What “Boardwalk Empire” Got Wrong (Menswear Expert’s Review)

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From its debut in 2010, “Boardwalk Empire” has been a favorite TV series for fans of the gangster genre. But as menswear aficionados, our enjoyment goes beyond the plot, to focus on the stylish outfits depicted! Being set primarily in the 1920s, then, did the series correctly depict the men’s fashions from 100 years ago? Here’s our critique of the hit HBO program!

An Introduction to the “Boardwalk Empire” Book & TV Series

Set during the prohibition years in the US, “Boardwalk Empire” is an HBO TV show that spans the 1920s era of bootleggers. The series first aired in 2010, starting at the eve of Prohibition in 1920. The show aired over the course of four years, carrying a period for 11 years up till 1931 in 56 episodes or five seasons.

During this time in history, menswear saw a transition from the sober, formal dress of the previous century to more relaxed outfits.

Granted, the way characters dressed in Boardwalk Empire is much more formal than what most people would dress up today. Back in the day, it was a bit more casual. Overall, the show was quite a bit more colorful and less formal than what men typically would have worn back then, but it makes it all the more interesting for the clothes enthusiast in you.

Boardwalk Empire: The Birth, High Times, and Corruption of Atlantic City
Boardwalk Empire Book by Nelson Johnson

The show was actually based on a 2002 New York Times bestselling book, “Boardwalk Empire: The Birth, High Times, and Corruption of Atlantic City.” Penned by the author Nelson Johnson, the main character in the book is Enoch “Nucky” L. Thompson.

The show doesn’t follow the book literally, and the series creator Terence Winter took inspiration from events of the era. As such, we follow the fictional Enoch “Nucky” Thompson, who is a treasurer, bootlegger, and criminal throughout the series.

The pilot episode was directed by Martin Scorsese and at a budget of $18 million. Boardwalk Empire was nominated and awarded for numerous awards, including Emmys and Golden Globes. The series was also consistently nominated for their clothing and got a bunch of awards for that. John Dunn was the costume designer for the entire run, which is quite impressive.

Boardwalk Empire Costume Designers Awards
Boardwalk Empire Costume Designers Awards

During seasons one through four, he collaborated with Lisa Padovani. One of the biggest challenges Dunn and Padovani faced was, of course, that it was hard to fit modern-day men into original 1920s clothing.

As you can imagine in gangster movies, sometimes you need multiple suits of the same kind, and it’s almost impossible to find that vintage for an actor in their specific measurements. So, an easy way for them was to actually have the garments made by Martin Greenfield in New York. 

NYC tailoring fixture Martin Greenfield. (Photo by Levi Welton)
NYC tailoring fixture Martin Greenfield. (Photo by Levi Welton)

As we’ve mentioned in our menswear reviews of The Godfather and Downton Abbey, a common problem for new garments is that the fabrics don’t quite have the weight and drape that the ones in the period they were set used to have. For Boardwalk Empire, HMS Importers and Gladson try to make specific fabrics for the show, but the finishing today is just different.

So, overall, it’s not a vintage-style fabric. The show is really good at mixing real historical events like the rise of Al Capone with some fictional elements, thus making it quite interesting. By the way, we already got the original Al Capone’s outfits covered here.

Al Capone & Boardwalk Empire
Real Al Capone & Al Capone in Boardwalk Empire

Obviously, 56 episodes is a lot of stuff, and we can’t cover every outfit in today’s review. So, we decided to just look at the daywear and skip evening wear and other special things.

The Men and Their Style: Enoch “Nucky” Thompson (Steve Buscemi)

Nucky is the Atlantic County Treasurer by day and bootlegger at night. In order to keep the appearance of his double life, he’s keenly aware of the importance of his outward appearance. One of his quotes that still stuck with me to this day is, “Never let the truth get in the way of a good story.”

Enoch Nucky Thompson Boardwalk Empire
Enoch “Nucky” Thompson

Interestingly, he’s always well-dressed, even when he comes under attack from Gyp Rosetti in season three. Even when he’s hiding once he has been run out of town, he really wants to shape and keep up appearances and even tells his brother to do the same because he fears that without it, people won’t have the same respect.

