There are few actors working today who are more appealing than Forest Whitaker. His physical appearance alone is enthralling enough, lugubriously stalking the screen like a soulful, wonky-eyed bear. He's also a top-notch actor, regularly rising above lesser material, as in, we fear, his latest flick, "Repo Men" -- a high-concept sci-fi gore-fest in which he appears as a futuristic human organ repossession agent alongside Jude Law.

The Texas-born, L.A.-raised thespian got his break in "Fast Times at Ridgemont High" before making his name with winning performances in Clint Eastwood's jazz biopic "Bird" and Neil Jordan's classic Brit thriller "The Crying Game." Whitaker's later career has seen him win an Oscar for his portrayal of Idi Amin in "The Last King of Scotland" and take on his coolest, most career-defining role: as the epically enigmatic, near-silent assassin Ghost Dog in 1999's "Ghost Dog: Way of the Samurai."

Style-wise, it seems like Mr. Whitaker takes his cues from "Ghost Dog" director Jim Jarmusch -- or at least the indie-cinema guru's latest film, "The Limits of Control." In it, a near-silent assassin (this time played by Isaac de Bankole, rather than Whitaker) dons a variety of expertly color-coordinated suits while plotting his next hits.

Whitaker prefers a blazer and sneaker combo to the immaculate tailoring of de Bankole's Lone Man, the keen-eyed palette principle is the same: purples and grays, tans and oranges, mushrooms and olives and -- as seen here with gorgeous actress and wife Keisha Nash at a charity event last fall -- black and deep blue.

ASOS Tailoring Black Pindot Jacket
Super-slim, super-styling, super-cheap. ASOS is currently the only choice for bargain-basement, yet cutting-edge, tailoring. ($94 from Asos.com)

Marc by Marc Jacobs Uniform Denim Slim Jeans in Dark Rinse Wash
Sure, all black is a fail-safe look, but mixing in a little deep, midnight blue with your noirish threads is a subtly adventurous touch that can bring a suave, soulful flair to an ensemble. ($128 from Bloomingdales.com)

Nike Air Force 1 07 LE Men's Shoe in Black/Black
If you're going to rock the business-up-top, casual-down-below look, the Air Force 1 is a good shoe to choose: Classic retro lines and understated styling makes this about as grown-up as sneakers come. Best of all, if you're a fan of Forest Whitaker–style color coordination, they come in all manner of cool hues. ($88 from Nike.com)

Sammy Readers
From Jay-Z and Kanye to Lil Wayne and Forest Whitaker, big, plastic-rimmed geek glasses may be just about the hottest look among dapper African-Americans these days. It gets a big thumbs up from us, though it'd be nice if they'd leave a few things for those of us who aren't already cool in the first place. (At least we've still got knee socks and sandals.)
($14 from UrbanOutfitters.com)

Theory Arrow Marco P Dress Shirt
($125 from Bloomingdales.com)