Hooper isn’t the only character rocking hipster-esque workwear. Many of Jaws’s ancillary characters are rocking workwear grails. Take for instance, the scene where three local fisherman believe that they’ve caught the guilty shark, only to have Hooper go scientist all over their asses. One gentleman is wearing a camo jacket that could be found anywhere from Polo to BAPE, while his fellow angler is wearing the type of logo emblazoned bucket hat that vintage fiends forage for on Ebay. The third guy is definitely wearing a Sttuterheim raincoat. Shooting in Martha’s Vineyard provided extras that perfectly embodied the aesthetic of the film.
Then there’s Quint. Few supporting characters have stolen the spotlight as thoroughly as the hard drinking shark nemesis portrayed by Robert Shaw. From the moment he enters the film with the screeching of his nails across a chalkboard, the audience is hooked on his bravado. Quint’s soliloquy about the USS Indianapolis provides the most quoted lines in the movie. His larger than life persona outshines even the 25 foot eponymous shark. And, of course, Quint provides the most iconic wardrobe in the film. In a film about hunting a shark thats hunting you, every aspect of Quint’s aesthetic declares him a shark hunter. He’s got the heavy-knit fisherman’s sweater, he’s got the beat up denim work shirt, he’s got his old army jacket, and he’s got the iconic bent brim hat.
Jaws was filmed in 1974 and was released in 1975. So many films from this period have tragically dated wardrobes but Jaws managed to avoid that pitfall. Spielberg built his legacy on telling relatable stories in timeless settings and he first mastered this technique with Jaws. The characters of the film are all fundamental archetypes that audiences can relate to and the setting, wardrobe included, is meticulously crafted to be timeless. Not many films feature a wardrobe that would play as well today as it did 45 years ago and Jaws certainly does. So now that summer is here, crack open a ‘Gansett, put on Jaws and steal a couple fire fits.
Bonus Fit: Check out Spielberg on set wearing some of the film’s promotional gear. The shark logo here was a preliminary design by the film’s production designer Joe Alves. It was later replaced by the iconic shark coming up from the water. If you could track down those boxers that would be a grail to rival Mayor Vaughn’s anchor blazer. Spielberg’s legendary style was on full display as I was going through Jaws production photos for this article, but thats a topic for another time.