Gary Cooper: Enduring Style

Dressed up like a million-dollar trouper, Tryin'' hard to look like Gary Cooper, Super duper - ''Puttin'' on the Ritz,'' Irving Berlin (revised lyrics, 1946). 1940s heartthrob Gary Cooper never goes out of style (just ask your mother or your grandmother). He''s got that straightforward, honest, effortless handsomeness. No matter the costume he donned, he owned it. The camera loved him, and so did the box office. This collection of images, taken from his personal scrapbook, proves that the Gary Cooper we knew and loved on the silver screen was as much a style icon off the red carpet as he was on. He perfected his own debonair style by combining a perfectly tailored European wardrobe with all-American casual sportswear to produce the first - and still finest - example of elegant, international, masculine style of the ''American Everyman'' ideal. From the most laid-back activewear to the most ceremonious of coat and tails, Cooper carried himself with uncontrived conviction. An inspiration to the likes of Ralph Lauren, Cooper was casual and put together, rugged and classic, and altogether timeless. And when you look at these photos, you can''t even hate him for it, because what shines through more than any amount of star power is his unequivocal authenticity. Gary Cooper: Enduring Style gives readers a look at a larger-than-life leading man and the real life he led. The photos you''ll see were taken primarily by his wife, Rocky, and include snapshots of his home life, his easy style, and time spent with his friends (which, of course, include artist archetypes Cary Grant and Ernest Hemingway, among others). Regardless of place or present company, Cooper had the model outfit for every occasion, embodying a type of refined masculinity rarely seen - though always in high demand - to this day.