Before Tom Cruise became synonymous with piloting fighter jets, jumping across skyscrapers and breaking every bone in his body in the service of cinèma, the 61-year-old megastar made his name in a far less perilous project.
We're talking about his breakthrough role as college-bound teen Joel Goodson in the 1983 box office hit Risky Business, which turns 40 today. Seemingly guileless and a bit of a push-over, a week with an empty family home at his disposal sees Joel undergo some typical teenage experiences, like losing his virginity and taking midterms, as well as some very untypical teenage experiences. With barely a few days of independence behind him, it doesn't take long for the house to transform into a make-shift brothel that happens to piss off a gun-wielding pimp. It is a surprisingly smart film, a funny film, and – in our opinion, at least – the best-dressed film of Cruise's seasoned career.
No, we're not talking about the iconic dancing scene, where Joel is captured sliding about to Bob Seger’s Old Time Rock And Roll in a red-striped shirt, tighty whities and pulled-up socks – now a popular Halloween costume for those lacking in time and resources. As everyday style inspiration that won't land you in the back of a police car goes, we don't recommend it. And while the film's role in reviving Ray-Ban Wayfarer sunglasses is well-documented (the Los Angeles Times reported that sales almost doubled upon release) that's not the be-all and end-all of its sartorial legacy, either.
You see, Joel may have been walked all over by Lana (Rebecca De Mornay) but the teenager had full authority on his signature preppy look, which can now be found under ‘old-money aesthetic’ hashtags on your TikTok feed.
In the scenes before Joel’s bare-legged musical performance, the teen is seen in an all-American varsity jacket layered over a shirt, while blue denim jeans (Levi's, most likely) are paired with this year’s ‘it’ footwear: boat shoes. Later on in the film, jeans are cropped to tight, hot pant-esque jorts – styles on the snug side are being embraced on the feed – and the ever-popular Nike Cortez sneakers make several appearances. He's partial to a bit of formalwear, too, with a classic Donegal tweed blazer appearing throughout the film. Joel first dons it with a shirt and tie and later styles it with a black t-shirt and the famed Ray-Bans.
It's a selection of preppy looks that feels very of its time, particularly in the more affluent enclaves of the American suburbs. The trend’s holy text, “The Official Preppy Handbook”, was published in 1980, and paired well with the conservative ideals of Reagan’s near decade-long reign. It was attire for a day on the yacht, or a day spent looking like you might own a yacht. Even for those who hardly cared for the era's cut-throat capitalist ideals – Joel asks his friends before his entrepreneurial downfall, “Doesn’t anyone want to accomplish anything, or do we just want to make money?” – the allure of high-net-worth dressing was too enticing to resist.
Even today, the aforementioned hashtag look is most popular with Gen Zs, despite headlines that suggest they're more liberal – and less flush with cash – than previous generations. And fashion has followed suit with a wardrobe for them; streetwear brands like Aimé Leon Dore and Noah are purveyors of it, while the old bastions – Ralph Lauren, J.Crew (revived thanks to Brendon Babenzien) and Gant – are still doing what they do best. It can also be found on the spring/summer ’23 catwalks of Givenchy, Kenzo and Louis Vuitton. Even four decades later, Joel Goodson wouldn’t look out of place.
