“I’m not one of those who can easily hide,” noted Sir Elton Hercules John in his 1970 hit “Your Song”. Born Mr Reginald Dwight, the performer emerged from the relative uniformity of suburban Greater London and its pub circuit to become the standout songwriter in a particularly purple patch for British artists. (See last year’s John Lewis Christmas advertisement for the abridged version.) While he crafted some of the foremost earworms of the era – “Tiny Dancer”, “Rocket Man” and “Saturday Night’s Alright For Fighting” in quick succession – it wasn’t just his music that got him noticed. Oh, no. If his live show was loud, his wardrobe was cranked up to 11.

Of course, tiaras (and, indeed, tantrums) aren’t for everyone. But with this week’s release of Rocketman, Mr Dexter Fletcher’s officially sanctioned biopic based on the life of Sir Elton in his 1970s pomp, there is still much to be learnt from the wardrobe department. First, there’s the Rocketman by Kingsman collection, our exclusive 16-piece capsule based on the clothing worn by Sir Elton’s manager Mr John Reid, played in the film by Game Of Thrones and Bodyguard alum Mr Richard Madden. And while taking on the vibrant colours and generous proportions of the age, this suiting is safely a sequin-free zone.

But what of the (rocket) man himself? The trappings of his lifestyle ensured he pushed his sartorial flourishes to the very limit, “burning out his fuse up here alone”. And by doing so, he provides a framework of what is possible, that all of us can take something from. Here, then, are three style tips from Sir Elton, which we hope you don’t mind that we put down in words.

Immortalised in the song “Tiny Dancer”, Ms Maxine Feibelman was a “blue jeans baby, LA lady, seamstress for the band” (and with a “pirate smile”, no less). She first met Sir Elton’s regular collaborator Mr Bernie Taupin on the band’s first US tour when retrieving a hairdryer for drummer Mr Nigel Olsson, in 1970. Ms Feibelman soon became a regular fixture on Sir Elton’s tour bus and married Mr Taupin the following year in Lincolnshire (Sir Elton was the best man). Romantic links aside, what can be gleaned here is that it pays to have an experienced professional on hand to help you dress. True, Sir Elton has a very particular vision when it comes to clothing, but as any well-turned-out Italian will tell you, knowing a good tailor is a godsend. Unless you happen to be the exact dimensions used to construct off-the-peg articles, a minor alteration here or there can make the world of difference to your wardrobe, particularly suiting. And if they can trim your trousers to break just above your sparkly Converse high-tops – as modern-day tailors increasingly will – all the better.

“You’ve a certain sartorial eloquence, and a style that’s almost of your own,” sang Sir Elton in 1980’s “Sartorial Eloquence”. There’s a good chance that lyricist Mr Tom Robinson had Sir Elton in mind when he penned these words. But while the song’s chorus hangs on the refrain “Don’t ya wanna play this game no more?” by that decade, the singer had upped the stakes, entering into an arms race of oversized tailoring with the likes of Mr Bryan Ferry. In fact, the look above shows restraint for the time – Talking Heads frontman Mr David Byrne would famously ape his fellow performers’ penchant for substantial suiting in the band’s live film Stop Making Sense three years later. In 2019, this boxier silhouette is again taking hold over men’s tailoring – see the anti-fit approach currently being put forward by the likes of Balenciaga – and Sir Elton’s checked jacket (with matching T-shirt) wouldn’t look out of place on most of the fashion week runways of recent seasons. The singer’s everything-goes attitude towards accessories – the Stetson-like hat and sheriff’s badge – also shows a man almost four decades ahead of his time.

Chinese military strategist Mr Sun Tzu often spoke of weakness, or the perception of it, being used as a strength. (Or, it might have been basketball legend Mr Michael Jordan – we’re easily confused.) Sir Elton John lived by this mantra, turning his requirement for prescription eyewear into a trademark – in today’s vernacular, we’d call it “brand building”. By the time the singer put his name down for corrective surgery in the early 2000s, he was said to have purchased some 20,000 pairs of glasses, many of which featured tinted lenses. Sunglasses not only give the wearer instance rock-star cachet, they also hide the multitude of sins the eyes tend to betray, which is handy on the tail-end of a tour-length bender. But more than help you look fresh, sunglasses offer your precious peepers protection from the sun’s glare. In “Bennie And The Jets”, Sir Elton spoke of the need to learn from previous generations: “Hey kids, plug into the faithless/maybe they’re blinded, but Bennie makes them ageless”. The lesson? When the spotlight’s shining, blocking out harmful UV rays wouldn’t hurt, too.

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