It’s A Man’s World: John Simm

Mail Online
Daphne Lockyear
15 November 2008

The actor on always wearing the same suit, bad hairdos, why his wife is his biggest style critic and admiring Johnny Depp

It's A Man's World: John Simm

People probably think I’m a tramp as I always wear the same suit.
It’s Versace, though – I bought it for my wedding. It cost several thousand pounds and the only way I could justify the expense was to wear it to every major showbiz or awards event afterwards. I’m constantly being photographed in it.

When I train I’m the fashion Antichrist.
I wear a pair of Manchester United football shorts and a grey T-shirt that could be used to mop floors. I don’t see the point in dressing up in clothes that are going to end up soaked in sweat.

I’ve committed some heinous style crimes in the past.
In the Eighties I had a terrible hairdo. The front was a quiff and the back was a mullet. At the time I liked both Elvis and AC/DC – it was my way of making those two worlds collide.

My rule is that if I haven’t worn something for a year it goes to charity.
I’m constantly clearing out my cupboard and buying new gear. When I was a student I lived in second-hand clothes. Now it’s my turn to recycle.

My wardrobe would be unworkable without a leather jacket.
I don’t really start liking them until they’ve been worn and battered about for years. I’ll wear a leather jacket until it falls off my back and then start again with a new one, or better still one I’ve found in a charity shop. That way someone else has done all the hard work.

I wish I could wear hats.
I can get away with baseball caps and beanies, but I’d love to be able to wear a proper hat like a trilby or a fedora. I’ve tried, but they just look daft on me.

My wife is my biggest style critic.
She always has a view on what I’m wearing. Usually I’ll pretend I’m not taking any notice, then about an hour later I’ll sneak upstairs and change. She’s got a horrible habit of being right.

I wear a crucifix, though I’m not remotely religious.
I’m not really into male jewellery, but I bought it a few years ago. I just like the way that it feels and looks.

Facial hair is bad, because you keep finding bits of food in it.
I’m not a fan of beards and moustaches, although I had to grow both for The Devil’s Whore. At first it was a novelty, and then I just got really, really sick of finding food in my moustache.

You can’t be precious about your clothes when you have young kids.
I have two children – Ryan, seven, and Molly, 21 months. Thanks to my little girl, whatever I’m wearing is normally covered in baby food within the hour. I’ll put a white T-shirt on and the next thing I know it’s got a psychedelic carrot design on it.

As an actor you need to be pretty fit, so I spend a lot of time in the gym.
I like boxing, the cross-trainer and weights. I have to take care, though; I injured my back last year when I was on stage in the comedy Elling. I twisted round and it just kind of went. Now, suddenly, my osteopath is my best friend.

I’ve had to update my tattoos.
I had one done on my shoulder during a drunken evening in the Nineties. It was an odd-looking Chinese symbol and I don’t remember getting it done. I woke up the next day and thought, ‘What the hell is that?’ A few years ago I had it turned into an ace of spades, which I quite like. Now, because I’m a Man U nut, I’m thinking about getting a Red Devil tattoo, or maybe just the word UNITED. But I can’t see the missus going for that.

I admire the effortless style of Johnny Depp.
He always looks great and seems able to just throw random things together and look like a million dollars. But as you get older you stop looking for role models. If I had any fashion tip, it would be ‘Don’t worry about what anyone else is doing; it’s a lot more cool just to be yourself.’