The 10 Most Stylish Irish Guys of All Time

Image via Complex Original

Killarney, County Kerry

Last year essentially belonged to Michael Fassbender. In addition to releasing a slew of critically acclaimed and commercially successful films, the German-Irishman who grew up in Ireland became a modern-day fashion icon. Fassbender looks equally sharp in modern slim suiting as he does in relaxed sportswear. And if you doubt his steez, just watch Shame to see why he can dress however he wants with no fucks given.

Bloomfield, County Down

Van Morrison gained fame throughout the '70s, and tread the line between hippie trippiness and straight rockstar style. He may not have been an international style icon of the decade, but Van the Man probably had one of the most extensive baroque print scarf collections in all of Ireland.  

Sandymount, County Dublin

William Butler Yeats is hands-down considered one of the greatest literary figures of the 20th century. But there's definitely room for him to enter the same consideration in terms of style. Yeats perfected the bohemian writer look that you might see many bloggers trying to obtain today. Whether he was in a corduroy or brushed wool suit, his bowties and pocket square were always perfectly disheveled, giving him an air of shabby intellect. Most people who try to get this look just end up looking messy.

Belfast, County Antrim

If you're the frontman of the band that's referred to as "The Irish Clash," chances are your music and your style are going to be on point. Jake Burns was the lead singer of Stiff Little Fingers, Ireland's best-known punk band, and dressed the part. In leather jackets and appropriated suiting, Burns tore through the punk circuit and led the Irish youth into a whole new arena of DIY punk style. 

Cabra, County Dublin

You probably wouldn't recognize Michael Gambon without the signature robes and beard of Dumbledore, but the actor is a highly respected man of the theater who is the very image of Irish understated elegance. We could definitely all take tips from Dumbledore and mimic his cozyboy look, but if you ever want to look like a classy gentleman from the Continent who is breezing through life, take Gambon as your grown-man inspiration.

Crumlin, County Dublin

Phil Lynott fronted Thin Lizzy, one of Ireland's best known rock bands. From the '70s through the '80s, Phil and his 'fro toured the world showing off his rockstar steez that combined elements of mod, disco, and pure rock. Unfortunately, Lynott's heroin addiction got the best of him, but Thin Lizzy continues to get burn on classic rock stations, and there's definitely a strong contingent of modern-day Irish hipsters that are influenced by Lynott's dope style.

Dublin, County Dublin

George Bernard Shaw dressed like the eccentric genius that he was. As the only man to win both a Nobel Prize in Literature and an Oscar, Shaw's greatest accomplishment might be trying out surfing at the age of 75. The writer's scraggly facial hair teetered on the line between untamed and gentlemanly, and Shaw definitely crossed this goal off his style bucket list. It was a perfect contrast to his otherwise impeccable suiting.

Navan, County Meath

Before Daniel Craig made #menswear heads care about James Bond flicks again, Pierce Brosnan was killing it as Agent 007. Off the screen, his cavalier attitude shone through in very relaxed dad style that contrasted with Bond's stuffiness. Unbuttoned shirts and uncombed hair were the style anchors of choice, and if you want women swooning over you and you could pull this off, maybe you should take Brosnan's lead.

Dublin, County Dublin

To his contemporaries, Oscar Wilde's flagrant manner of dress was as well-known as his plays, novels, and poetry. His conversational wit was supposedly as sharp as his opulent Victorian dress, and the native Dubliner flitted through London's highest social circled decked out in the illest garb of the day. If you're ever doubting the notion of trying something flamboyant or outrageous, just look at what Wilde rocked on the daily for a moment of inspiration. 

Foxrock, County Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown

Like a fine whiskey (up to a certain point), Samuel Beckett's style got better with age. Best known as a bleek, tragicomic playwright, the Irishman was also successful at producing novels, poetry, and directing theatre. He may have won a Nobel Price in literature, but now he's also lauded for being stylish as hell. Seriously, if we look as cool as Beckett when we're this old and whithered, then we can die happy.