To him, being clean-shaven and well-dressed is a signal of control and power. It also means that gangsters and people working for him can trust his authority. Obviously, he’s a crook, but he understands the power of clothing. And as a clothes horse yourself, you might really appreciate that.

The Real Enoch Johnson
The real Enoch Johnson, who was the inspiration for Nucky Thompson.

Suits

Compared to the real-life Enoch “Nucky” Johnson, the show character Thompson dresses quite a bit more flamboyantly. Costume Designer John Dunn said that he wasn’t really inspired by the real Nucky Johnson, but much rather by the Duke of Windsor, later Edward VIII, who was abdicated for marrying Wallis Simpson.

He was one of the most photographed men in the world when he was alive. His style was synonymous with mixing bold patterns. You can really see the influence in the windowpane suits and the checks of Nucky Thompson’s suits, and a willingness to play with color. All those specific features such as weld pockets, flap pockets, or jetted pockets vary between the suits.

Nucky Thompson suits
Nucky Thompson suits

Overall, I think it is a mix between a modern suit and something that men would have actually worn in the 1920s.

For example, the buttoning point of these jackets is quite high. Typically, it’s two or three closing buttons with a much smaller button stance, which is typical for the era. It gives the appearance of a longer skirt. But, back then, they also had a more body coat-style cut, so they fit more closely versus Nucky Thompson’s suits in the series are cut a little boxier. I also say the cut is a little fuller than what you might have seen in the 20s.

1920s High-Rise Trousers
1920s High-Rise Trousers

In the 30s, as you’d know from our post on the history of suits, you’ve got a lot more fullness and drape, but that wasn’t quite there in the 20s. He also likes wearing waistcoats and, sometimes, you see cool details. There’s just a shawl collar. But, overall, if you look at it from afar, you can see that they’re quite long because the pants have a rise that is too low.

Back in the 20s, high-rise trousers were absolutely the fashion. And while they’re great for many reasons, they had a more modern approach in the show and got it all wrong. Honestly, even today, when you wear high-rise trousers, you don’t get the triangle of the shirt and tie poking out when you have a single-breasted jacket on.

Shirts

He wore a detachable collar shirt. Basically, a smart woman had the idea to remove the collar and the cuffs because most people would only ever see those predominantly. And so, it was easier laundering just those than having to do the entire shirt.

Because of the Duke of Windsor and the increased level of comfort, detachable collar shirts were sometimes replaced by younger men for softer turn-down collar shirts. But, Nucky Thompson, being an older guy, was still sticking to the detachable collar shirts.

While detachable collars were starched with rice starch to a really stiff level and ironed in a certain way, the turned-down collars were often softer. And as a consequence, they were a little more floppy. A clip or something that kept the tips together made sure they stayed securely on the shirt while they were also elevating the tie knot for a more sophisticated look.

Yes, these were historically popular in the ’20s. Frankly, I’ve never seen as many characters wear them as in the show Boardwalk Empire. I think they went a little bit overboard, but it’s cool to see all these different collar bars and clips.

A tyfold collar has a hole to hold the tie-knot in place.
A tyfold collar has a hole to hold the tie-knot in place.

Nucky didn’t just wear detachable collared shirts, but he had the so-called tyfold collar, which has a cutout for the tie knot, which meant that the tie wouldn’t just slide all the way down, which is something you can often see in older pictures from that era. In Nucky’s case, he actually looked better. Interestingly, no more characters in the show have this kind of keyhole collar design.

By the 1920s, the tie fold collar was pretty much out of style. But, again, Nucky was an older guy, so it’s at least somewhat realistic that he could have worn those. I also really like Nucky Thompson’s shirts. They have beautiful shades of pastel colors; they aren’t just white.

His shirts have stripes, and they’re typically Winchester shirts because of the detachable collar. Yes, some of his shirts are quite loud, but that’s actually what men could have worn in the 20s, especially gangsters. They always like to dress a little more fleshy than Joe Average.

