Gangster Suits

The Fascination with Gangster Costumes

Hollywood long ago figured out the people's inherent fascination for the gangster world and as a result, we have more gangster movies than we can count. With the fighting sequences with the swishing overcoats and the turned-up mysterious collars the appeal is understandable. But if you notice on the basic level you will understand that the wardrobe choices of these charismatic characters are one factor that makes the movies much fun and interesting to watch. And thus we have a lot of stylish gangsters who are fashion inspirations and whose costumes we would love to try on at least for the Halloween event. In this article, we discuss the mens gangster costumes and some ideas that would help you satisfy your inner gangster.

Choosing Your Gangster Style

1. Vintage vs. Modern Gangster

As for dressing like a gangster be it for a Halloween party or a theme party there are a lot of options for you to choose from. As mentioned before Hollywood has provided with numerous stylish villains and hence the choices are abundant. Before you go with the mens gangster costume outfit it would be better if you figure out the style that you would like to go with at the basic level. For example, if you are into the vintage gangster style then you have a different template than when it comes to modern gangsters. Thus this basic choice is the most important and it would be easier for you to latch on the costume style of a certain gangster film to figure out the right style for you.

2. 20th Century Gangster Costumes

If you do not have a particular favorite and just would like to go as a 20th-century gangster then here is everything that you have to acquire for the mens gangster dress costumes. For a 20th century mens gangster costume you will have to put in some effort since they always dressed elegantly for a gangster. For a typical gangster outfit prevalent in the 1920s and 1930s you will have to go with the suit and pair it with the white collared shirt and a tie. This would be easy if you are a person who suits up on daily basis. All you have to do is the simple styling of the suit but the details are what matters.

Classic Colors and Styles

It would be best to restrict the color of the suit to black or grey. Pinstripe Gangster suits were also prevalent in the first half of the 1900s. Three piece gangster suits for men were all the rage back then, and thus it is best if you add a vest to your gangster suit costume. You can style these standard-colored suits with a white shirt and black tie. If you find the ensemble to be too funeral type then you can choose to style the black suits with a black dress shirt and a white tie. For the added effect you can fold the collars of the shirt after you wear the jacket. To complete the look you can add with the outfit a pair of black or dark brown wingtip shoes.

Iconic Gangster Styles

While this was the prevalent and most common gangster style of the 1920s and the 1930s each of the popular gangsters had their own touch to their outfit. For example, Scarface was well known for his high quality well tailored suits along with a number of flashy accessories like rings and chains. If you have watched the film Scarface then you would have understood the appeal of the outfits we are talking about. Al Pacino beautifully portrayed the character and the wardrobe choices did great justice to the man. If you are the fan of the classic and would like to try the same then here are some of the ideas which might give you inspiration.

3. Scarface Inspired Costumes

Classic Scarface Look

Al Capone considered himself to be a businessman rather than a gangster and this was perfectly reflected in his choice of clothing. He was said to have imported high-quality fabric from Italy and then paid the professionals to tailor the suits to perfection. While in reality, Scarface stuck with the subtle colored suits in the film he was given dressier and flashier choices. For example, the cream pinstripe double breasted suit that he wears in the film with a red splayed collar shirt and red print silk pocket square is one of the iconic looks from the film which you can try out for Halloween.

Bloodbath Scene Costume

If you want to try the mens gangster costume style that he wears in the iconic bloodbath scene in the climax you can choose to go with the deep blue mens pinstripe Gangster suit and you will have to pair it with a vest and a linen shirt. That with the 'Say hello to my little friend' and probably a toy gun would do some justice to this gangster costume male.

4. The Great Gatsby Gangster Costumes

Jay Gatsby Look

The next style that you can try out if you love the 1920s mens costumes is the Great Gatsby gangster costumes. The film came out in 2013 and garnered much attention for the perfect wardrobe choices of the men in the film. The Great Gatsby mens gangster costumes are more elegant and dressier than the Scarface gangster costumes and would be best for the people who would love to dress up for the events but would never slack off even for dressing up. In The Great Gatsby film, you will see that the costumes of the whole cast are meticulously picked out and each has a different story to tell. Thus you have a lot of choices to choose from and it would help if you go through your wardrobe to evaluate the already available styles and then make the pick.

If you are more of a Jay Gatsby type of dresser then you should make sure to go with the high quality impeccable dressing since the man in the film is known for his love of dressing up. We all know that the movie is a literary adaptation and in the book it is hinted that the man has a room full of dress shirts and if this doesn't showcase his obsession then nothing does better. Starting with the Jay Gatsby men's gangster costume it would be best if you go with the Mens Roaring 1920s Costumes since the film is set at that time.

