Dermot O'Leary: Your new style icon?

Robin Darke sings the praises of The X Factor host’s dress sense…

2013 was a massive year for Justin Timberlake. Not only did he return to the charts with Suit & Tie and Mirrors, but he was also voted GQ’s Most Stylish Man of 2013. Which is a bit of a shame, in a way, because JT’s style isn’t all that attainable.

Of course, it can seem like there aren’t many achievable male style icons milling around to pick from: the Davids Gandy and Beckham always seem to lead the way in Best Dressed Men polls, followed by the likes of Robert Downey Jr, Tom Hiddleston and Benedict Cumberbatch. Which is fine, y’know? These men are undoubtedly good-looking (Cumberbatch, perhaps, in a more quirky way), but equally, they have access to the best stylists available and are often seen in suits and slightly more formal casual attire. (Except for Beckham, who poses in his pants quite a lot too, thankfully.)

Andy Samberg and Donald Glover

In the US, celebrities like Donald Glover and Andy Samberg have excelled at making a more casual outfit their forte. Samberg prefers a natty checked shirt to a suit and tie, while Glover (pictured right) embraces a street-influenced look mixed with a twinge of American fraternity. These guys should be heralded as style icons because they approach fashion in a way that works for them, and ties in with their personality. Glover and Samberg’s choice of outfit tell us more about them than a generic suit ever will.

Liam Gallagher

Moving back to Britain, let’s hail Liam Gallagher, who takes his cues from the Mod subcultures of the late ’50s and, maybe more obviously, its late ’70s revival. His Pretty Green label draws from the razor-sharp styling of the post-war era and gives it a fresh twist – check out their impressive ‘The Vinyl Revolution’ Autumn/Winter 13 campaign below, which offers a winning combination of Peacocking and subtlety.

Mark Ronson

Like Gallagher, Mark Ronson likes to imitate his idols, but the looks he goes for are very different to those chosen by the monobrowed rocker. As we all know, Ronson’s music takes its cues from many different eras: ’80s New Wave, ’90s hip-hop and ’70s Soul, and he adapts his dress sense to fit. When he’s collaborating with rappers, he’ll slip into sneakers and a Knicks jacket; with his The Business International project, he’s angular in David Bowie and Alain Delon-inspired finery; and when he’s in Version mode, he favours slightly more relaxed tailoring that wouldn’t have looked out of place at a Beatles concert. Ronson feels comfortable marauding through musical genres and altering his look to suit, which is why he’s one of the strongest style icons on my list.

Dermot O’Leary

Although I’ve decried men who sell themselves all suited and booted, there’s one guy in particular who can do this and still exude personality. That man is Dermot O’Leary. When eager gays weren’t frantically rewinding their DVR to catch a glimpse of his VPL (Visible Penis Line) on The X Factor, they were taking note of the pretty excellent knitwear-cum-chino combos he was sporting. And that was before he brought back an M&S staple that had fallen out of favour years ago: the trusty turtleneck.

Dermot can pull off casual and formal looks, and best of all, he’s a realistic role model! Yes, he’s a handsome man, but his body shape is achievable – he’s not built like a catwalk model or a fitness mag cover star. So while the turtleneck might for everyone (you need a good face to neck ratio, to begin with), it’s definitely time to embrace the wonderful Dermot O’Leary as your new style icon.

Follow the awesome Robin Darke on Twitter @robin_darke