Tagged: Mafia
The Sopranos: Tony’s Black Leather Blazer
James Gandolfini as Tony Soprano on The Sopranos.
(Episode 5.13, “All Due Respect”)
Vitals
James Gandolfini as Tony Soprano, Jersey mob boss and conflicted family man
New Jersey, Fall 2002-2007
Series: The Sopranos
Episodes: multiple episodes from “Mergers and Acquisitions” (4.08) through “The Blue Comet” (6.20)
Air Dates: November 3, 2002 (4.08) through June 3, 2007 (6.20)
Creator: David Chase
Costume Designer: Juliet Polcsa
Background
James Gandolfini was born on September 18, 1961. On what would’ve been the late, great actor’s 54th birthday, BAMF Style is finally examining a favorite look of his most notorious character: Tony Soprano.
The Sopranos did a fine job of keeping its characters’ wardrobes consistent and contextually fashionable throughout the seasons. Just as in real life, clothing is repeated on a cycle, with certain items showing up more in the colder seasons and others on warmer days.
When autumn rolled around on the later seasons of The Sopranos, Tony could often be seen wearing a garment very frequently associated with Italian mobsters – a black leather blazer. Continue reading
Casino – Ace’s Ivory Western Suit with Red-on-Red Silk
Robert De Niro as Sam “Ace” Rothstein in Casino (1995).
Vitals
Robert De Niro as Sam “Ace” Rothstein, Vegas casino executive and mob associate
Las Vegas, Summer 1977
Film: Casino
Release Date: November 22, 1995
Director: Martin Scorsese
Costume Design: Rita Ryack & John A. Dunn
Background
By the mid-1970s, Frank “Lefty” Rosenthal appeared to have it all. Having tried his hardest to leave his mob affiliations behind him back east, he was now running the Stardust Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas with a beautiful ex-showgirl wife and a massive wardrobe pull of bespoke suits and sport coats.
Unfortunately, his mob affiliations were chasing him to Vegas in the form of vicious Chicago enforcer Tony “the Ant” Spilotro; he still didn’t have a license to legally be managing his casino; and his troubled wife Geri was still in contact with her shitty ex, Lenny Marmor. Continue reading
Bugsy Siegel in White Tie
Warren Beatty and Annette Bening in Bugsy (1991)
Vitals
Warren Beatty as Benjamin “Bugsy” Siegel, debonair and mercurial “celebrity” gangster
Hollywood, March 1945
Film: Bugsy
Release Date: December 13, 1991
Director: Barry Levinson
Costume Designer: Albert Wolsky
Background
Unfortunately, the ultra formal white tie dress code is all but extinct in American culture. The popularity of black tie in the post-World War I era was the first bullet to the chest of white tie, but an increasingly informal society has peppered white tie with more bullets than the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre. Luckily for sartorial purists, Downton Abbey and programs of its ilk have inspired a resurgence in early 20th century formalwear. As Mad Men has taught us, all it takes is a good TV show with well-dressed characters to get Americans to dress better.
A natty dresser like Bugsy Siegel didn’t need examples from the movies, though. While I’ve never seen a photo of the real guy in white tie, it makes sense that an image-conscious guy like Siegel would sport a formal tailcoat for a night of dancing at the legendary Ciro’s nightclub in West Hollywood to cultivate his image as a romantic ladies’ man rather than a vicious mobster. Siegel even tells a photographer from The Herald that captures him in mid-dance:
See that they run that, and not one of those sinister mugshots.
Goodfellas – Henry’s Herringbone Fleck Sportcoat
Ray Liotta as Henry Hill in Goodfellas (1990)
Vitals
Ray Liotta as Henry Hill, New York mob associate and club owner
New York City, Spring 1964
Film: Goodfellas
Release Date: September 19, 1990
Director: Martin Scorsese
Costume Designer: Richard Bruno
Background
It’s gonna be a good summer!
…as Jimmy Conway tells Henry Hill after watching him split up the take from a recent robbery at the JFK’s Air France terminal. Cargo thefts had always been a mob tradition, but the April 1967 heist of $420,000 in cash set a new high mark for the mob as the proceeds were all in “totally, totally untraceable”. No need for shady fences or risky transactions of stolen goods.
Henry dresses fashionably for the robbery, wearing a herringbone sports coat that shows up a few times over the course of Goodfellas. It’s a fine primer on how one can dress for a date, a heist, or even burying a mob murder victim. (Not that BAMF Style condones that sort of thing…) Continue reading
Casino – De Niro’s Blue and Yellow Plaid Sportcoat
Robert De Niro as Sam “Ace” Rothstein in Casino (1995).