Specific Jay Gatsby Elements

Peak lapel mens vested suits. costume would be a perfect style for cosplaying Jay Gatsby. As for the pattern you can choose the subtle windowpane style. The suit jacket of this gangster costume men style comes with 4 buttons and slit breast pocket. As for the pants it is of the same fabric as the suit jacket and the 1920s pants were mostly flat fronted with the single pleat pressed down to the shoes. As for the shirt to be paired with the brown wool gangster costume suit you can pair it with a light blue pointed collar dress shirt. Since he is a person who relishes in perfection the shirt come with the French cuffs and then a burnt orange tie is added to the outfit. The look of the Great Gatsby men's gangster suit clearly indicates his good fortune.

Nick Carraway Look

As for Nick Carraway men's gangster costume, it showcases his middle class status. The 3 button notch lapel costume is dark brown in colour and comes with a coordinating vest and pants. He pairs this gangster suit costume with a light pink cotton dress shirt and contrasting white collar. This is because of the fact that the removable shirt collars were one of the popular styles in the 1920s among the middle class working men. The costume is further enhanced by a multi colored striped tie and he wears a watch chain in his vest. This particular detail can be a great choice to be added to your men's gangster suit since it was most popular in the early 1900s and it can enhance your costume a great deal.

5. The Godfather Gangster Costumes

When talking about gangster movies we cannot move on without mentioning the Godfather. It has become a cult classic, and it would continue to fascinate people of the following generations. Again there are a lot of styles in the Godfather gangster costumes from which you can select the one best for you. 

Michael Corleone Look

Starting with the men gangster costume of Michael Corleone it is best for you to choose the simple yet luxurious looks. You can choose to go with the silk gangster costume which comes with the single breasted suit jacket, pleated trousers, white dress shirt and black silk tie. To complete the look you can add with the outfit a pair of light grey leather tassel loafers. Another important accessory that you should note about the Godfather mens gangster costumes is the hat. If you are looking for a style that is best for the event you can add with the suit a mens gangster godfather hat which should be a fedora. Go with the dark colored fedora hat be it black or dark brown when you need a subtle style but when you need a summer style then you can choose to go with the white fedora hat.

6. Peaky Blinders Gangster Costumes

General Peaky Blinders Look

Another show that has gained a lot of popularity in recent times for the features men gangster costumes is The Peaky Blinders. The show has gained a lot of fanbase which is of all age groups. Again the criminal gang dressed impeccably throughout the series and thus is the perfect inspiration for the guys gangster costume. There are a lot of characters in the film but the gang mostly sticks with the same sort of men's gangster costume with only subtle changes in the details. If you are a person who likes the subtle yet stylish gangster costums then mens peaky blinders costume must be your choice for the event.

The peaky blinders costume style is easy to put together since the men throughout the series stick with the subtle and dull shades of the suits giving them a mysterious vibe. When you want to choose the right style of the peaky blinders costume then you can go with the three piece classic vested suit and then pair it with a detachable collar shirt. As for the accessories, you can add a newsboy cap, Oxford laced boots and a heavy overcoat. The newsboy cap and the heavy overcoats have become the signature components of the mens peaky blinders costume Other than this there are also accessories like the single Albert chains, tie bars, ties, and pocket watches. It would be best for you to go through the styles and choose the one that would best suit your needs.

Tommy Shelby Look

If you are fascinated by the character Tommy Shelby played to perfection by Cillian Murphy then you can go dressed like the stylish kingpin of Birmingham. Again he sticks with the gang's style, but there are subtle differences that set his style apart. If you are choosing to go with the Thomas Shelby gangster costume then you can distinguish the look with a black velvet half-collar overcoat since he is the only one who wears this style. For a simple look, you can style the Thomas Shelby pinstripe outfit with a white dress shirt which is also striped sometimes. Other than this you can also try out the Arthur Shelby vested costume when you need a more muted style for the event. Whichever style you go with make sure to add the long and heavy overcoat that seems to be the signature look of the peaky blinders gang.

Modern Gangster Costumes

Other than this you can also choose to go with the modern men's gangster suit which are much easier to put together. For the modern men's gangster costume style, you can go with baggy clothes like oversized t-shirts sweatpants and pullovers. You can get inked with some tattoos if you are okay with it or you have removable tattoos that you can use for the event. There are a lot of styles available in the market, and you can choose the mens gangster costume near me option or the online stores to get your choice.