Steve Buscemi wearing turn down collar
Steve Buscemi wearing turn-down collar

Interestingly, as the series progresses, in seasons four and five, Steve Buscemi is seen wearing softer turn-down collar styles because, after all, he also has to change with changing times. Note, all of his shirts seem to be featuring French cuffs or double cuffs for cufflinks, but I wonder if they actually used chained cufflinks with decorative sides inside and out, or cheaper ones with a T-bar.

Shoes

Nucky Thompson’s most famous footwear is a pair of dark and tan full brogue spectators that he wears in the opening scenes and also in the movie posters. They’re actually black and tan by a brand called Forzieri, and they retail for $660. And for some strange reasons, they are still available, and they’re still being sold today.

Two-Tone Spectators from Forzieri in Black and Tan
Two-Tone Spectators from Forzieri in Black and Tan

How realistic are they? Not that much. First of all, black and tan are a bold color combination. Yes, someone might have worn that. But, if you look at the heel and the soles, they’re too chunky and not as refined. The heel is too low for a true 1920s shoe or boot.

If you still like his shoes, again, you can still get them. Just make sure you don’t have them washed over by saltwater because saltwater and leather are not really a great combination. 

Also, there’s a blunder where you can see someone shining his brown shoes. But, if you take a closer look, this is cemented construction. It’s not welted, and it’s not something someone would have worn back then. Apart from their shoes, you can also see their stylish socks, especially the ones with clocks, which is typically something men would have worn back then. 

In other scenes, we can see that Nucky is fond of Balmoral boots, which, again, is something men would have worn back then. They’re not vintage, though, because, again, they didn’t get the heel height right.

Otherwise, you can even see Nucky wearing sneakers. Ouch! No, you actually don’t see him wearing sneakers in the finished episodes. But, there are snapshots from in-between takes where you can see him wearing those; I assume because he felt they were more comfortable. If he had gotten well-fitted shoes, he would have been just as comfortable as in sneakers.

Nucky Thomson was seen wearing sneakers, which was out of place in the 1920s.
Nucky Thomson was seen wearing sneakers, which was out of place in the 1920s.

Ties

You’ll enjoy this show if you’re into ties because you see bold colors, ornate patterns, and just an unusual look. It’s not the same boring navy and red tie that you may be used to watching TV anchors and hosts. Although you might think that’s quite modern fashion for a take, in fact, men in the 1920s sometimes wore quite loud tie patterns, so that’s pretty accurate.

At first, I thought, “Well, maybe, they actually used vintage ties.” But, then, when you can see Nucky exposing the length of his tie, you know it’s not vintage because back then, they were much shorter ties that would barely reach your belly button or natural waistline.

Short Vintage Ties
Short Vintage Ties

Today, ties are longer, and so you can see that they’re actually modern ties. Back then, ties typically also had a much slimmer or sometimes no interlining. Today, most neckties have an interlining, which yields a different knot and look.

Overall, I think it would be nice to see more period-accurate ties, but they probably didn’t foresee the Gentleman’s Gazette reviewing their outfits.

They wore a much shorter tie length than what we’re used to today.
They wore a much shorter tie length than what we’re used to today.

Other Accessories

In terms of other accessories such as cufflinks or pocket squares, the most famous one of the show is probably the big red carnation pinned onto Nucky Thompson’s lapel. The real Nucky Johnson wore carnations, but he wore them properly through the buttonhole. So, I don’t know why they pinned it under the lapel. It just makes it look more peasant-like. 

Nucky also has a pocket watch and a double Albert chain, and he likes his Homburg hats.

Jimmy Darmody (Michael Pitt)

When Jimmy starts out, you can clearly see he’s that young boy who came home from war. He’s poor, and before joining the army, he was studying at Princeton and hoping to join Nucky’s business after he had finished his studies.

Jimmy Darmody in a tweed Norfolk jacket and a baker boy cap.
Jimmy Darmody in a tweed Norfolk jacket and a baker boy cap.

