The GQ Best Dressed List 2011

The Best Dressed List

Covering the very best in fashion, style, entertainment, sport, grooming, culture and lovely ladies, Gentlemen’s Quarterly (or GQ to the rest of us) is the most comprehensive and down right stylish magazine around. GQ is to monthly men’s magazines, what Glastonbury is to festivals. Sure there are others, but none quite as well respected, as sought after or as damn right brilliant.

This month’s edition of GQ is extra special, and one of the most eagerly awaited editions of the year. No, not just because there are Victoria Secret models adorning the cover, but because it features the GQ Best Dressed Men In Britain 2011. Topped by Robert Pattinson 2010 [ed: HOW!], the GQ Best Dressed list is a celebration of British style featuring 50 of the most suave, effortlessly cool and well, best dressed men of the year.

So what does this year’s list have to offer? Well, as you would expect there is a big nod to the sophisticated and lavish tailoring of Saville Row, but there is also enough space for half a dozen rock stars, a rapper, and more than enough edgy, forward thinking young icons to go around. Age wise it’s more varied than a Take That concert, with Bryan Ferry looking immaculate at 65, while Romeo Beckham is stylishly representing the somewhat younger generation. It’s this younger generation – particularly young British actors – that are really flying the flag for this, the most stylish of nations. The fact that entire top 5 is made of up guys aged 26 or younger, shows you why when it comes to British style icons, the future is so bright it’s probably best not to look directly at it.

Obviously, as with every list of this nature, not everyone is going to agree with the choices of the GQ editors, so it would be great to hear your take on the top 50 best dressed men in Britain today. Lets face it, any list that features both Prince William and Prince Harry, an F1 racing driver and Ray Winstone is bound to cause a stir.

GQ Best Dressed List 2011 (20 – 2)

Editor: We don’t want to take all the fun out of reading the supplement that comes with the latest GQ, so we are not actually going to name every single person on the list. However we have put together a lovely montage of the top 20 below which counts down from 20 left to right. Plus you can find a great round-up of the winner’s style by Duncan underneath. See how many you can work out from the images.

GQ Best Dressed Man Of The Year 2011: Aaron Johnson

At only 20 years old, Aaron Johnson has already made his name as an actor (notably in Nowhere Boy and the brilliant Kick Ass), as a toy boy (he’s engaged to 43 year old director Sam Taylor-Wood), and now a style icon. Picked ahead of the chasing pack as GQ’s most stylish man of 2011 because he “kicks ass fashion wise” according to Editor Dylan Jones, he caught the eye of the decision makers at GQ’s Men of the Year awards back in 2010 and hasn’t looked back since.

So what makes Aaron so special? Well like any film star he spends his fair share of time on the red carpet, so of course he’s required to look dapper in a suit. He wears a tux with a mixture of suave sophistication and rugged charm, favouring quirky accessories such as the bow tie or the pocket square over the more traditional neck tie. When it comes to his casual style, again he showcases an equally charming mix of maturity and youthful exuberance, embracing elements of the ‘worker’ style that’s going to be massive this spring – with off white vests, check shirts, denim and tweed featuring heavily in his artillery.

With an eclectic mix of young and old throughout the list it’s no wonder Aaron Johnson tops the pile of Britain’s best dressed. He’s got everything that’s great about fashion in this country – he can be relaxed, casual and effortlessly cool one minute, but boy does he scrub up well.

Aaron Johnson Smart Style Picks:

Aaron Johnson Casual Style Picks:

To read more on the GQ Best Dressed List 2011, including the ten worst-dressed men in the world and the best dressed international men of 2011, pick up the latest copy of GQ magazine.