By Jessica Punter 09 May 13

 

Simon Baker talks style missteps, swapping surfing for suiting and why it's time chivalry made a comeback

 

"I'm not the quintessential gentleman in my mind," says Simon Baker with a smile. As the actor and face of the new scent from Givenchy, Gentleman Only, he certainly upholds the first rule of being a gentleman: never claim to be one. A veteran of the fame game, his first big breaks were in teen soaps such as Home & Away and Heartbreak High - much like his fellow Hollywood antipodeans - before landing notable roles in LA Confidential and The Devil Wears Prada. The current star of CBS series The Mentalist Baker talks to GQ about his influences, life lessons and how to avoid a style disaster.

 

When it comes to style, knowing your limitations is a good thing. In 1991 - I was already with my wife - I bought a leather Letterman jacket with white sleeves, but it had big branding across the back. It cost me a pretty penny. I had just started acting and making some money, and I had wanted one ever since I had seen The Outsiders as a kid. I got home and was really excited about it but my wife just said, "What is that? You've got to take that back." And I refused. I kept it for about seven years and I never wore it, because I knew she would give me a hard time. The worst mistakes I have made have been born out of buying something that I thought I wanted, instead of going, "Okay, that works on me. That doesn't."

 

I have always been a surfer, but I have never been a guy who was big on surfing clothes. To me, that always felt like you had to stake a claim: "I am a surfer, so I have to dress like one." That doesn't make sense to me. I am surfer and I don't give a damn if you know it or not; it's for my own pleasure. I like aesthetics. I like a well-cut suit. I appreciate things that look good. I can appreciate the design of an iPhone - that's pleasing- and I like a good pair of shoes. But I am not a slave to it.

 

Saying you are a gentleman is kind of obnoxious. It's a little bit like saying, "I'm sexy!" It's not your right to decide that. But I think the idea behind Gentlemen Only is that being a gentleman is something that we aspire to; it's an awareness of the way you carry yourself.

 

Chivalry is a little bit forgotten in modern society. In the Gentleman Only commercial when I open that umbrella for her, her initial reaction is a little bit like, "Woah!" I think it's remarkable the reaction you get if you help someone these days, because every human contact is about the contract of exchange: if I'm nice to you, I'll wait until you pay me back. When we were shooting I was adamant that he didn't hang around for a thank you or to hit on her. It should just be a selfless act. People talk about random acts of kindness, and that goes back to the measure of being gentlemanly again. It's about having consideration for others, and not expecting anything back. That's the difference.

 

I have always liked old school, traditional things. Givenchy has deep aristocratic roots as a house, but it has a little bit of audacity at the same time. I also have a very subversive sense of humour and I like a little bit of irreverence, so that combination fits well with me. I can be the classic guy and take the piss out of myself at the same time, so I feel relaxed and comfortable.

 

I don't have a favourite item of clothing. But if I find a shirt that that fits me well, I'll buy a couple.

 

The idea of cleansing my skin and moisturising is just something that happens every day. I wouldn't say I have a strict grooming routine, but as I spend a lot of time at work with make-up on - as butch as I may seem! - I always wash my skin and I always put moisturiser on. I take 15 minutes to get ready. I am very practical and I like to be efficient, but I still like to present myself in a way that I feel comfortable, and part of that, for me, is that I look presentable. It's something that is ingrained in me. It is like when you would leave to go to school and your mum would say, "Come here, tuck your shirt in!" And it's just a bit of self-pride, and that's carried on in me.

 

My style icons are European actors. As a young actor, I always looked at Marcello Mastroianni and thought he was cool, and Jean-Paul Belmondo, he was a bit more of a rebel, a bit more of a punk. I thought Jimmy Dean was revolutionary - Brando as well - and there was ease and elegance about Cary Grant or Jimmy Stewart: they always felt authentic. But the old Hollywood glamour made way for the Hollywood 'rebel' - it's just a fashion. There is a nostalgic appreciation of that time aesthetically, but I have never, ever thought about molding myself in that way.

 

I came up with the costume for my character, Patrick Jane, in The Mentalist. To be honest, I also stole that three-piece thing from the Chaplin character, the Tramp, and the worn shoes as well. The whole 'Mentalist' thing is a little bit of sleight of hand, he has a history as a kind of conman, a carnie guy, and the waistcoat lent itself to that. For me, it spoke the idea of a guy who had seen better days.

 

I spent my twenties being impatient. I am always learning about life, but I have learned that one of the key ingredients to enjoying each moment, moment to moment, is directly related to being patient, and accepting the less busy times - the 'quiet times'. It's okay to be patient.