In Once Upon A Time... In Hollywood, two washed-up has-beens become embroiled in the grisly murders of the Manson Family. But once upon a time in actual Hollywood, two film stars of the highest order turned back the clock - and Leonardo DiCaprio and Brad Pitt did so without looking like relics of a bygone era.
No desperate attempts to remain current. No trainers bought by referral from a 14-year-old nephew. Instead, the top billing looked to the Old Ways for the premiere of Quentin Tarantino's tenth film - an era in which men wore classic suits, and peacocking was done so with greys and open shirts and a witty, quick-fire rapport with the E! presenter that had been assigned to hassle you for the day.
That's not to say the ever-blurring of menswear boundaries is a bad thing (Billy Porter, you don't leave the house enough, frankly). But it is proof that the classics are still wholly applicable.
In DiCaprio's case, it was the works: the full, three-piece regalia that the 44-year-old has leaned on since, well, forever, really. And the works works. Pair that with the Golden Age slick-back, and DiCaprio deserves a place on the pantheon alongside all the other men that dominate Instagram style feeds: Marlon Brando, James Dean and so on and so forth.
And for Pitt, it was a look more in-step with the Clooneys of the world: monochrome tailoring, sans tie, and an extra button undone. The relaxed sort. The outfit that says you take these things seriously, but not overtly so. You're a stand-up gent, and you're not at all bothered by the eyes of every other significant other bearing down upon you.
Either way, it's not a return to form for DiCaprio and Pitt. Rather, it's remaining on form, and it'll work for any man in Hollywood and beyond.
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