The Hollywood producer Robert Evans died Saturday and the world is a little less glamorous. You can read his remarkable obituary or better yet watch The Kid Stays in the Picture, the 2002 documentary based on his memoir. He was hired as the head of Paramount (with no producing experience), and had a hand in The Godfather, Chinatown and Serpico. He lived the life, married seven times and indulged an all-time cocaine habit. There was a dark side, one of his producing partners was murdered and his former girlfriend was among those convicted. In the ‘80s it all fell apart.

For our purposes, let’s consider his legendary sense of style. I tried to include him in my book Men and Style, but it never worked out. He didn't want to talk about the old days. I understood, but it was a loss since he had such a striking look, the thinking man’s George Hamilton.

Here are some lessons from the man when he was in his prime when he was very much still in the picture.

-Wear the classics with authority. Houndstooth, knit ties, oxford cloth shirts. He wore them all to devastating effect. He was empowered to be himself.

-Embrace black tie. Evans showed how it was done with black tie—velvet jackets, big bow ties, and strong energy. He didn’t look constricted, he looked like he was heading to the bar.

-Accessorize from a position of confidence. You need glasses? Choose well and make them memorable. After a year try a new pair.

-A large collar is your ally. The long-point collar flatters most men and looks great with a tie. Evans proved this again and again, though he got involved in some ‘70s oversized decadence that should not be attempted by mere mortals.

-Patterned jacket, solid tie. A houndstooth jacket is doing a lot of heavy lifting. Your tie should be solid and reassuring. This is what knit ties were made for.

-Tennis whites for the win. Game, set and match.