Upon his return, when he doesn’t immediately get the position that he thinks he deserves, he decides to leave the life of a gangster. Personally, I think the costume designers did a really great job of portraying his journey up the criminal ladder through his change in clothes.

Jacket

In the first episode, we can see him wearing a heavier wool Norfolk jacket, which is belted with a matching pair of pants, a heavier finely striped work shirt because he couldn’t afford to keep a white dress shirt white, and a knitted vest.

The Norfolk is a stylish and utilitarian garment that is definitely more country-focused. You can see where Jimmy did the same thing over and over again because he probably doesn’t have much more than that.

The utilitarian outfits of Jimmy Darmody speak about his status.
The utilitarian outfits of Jimmy Darmody speak about his status.

The color palette he often chooses is darker, with lots of grays, browns, and greens. While you could see an association to military garments, I also think it makes him different visually from Nucky Thompson.

It’s really obvious in the first season, where you can see him eating very fast when his look is out of place or later when he’s at Nucky Thompson’s office. The jacket is open, the tie and collar a little loose, and the waistband of his Norfolk jacket is just hanging loosely by the side.

Al Capone & Jimmy Darmody
Al Capone & Jimmy Darmody

It’s funny because Jimmy wants to be treated like an equal to Nucky, but his outward appearance just lets him down. Personally, I like the outfit he’s wearing for a more country setting, but if he wants to be in business, this doesn’t do him any favors.

Suits

His aesthetic changed when Al Capone, later on, helps Jimmy get a different look. Even then, one of the things I don’t like about Jimmy’s outfit is that he often wears rather dark shirts, sometimes lighter ties, which is typically a beginner mistake.

In one scene, he wears a dark blue three-piece suit with checks on them and a lighter blue and yellow. Although the silhouette could be interpreted as an overlay similar to what Nucky wears, there’s a lower button point.

Also, I’d say his suits are a little more closer to the style of the modern-day suit than Nucky’s suits. There are just a few things like the buttoning point of the waistcoat or the fishtail back trousers with an adjustable belt that will be different from what you would find off-the-rack in most places today.

Jimmy Darmody fishtail back trousers with an adjustable belt.
Jimmy Darmody fishtail back trousers with an adjustable belt.

The suspenders you can see here are this kind of red argyle pattern, and they have the D-ring in the back, which is actually historically accurate. Most modern suspenders have the kind of one leather piece that is attached to the two shoulder straps and the one back strap. But, back in the day, you often had four individual straps all held in place with this ring.

While there are historical inaccuracies, I like how the storyline is interwoven with the clothing choices. Jimmy doesn’t quite know who he is yet, and that’s reflected in his clothes. Yes, he’s got a new suit, but he’s not quite firm on his understanding of the style. And it looks like the tailor chose it for him rather than him going out and picking the outfit specifically.

The clothing of Jimmy changed as his lifestyle and status changed.
The clothing of Jimmy changed as his lifestyle and status changed.

Later in the series, Jimmy gets more suits. There’s a brown-striped one, but his shirts remain dark. He had a brown suit has a ticket pocket and a pleated back, which is something that men would wear much more frequently back then. Of course, we also see Jimmy in other suits, such as a gray Glen check suit with peaked lapels. The matching waistcoat, though, has notched lapels.

He also has a bluish chalk-stripe suit, which seems very similar in cut to his brown suit. It seems like he now understands the power of his outward appearance, but he still doesn’t really care that much about it. He just wants his clothes to get the job done, and he wants to be recognized for who he wants to be, and so, he just got basically the same suit in a different fabric.

Suits helped underline Jimmy's power and status in his community.
Suits helped underline Jimmy’s power and status in his community.

Shoes

Typically, Jimmy wears black lace-up boots. It’s quite typical for the 20s because boots were more popular than shoes for the most part. Streets were in rougher shape; there was more cobblestone and still more dirt.

As such, boots were typically sturdier and more supportive than a pair of dress shoes. And, you know, the black boots, maybe they remind him of his time in the trenches. They’re plain, unassuming, and functional.

