Vitals

Tony Lo Bianco as Peter J. Nicholas, devout NYPD detective

New York City, Spring 1976

Film: God Told Me To
Release Date: October 22, 1976
Director: Larry Cohen
Costume Designer: Halston (credited for Deborah Raffin’s wardrobe)

WARNING! Spoilers ahead!

Background

Today would have been the 90th birthday of Tony Lo Bianco, born in New York City on October 19, 1936. A terrific character actor who was often on the sidelines of great ’70s cinema like The French Connection (1971), Serpico (1973), and The Seven-Ups (1973), Lo Bianco also shined in starring roles like Leonard Kastle’s haunting 1970 true crime drama The Honeymoon Killers and the sci-fi horror thriller God Told Me To, which was released 50 years ago this week in October 1976.

Lo Bianco stars as NYPD Detective Peter J. Nicholas, who begins questioning his own past while investigating a series of violent crimes perpetrated by people claiming that God informed their murders.

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What’d He Wear?

Detective Nicholas alternates between a tan wool gabardine suit, a gray business suit, and a navy serge blazer throughout God Told Me To, beginning with the tan suit that he wears when he and his fellow detectives are confronting the water tower sniper at the film’s outset.

The single-breasted jacket follows business tailoring conventions with its two-button front, three-button cuffs, and typical arrangement of a welted breast pocket and flapped hip pockets, further informed by ’70s trends from wide notch lapels and pocket flaps to a long single vent in the back.

The suit’s flat-front trousers have a medium-high rise to just below Tony Lo Bianco’s natural waist line, held up by a wide brown leather belt that closes through a hefty shining gold-toned single-prong buckle. Nicholas keeps his 4″-barreled Smith & Wesson service revolver holstered here in a weathered brown leather outside-the-waistband (OTB) rig, positioned at 1 o’clock for a left-handed cross-draw.

These trousers have slightly slanted side pockets, two jetted back pockets, and plain-hemmed bottoms that cover the tops of his cognac-brown leather ankle boots. These plain-toed boots have raised heels, consistent with the increased trend of urban men wearing cowboy boots with their suits during the ’70s, though Nicholas’ boots have lower shafts that qualify them closer to ankle boots.

Nicholas typically pairs the tan suit with a sky-blue poplin shirt, though this occasionally alternates with a deeper French blue shirt during scenes set at his precinct. These blue shirts are similarly styled with a semi-spread collar following a ’70s-informed size, a plain button-up front, breast pocket, and double (French) cuffs that he fastens with gold links.

He unites the tan and blue tones in his suit and shirt with his matte polyester necktie, patterned with a large, all-over gold-and-olive paisley print against a dark indigo ground.

The last time Nicholas wears this suit on screen is during a brief vignette when he pairs it with the more subdued combination of a black heavy twill tie against a pale cream shirt with a front placket and single-button barrel cuffs.

The left-handed Lo Bianco wears his watch on his right wrist, with the subdued steel wristwatch in God Told Me To likely the actor’s own. The round white dial has black Arabic numeral hour indices and fastens to his wrist on a black leather band. A brief scene in bed also reveals Nicholas’ stylized cross suspended from a silver necklace.

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How to Get the Look

If someone asks what inspired your tan suit, blue shirt, and paisley tie, your response is simple: God Told Me To.

• Tan wool gabardine suit:
  • Single-breasted 2-button jacket with notch lapels, welted breast pocket, straight flapped hip pockets, 3-button cuffs, and long single vent
  • Flat-front trousers with belt loops, slightly slanted side pockets, jetted back pockets, and plain-hemmed bottoms
• Sky-blue poplin shirt with large semi-spread collar, plain front, breast pocket, and double/French cuffs
• Indigo with gold-and-olive paisley-printed matte tie
• Gold cuff links
• Brown leather belt with shining gold-toned single-prong buckle
• Cognac-brown leather ankle boots
• Steel wristwatch with round white dial on black leather strap

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Do Yourself a Favor and…

Check out the movie.