend’s mum brought home with her from their holiday to Tenerife, it is sadly not quite a fashion knockout.Â
The real runner up in this category is Scottish icon David Tennant. Known for his screen work in Doctor Who, Good Omens, and most recently the Disney series, Rivals. The BAFTA host wore a gothic Joshua Kane suit, encrusted with sequins on the lapels, collar, and sleeves. The pièce de résistance for me is the commitment to the look displayed in the host’s willingness to dye his hair deep-burgundy to match the sequins. The hairstyle makes it evident that Tennant was actively involved in the styling process, and it is this commitment that earned him this position.
This year’s overall winner is Naqqash Khalid, who strutted onto the red-carpet representing John Lawrence Sullivan. Nominated for his directorial debut, In Camera, his look had trousers that were perfectly oversized, high-waisted, and cropped so as to provide an interesting silhouette. The blazer is cut-out at the ribs, so that the middle section becomes one with the tail-end of the tie. The shirt is perfectly undone to give the look a slightly messier edge, and I surprisingly love the chunky loafers… but the best parts are the red-tinted skinny sunglasses and dip-dyed mullet. My only critique would be that the trousers are a slightly cooler-toned black to the blazer, but the deadly moustache-and-mullet-combo put the wrongs to right.Â
An enduring favourite for many, this year’s BAFTAs have given me a newfound respect for the humble black suit. I had never before put such thought into what makes a good suit, but this year’s ceremony reminded me that it is a classic for a reason - perhaps it is this very reputation that makes it so hard to execute well. Regardless, I vow never again to underestimate the power of a well-made PBS.
Written by Lucy Wragg, Celebrity and Trends Correspondent
Edited by Daisy Packwood, Fashion Editor
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