A knife in Jimmy's boot.
A knife in Jimmy’s boot.

One thing we can see is that he likes to keep a knife sheathed into his boot. Because, of course, as a gangster, you have to be prepared. 

While the main goal of the scene was probably to show the knife, we can also get a glimpse at his blue and red striped socks, which we see he keeps in place with sock garters, which, back then, were really popular and functional. Today, if you have proper over-the-calf socks with better elastics, you don’t need sock guards anymore.

Other Accessories

I mentioned his dark shirts that he wears even with his suits later on, and although he doesn’t wear a collar clip initially, unlike many of the other people, he later comes around and wears a collar pin, too. You can really see when he’s not wearing them that the collar tips standing up from his shirt.

A collar pin helps keep the collar and tie knot in place.
A collar pin helps keep the collar and tie knot in place.

In one scene, we can see that he’s wearing French cuffs and cufflinks with an enamel detail in them. I know some modern people associate these kinds of dark, contrasting colored shirts with the 1920s. In fact, they’re way too early for that time period. Even for an American series, the fit of Jimmy’s clothes is pretty good, he doesn’t feel comfortable in them.

Chalky White (Michael Kenneth Williams)

In my mind, Chalky White is a much more interesting character. He definitely has the most flamboyant and colorful wardrobe in the show. I also think he truly one-ups Nucky Thompson with his style because it’s just a notch up.

Chalky White played by Michael Kenneth Williams
Chalky White played by Michael Kenneth Williams

Because he’s a black man, he can naturally wear higher contrast outfits, and it will look good on him. Like Nucky, we can clearly see when Chalky is falling from his graces because it’s reflected in his wardrobe, which I think is pretty cool.

Suits

His suits are generally not just bold in color, but he also likes to wear checks and, especially, windowpanes. For the most part, they’re single-breasted suits, always three-piece.

Chalky in double-breasted windowpane suit.
Chalky in double-breasted windowpane suit.

Occasionally, you can also see double present varieties. For example, look at this DB jacket. It is a 6-3, and it looks much more like a frock coat than a modern double-breasted jacket. I guess it’s true that double-breasted jackets look much more like this one than modern-day jackets, so they got the right inspiration here.

Typically, his loud suits are complemented by loud shirts with a Winchester collar with a rounded club collar tip. Except for the final season, you see Chalky White only pulling off bow ties.

Headwear

In terms of headwear, he also likes Hamburg hats, but also snap-brim fedoras. He’s also one of the very few characters who wear pocket squares consistently throughout the show.

Chalky White wearing a Homburg hat
Chalky White wearing a Homburg hat

Overcoats

Probably the most memorable overcoat of the series belongs to Chalky White. It’s this kind of deep red with a gray astrakhan collar, but it has raglan sleeves and is single-breasted. Looking at it, it’s more of a country coat, but with the astrakhan collar, it has a much more formal feel to it.

I think it would look better as a double-breasted overcoat. But then again, I’m a fan of double-breasted overcoats because they keep you warmer and, in my mind, look a lot more stylish.

Chalky White wearing a red double-breasted overcoat, which is a rather bold choice.
Chalky White wearing a red double-breasted overcoat, which is a rather bold choice.

Overall, I think Chalky White’s style is fun to look at and maybe get some inspiration from. But you can’t just copy it one-to-one; it would be way too bold. Maybe take some of the colors he pulls off, and you can incorporate them into your wardrobe without going over the top.

Richard Harrow (Jack Huston)

We first meet Richard at a military hospital where he befriends Jimmy. Serving as a marksman, he got hit in the face with a bullet, and so, he now has to wear a face mask to hide his injury. The facial prosthetic is pretty accurate, and that’s what men wore who came back from WWI and had these horrible wounds on their faces.

Facial Prosthetics
Facial Prosthetics

Shirts

At first, we can see Richard wearing a shirt without a detachable collar. Maybe it’s because of his mask. But, later on, as he changes, he’s wearing the detachable collar. He typically either has a collar clip or a collar pin to keep his tie in check, or he wears it with a button-down collar. His shirts aren’t plain white, sometimes striped, but they’re not as dark as Jimmy’s.

