Live the Life: Querelle

German auteur Rainer Werner Fassbinder was never one to shy away from the provocative, and his last film before his untimely death, 1982's dreamlike Querelle, was no exception. Loosely based on Jean Genet's book Querelle de Brest, it tells the violent, homoerotically charged story of a degenerate sailor, detailing his misdeeds while off-duty in a small port city. With his low-cut top and butt-hugging pants, Fassbinder's titular character, played by Brad Davis, epitomized hyper-masculine archetypes reminiscent of Tom of Finland and the Village People. Anchors aweigh, indeed.

Photography by Graeme Montgomery

Below, Fashion Editor Brent Coover shows you exactly how to make Querelle's look work for you.