Rob Delaney as Rob Norris on Catastrophe (2015-).
Vitals
Rob Delaney as Rob Norris, large-chinned American advertising executive
London, Fall 2014
Series: Catastrophe
Episodes: Episodes 1-6
Air Dates: January 19, 2015 – February 23, 2015
Director: Ben Taylor
Created by: Rob Delaney & Sharon Horgan
Costume Designer: Rosa Dias
Background
2015 was the year I finally watched more TV streamed online than DVDs, and I finally cashed in on my Amazon Prime membership by checking out Catastrophe, the excellent series developed by Sharon Horgan and Rob Delaney that perfectly and hilariously nails a realistic relationship. Sharon and Rob play a couple named Sharon and Rob – appropriately enough – who fall prey to the biological result of a week of unprotected sex. Rob, an American ad man (but sadly likened more to Harry Crane than Don Draper by another character on the show), immediately moves across the pond to live in London with Sharon and try to make it work.
Rob Delaney’s Twitter account was one of the reasons I stuck with Twitter, and – given that today is his birthday – BAMF Style is breaking down his cool casual style on Catastrophe.
What’d He Wear?
The Barbour Jacket
Almost immediately after Daniel Craig’s James Bond blazed through Skyfall in a limited edition Barbour “X To Ki To” Beacon Heritage jacket, fans began flocking to stores and sites to get their hands on the venerable brand’s jacket. Needless to say, the jacket sold out in less than 12 parsecs and fans (both of 007 and of great style) were left out in the cold. Barbour wisely introduced a new jacket, the Barbour Commander, for its Dept. B collection in July 2013. The Commander – renamed the “Heritage Beacon Sports Jacket” that December – was similar to the original X To Ki To and incorporated many of the modifications made for Skyfall into its design. James Bond Lifestyle nicely breaks down the differences between the two jackets.
The versatile Barbour jacket offers two different looks based on how the lapels are worn.
In each of the six episodes of Catastrophe‘s first season, Rob can be seen around London in the Barbour Heritage Beacon Sports Jacket, constructed from the same olive brown 6 oz. Sylkoil Thornproof waxed cotton as the X To Ki To. The single-breasted jacket has two buttons closely placed on the torso with a third button at mid-chest, halfway toward the top. A fourth button at the top is designed to be fastened to a throat latch under the left lapel.
Rob keeps his jacket open at the neck, preferring a scarf for his extra layer of warmth.
The Beacon jacket has notch lapels with a brown leather collar. When the collar is raised, another button can be seen under each collar point. These two buttons are used to hold a triangular throat flap into place, which would provide its wearer with an additional level of protection against the elements.
Brown leather detailing is found throughout the jacket, in addition to the collar, most notably on the edges of each cuff. Additional sporty details include round shoulder patches and elbow patches.
The welted chest pocket on the left closes with a button under a pointed flap. There is a large bellowed patch pocket on each hip, each one also closing with a single-buttoned flap. The left pocket has a “Barbour Dept B” patch, which is best seen in the second episode when Rob is digging his iPhone out of his pocket.
The back is ventless with two vertical “poacher pockets” that each close with a zipper. These pockets were originally designed as a way for sneaky poachers to hide illegal game, but that would be a surprising use for a character like Rob Norris.
Rob wears his British jacket and American jeans before a tryst in the loo.
Everything Else
Appropriately for his “American in London” character, Rob contrasts his decidedly British jacket with a pair of classic dark blue Levi’s 501 jeans. Rob’s Levi’s have four silver-toned metal buttons on the fly and the usual five-pocket layout.
Rob wears a pair of brown leather moc-toe low ankle boots with tan soles. The blucher-style boots are laced through four brass eyelets. When he takes off his shoes at Chris and Fran’s house in the first episode, we get a closeup of the black cotton socks worn underneath them.
While on the topic of underneath, Rob also shows a preference for blue underwear, wearing a pair of light blue cotton boxers in the first episode and electric blue boxer briefs while teleconferencing with his bosses from the toilet in the third episode.
Rob’s employers don’t have a very stringent dress code.
Blue is also Rob’s color of choice for his outerwear as he sports a two-tone blue herringbone wool scarf with blue frilly edges under his Barbour jacket.
Even Chris has adopted Rob’s work attire standards later in the same episode.
Rob wears his real-life watch, a Rolex GMT Master II with a red and blue “Pepsi” ceramic bidirectional bezel and a black dial. Rob’s GMT Master II is worn around his left wrist on an Oyster bracelet of flat three-piece links made from the same 904L steel as the 40 mm case.
Rob wears his GMT Master while prepping breakfast.
Rob’s Shirts
Rob always wears long-sleeved shirts under his Barbour jacket, either button-ups or t-shirts, and often layered over a white crew-neck undershirt.
His button-ups range from casual flannels and plaids to dressier oxford shirts, all with long sleeves and front plackets. In the first episode alone, he wears a light blue casual button-up, a pink shirt with a subtle white windowpane overcheck, and a purple and black tartan plaid flannel shirt with a red and white overcheck and two patch pockets on the chest that close with button-down flaps.
Rob wears plaid for Chris and Fran’s dinner party in the first episode.
A blue flannel shirt with a white and orange plaid overcheck appears in the first two episodes. This shirt also has two chest patch pockets that close with pointed button-down flaps. In the second episode, he wears a dark plaid flannel shirt with a purple and green check. The two patch pockets on this shirt close with a button but no flaps. The third and fourth episodes feature a light blue lightweight oxford shirt with a slim button-down collar, front placket, and left chest pocket; Rob wears this under a red knit Aran-style jumper in the third episode. When meeting up with Fran in the fourth episode, Rob wears a light green button-up shirt.
In addition to the button-up shirts, Rob also often wears red or blue cotton long-sleeve t-shirts, some built more like lightweight sweatshirts, with raglan sleeves and crew necks.
Rob is reasonably excited about his recent purchase in the second episode.
The heathered blue crew neck sweatshirt is the closest approximation to Bond’s Skyfall Manor outfit.
These shirts look awfully comfortable.
How to Get the Look
James Bond showed us how to wear a brown Barbour sport jacket for a day of action in the Scottish highlands; now, Rob Delaney shows how it can offer a more practical, comfortable purpose around the city.
- Barbour “Heritage Beacon” single-breasted 3-button sport jacket in olive waxed cotton with button-flapped breast pocket, button-flapped hip bellows pockets, vertical-zip rear poacher pockets, and leather accents on patches and cuffs
- Red cotton long-sleeve crew neck sweatshirt with raglan sleeves
- Levi’s 501 dark blue denim jeans with button fly
- Brown leather moc-toe 4-eyelet low ankle boots
- Black cotton socks
- Light blue cotton boxers
- Blue and light blue herringbone wool scarf with blue frilly edges
- Rolex GMT Master II stainless steel watch with 40 mm case, red and blue “Pepsi” bezel, black dial, and stainless Oyster bracelet
If dressing up for a date or a dinner party, Rob swaps out the vibrant long-sleeve t-shirts for a dark plaid flannel button-up or a muted oxford shirt.
Do Yourself a Favor and…
Watch the series! I believe us Americans can only watch on Amazon Prime. All screencaps here are from the brilliant and hilarious first season
Rob’s book
The Quote
Can you – for a second – accept the fact that I like you and want to be with you, you fucking idiot?
Footnote
Rob Delaney is a pretty common name, but the coolest guy with whom the comedian shares his moniker has to be Robert Augustus Delaney, a British cat burglar who dressed in formal dress – white tie and tails – and would break into mansions with a black silk robe to purloin his ill-gotten goods.