As I mentioned before, plain white shirts were a luxury because they showed you could afford to have him laundered frequently versus darker shirts, and striped shirts didn’t show the dirt as easily, so they were more favored by the middle class or poor. Note, he also has barrel cuffs for buttons, no cufflinks here. That’s just above his pay grade.

Richard Harrow wearing a white and red striped shirt with barrel cuffs.
Richard Harrow wearing a white and red striped shirt with barrel cuffs.

Suits

Richard also doesn’t have many suits. He just can’t afford them. He also likes earthy colors such as browns and greens and, typically, it’s a three-piece suit, single-breasted. Like Jimmy, he also has the sewn-in-half belt, which is a more casual feature of a jacket.

In one scene, he wears a single vent in the back, which is typical for an action back. They didn’t really like side vents, but most suit jackets had no vents because they gave a cleaner silhouette.

His double breasted suit with just two buttons is a modern 70s style.
His double-breasted suit with just two buttons is a modern 70s style.

Sometimes, you can also see him in somewhat wacky clothes like a double-breasted jacket with just two buttons, which is a more modern 70s style. But it’s definitely a bit more fashion-forward. I’m not saying no one ever wore it back then, but it was definitely more unusual.

The same jacket with the peak lapels, which are technically more formal. Also, it has those four patch pockets, which are much more utilitarian. This type of jacket did exist in the 20s, and so, it is somewhat accurate.

Headwear

In terms of headwear, you see many baker boy caps, sometimes in checkered fabrics, and they suit him well.

Baker Boy Cap
Baker Boy Cap

In terms of overcoats is this Niagara wool overcoat, which is double-breasted with this ulster-style collar and a belted back. Very historically accurate. Sometimes, he also has these tan peccary gloves, which provide a nice contrast. And if you’re interested in tan gloves or peccary leather gloves that are very stylish.

More or less, Richard’s style is definitely influenced by the military. It’s much more about practicality than style and looks. In my mind, Richard dresses better than Jimmy. It’s in line with his character, which is the embodiment of mind over matter. 

Richard Harrow's style is largely military-inspired.
Richard Harrow’s style is largely military-inspired.

Gyp Rosetti (Bobby Cannavale)

His character isn’t introduced until season 3, but he’s interesting clothing-wise. As a rival gangster to Nucky Thompson, Gyp is the antagonist of the third season. He’s passionate, violent, and quick to take insults. And above all, he’s very meticulous about his clothes.

For example, in his first scene, we can see him painstakingly brushing his clothes, but as a clotheshorse, you’ve probably been there before, right? In another scene where he tells Gillian, “only I do that,” when it’s about taking off his jacket and laying it down. He probably doesn’t want it to get damaged or stained.

Gyp Rosetti not letting Gillian take off his jacket.
Gyp Rosetti not letting Gillian take off his jacket.

At first glance, you could say that he dresses very similarly to Nucky. Bold three-piece suits, pastel-colored shirts, collar clips, bold overcoat, and Homburg hat. Once you take a second look, you realize his suits are actually quite different. 

For one, most of his suits have a solid color or very subtle pattern even though the color may be somewhat unusual. He likes jewel tones such as magenta or jade green. I know gangsters have a reputation for dressing a little more colorfully. And while they did it back then, I think this is quite a stretch.

A mid-gray micro-check suit on Gyp was among the 1920s menswear they got right.
A mid-gray micro-check suit on Gyp was among the 1920s menswear they got right.

This mid-gray micro-check suit that he’s wearing here is probably the most period-accurate one in terms of color and fabric pattern. Note, he also has the patched breast pocket, which is a feature I like and was definitely something you saw in the 30s.

He’s also a big fan of belts rather than suspenders, even though with the waistcoat, suspenders are better because they don’t make your vest stand away so much.

Gyp wearing a belt, rather than suspenders with his suit.
Gyp wearing a belt, rather than suspenders with his suit.

For the character Gyp, it makes sense because of his nightly activities. The gorge is a bit lower and more period-accurate. But, overall, considering he’s portrayed as someone who is so into his clothes, I would have expected maybe a few more specific details in his wardrobe that would have set him apart visually from others.

Shirts

For his shirts, he likes the spearpoint collars, but they look a little wider and not as narrow as on other characters. Even though he doesn’t have a collar pin, the tips are in quite good shape. So, I wonder if they actually had other collar buttons, which would not have been period accurate. 

The wider gap in his collar tips accommodates the Onassis knot.
The wider gap in his collar tips accommodates the Onassis knot.

The reason his collar tips are spread a little wider is so he can accommodate the Onassis tie knot. Basically, this is a four-in-hand knot, but you don’t pull the wider blade of the tie through the knot, but you just lay it on top of it. He sometimes wears it with a tie pin or a tie tack, so it stays in place.

Ties

Generally, his ties seem to be very period-accurate, have nice art deco influences, except maybe in this one instance where he has this satin tie, which is not something men would have worn back then like that.

Also, the Onassis knot is named after Aristotle Onassis, who wore it in the 1960s. I can’t recall any illustrations or movie material that shows this knot in the 1920s. So, in my mind, it’s quite a stretch.

Gyp Rosetti wearing a satin tie
Gyp Rosetti wearing a satin tie

Gyp Rosetti reminds me a bit of The Great Gatsby. Like when he wears his pink suit to show that he’s different, but he also displays a potential lack of taste. His stuff is interesting, and the jewel tones can be inspiring. But, sometimes, he just misses the mark.

Much like Jay Gatsby, we’re shown that Gyp is hungry to get to the top, and he’s basically willing to do anything to get there. With that comes a sort of overconfidence that manifests itself in his wardrobe. His bright suit basically says, “Look at me. I’m a big shot. I can wear this.”

Charles “Lucky” Luciano (Vincent Piazza)

Luciano was an actual real-life gangster who was on the rise in the 1920s. In Boardwalk Empire, we see how he, much like the young Al Capone, plays an important part in the American gangster scene.

In real life, Lucky Luciano was much like Cary Grant, where he basically dressed in the middle-of-the-road. So, he wasn’t too flashy. He wasn’t out-of-fashion, and therefore, his outfits probably would have looked fine for a long time.

The Real Charles Luciano
The Real Charles Luciano

 In a series, we see Lucky dressed with a youthful flair that reminds me of the J. C. Leyendecker illustrations, with nice herringbone-striped suits in grey with a blue stripe and then, again, a nice shirt with a pined collar that is striped and a micro-tie in blue.

Of course, this was three-piece, and the collar pin elevated the knot. The bottom point is higher also the waistcoat lapels are a bit smaller because of that, and, sometimes, you also see a belted or pleated back.

In the series, Lucky Luciano's outfits are reminiscent of J. C. Leyendecker illustrations.
In the series, Lucky Luciano’s outfits are reminiscent of J. C. Leyendecker illustrations.

He really favors the striped shirts. If you go through the J. C. Leyendecker heads, you can truly recognize them in Lucky Luciano’s outfits in the series. You could just say, “Well, he just knows how to dress well.” But, if you go a little deeper, you will understand that the reason everything works so well together is that he’s a big fan of combining gray and blue.

Gray and blue is a great color combination, and Lucky wears it well.
Gray and blue is a great color combination, and Lucky wears it well.

These colors are two menswear staples and work so well together, and Lucky does quite well in using the powerful combination. For example, if he has a gray suit, he has a blue tie, or if it’s a blue suit, he has a grayish tie. In terms of pattern, the ties are often striped or have a small micro-pattern.

Conclusion

So, who then is the best dressed in Boardwalk Empire? Well, you have to decide that. But, if you’re looking for actual wearability in the modern age, I think Lucky Luciano pulled it off the best, most likely because of his understanding of color combinations.

Vincent Piazza as Lucky Luciano with collar clip
Vincent Piazza as Lucky Luciano

At the end of the day, Boardwalk Empire is like a lot of other series. It’s great fun to watch. It’s interesting as a menswear enthusiast. But, historically, it’s not really accurate. If you really want to know what men actually wore in 19-teens, we recently made a guide for that, and we have an upcoming one about the 1920s.

That being said, I applaud any television show that focuses on classic menswear because it exposes that style to a broader mainstream audience. And I firmly believe that because of these shows, new people want to learn more about it, maybe wear a suit, maybe wear a collar pin or a tie after all, which is great for our cause in general.

Outfit Rundown

I’m wearing an outfit that I could have probably worn in Boardwalk Empire. It’s not strictly inspired by the 1920s and the pants are a bit too wide. I also have double pleats, which is not something they had at the time.

Raphael wearing a boardwalk inspired ensemble.
Raphael wearing a boardwalk-inspired ensemble.
Orange Red Jacquard Woven Tie with Printed Diamonds in Blue and White - Fort Belvedere

Fort Belvedere

Orange Red Jacquard Woven Tie with Printed Diamonds in Blue and White – Fort Belvedere

Dark Red Carnation Boutonniere Life Size Lapel Flower - Fort Belvedere

Fort Belvedere

Dark Red Carnation Boutonniere Life Size Lapel Flower – Fort Belvedere

A plain white linen pocket square on a white background

Fort Belvedere

White Linen Pocket Square with Handrolled Edges made in Italy – Fort Belvedere

Dark Grey Socks with Burgundy and White Clocks in Cotton - Fort Belvedere

Fort Belvedere

Dark Grey Socks with Burgundy and White Clocks in Cotton – Fort Belvedere

But, the pattern is a nice dark brown and cream herringbone pattern, which from afar looks more like a gray. It works well with my gray kind of mottled two-tone Homburg hat and I decided to wear a white shirt, a collar clip, and a geometric patterned tie in a bolder color, which is kind of a burnt orangey, red paired with a blue my pocket square is plain white linen from Fort Belvedere just like the tie, and the big carnation red boutonniere, which is something Nucky Thompson wore. Of course, I’m wearing mine through the lapel buttonhole. And if you’re into boutonnieres and lapel flowers, we got you covered in the Fort Belvedere shop.

My jacket has notched lapels, three patch pockets, and a belted pleated back. On my feet, I’m wearing a pair of two-tone black and off-white button boots, which were a popular dress boot option in 1920s. I’m combining it with a pair of charcoal gray socks with a clock pattern, which is, again, something that men wore at the time. Last but not least, my French cuff shirt has double-sided chain cufflinks in red and gold that pick up the color of the tie.

And my ring has this kind of iridescent stone that is multi-colored and flashy and maybe reminds some of you of the whole gangster milieu of Boardwalk Empire.

Whose menswear style is your favorite in Boardwalk Empire? Tell us in the comments section!

Reader Comments

  1. The article would have been much more enjoyable if you could actually see the photo’s correctly. Very poor work on the photo editing, they should be much brighter, at least enough to see the details. Sub par for this site.

    1. Hi there, thank you for reading the article. Unfortunately, there’s only so much we can do with the source images before we start to lose clarity – it can be quite the balancing act! Hopefully, you’ll find the accompanying video to be useful in showcasing the details of the outfits in motion.

  2. NYC tailoring fixture Martin Greenfield looks like he just rolled out of bed. Suit looks like it doesn’t fit. I’m in NYC. I would definitely avoid him as a tailor !

  3. Raphael – Very interesting post….
    Your historic accuracy reviews are are some of GG’s best.
    Would like to see Kyle host a historic men’s wear review on Richard Gere’s / Gregory Hines’ “Cotton Club*”
    Your perspective on the Mob’s dress and Preston’s commentary on the music would make it a trifecta !
    Best,
    James I. Laursen
    * What a supporting cast as well !

  4. Never saw the tv show but excellent review.

    Classic line: “no cuff links here…just above his pay grade.”

    Great Homburg hat !

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