Vitals
Robert De Niro as Sam “Ace” Rothstein, Vegas casino executive and mob associate
Las Vegas, Spring 1977
Film: Casino
Release Date: November 22, 1995
Director: Martin Scorsese
Costume Design: Rita Ryack & John A. Dunn
Background
Spring is coming, and that means bright colors… a color palette that few movies have mastered for men’s fashion as well as Scorsese’s crime epic Casino.
As top handicapper and Vegas casino runner “Ace” Rothstein, Robert De Niro wears more than fifty different costumes, all generally a series of colorful suits and sport coats. Some who don’t know better have criticized the film for this, unable to take the man seriously for his wardrobe. However, Ace’s costumes are a reflection of the wardrobe of his real life counterpart Frank “Lefty” Rosenthal. In fact, costumer Rita Ryack mentions in an interview that the real Lefty’s clothing was even more extravagant than De Niro’s. Continue reading
Goodfellas – Henry’s “Half Mick, Half Guinea” Green Suit
Ray Liotta as Henry Hill in Goodfellas (1990).
Vitals
Ray Liotta as Henry Hill, New York mob associate and club owner
Queens, NY, June 11, 1970
Film: Goodfellas
Release Date: September 19, 1990
Director: Martin Scorsese
Costume Designer: Richard Bruno
Background
As Morrie Kessler’s favorite “half mick, half guinea”, it’s nice to see Henry Hill channeling his Irish side with a green suit while out at a bar. In particular, his bar – The Suite Lounge in Queens. (In reality, the scene was filmed at the Lido Cabaret at 7320 Grand Avenue in Maspeth.) Unfortunately for us, it wasn’t St. Patrick’s Day, and unfortunately for Billy Batts, an angry Joe Pesci was around. Continue reading
The Sopranos: Christopher’s Red Sport Coat
Michael Imperioli as Christopher Moltisanti in “A Hit is a Hit”, episode 1.10 of The Sopranos.
Vitals
Michael Imperioli as Christopher Moltisanti, Jersey mob associate and aspiring screenwriter
New York City, Spring 1998
Series: The Sopranos
Episodes: “A Hit is a Hit” (Episode 1.10) and “D-Girl” (Episode 2.07)
Air Dates: March 14, 1999 (1.10) and February 27, 2000 (2.07)
Directors: Matthew Penn (1.10) and Allen Coulter (2.07)
Costume Designer: Juliet Polcsa
Background
Although a bit late for this Valentine’s Day (and my self-proclaimed #MafiaMonday), this post explores a creative integration of red into a man’s outfit. While some – and, likely, most – will consider it over-the-top, the character in question isn’t exactly known for his good taste.
For date nights in New York City with Adriana, Chris likes to show off his gangster status by donning his two favorite wardrobe colors: red and black. The pairing of a red sport coat with black trousers and shirt evokes a look made famous by Robert De Niro in Casino. Given Christopher’s obsession with mob movies (and Martin Scorsese), it would make sense that he would choose to mimic an outfit from one of the best-known mob movies sported by the genre’s undisputed maestro. Continue reading
Sonny Corleone’s Groomsman Tuxedo
BAMF Style looks forward to Valentine’s Day this weekend with an abbreviated Week of Weddings.
James Caan as Santino “Sonny” Corleone in The Godfather (1972). This is a production photo; in the film itself, he pins a white carnation onto his left lapel.
Vitals
James Caan as Santino “Sonny” Corleone, hotheaded Mafia underboss
Long Island, NY, August 1945
Film: The Godfather
Release Date: March 15, 1972
Director: Francis Ford Coppola
Costume Designer: Anna Hill Johnstone
Background
Sonny is a natural choice as a groomsman for his sister’s wedding. Not only did he introduce her to her new husband, but he’s the underboss of New York’s powerful Corleone crime family and not the sort of guy who would appreciate being left out.
Sonny is a busy guy on the wedding day. He has to be all over the place, from the parking lot to his father’s office while keeping tabs on his war hero brother, his wife, and his mistress. Of course, when the Don summons him, he’s never far away. Continue reading
Michael Corleone’s Shopping Attire in The Godfather
Al Pacino as Michael Corleone in The Godfather (1972).
Vitals
Al Pacino as Michael Corleone, war hero and Mafia son
New York City, Christmas 1945
Film: The Godfather
Release Date: March 15, 1972
Director: Francis Ford Coppola
Costume Designer: Anna Hill Johnstone
Background
Christmas shopping is an activity not traditionally associated with BAMF activity, but the tradition of exchanging gifts with family is fun. After all, Don Corleone says:
…a man who doesn’t spend time with his family can never be a real man.
So, in the spirit of Monday’s holiday list post, follow Michael Corleone as he and Kay Adams go on a midtown shopping date at Christmas. Continue reading
Michael Corleone’s Gray Striped Suit in The Godfather
Al Pacino on set as Michael Corleone in The Godfather (1972).
Vitals
Al Pacino as Michael Corleone, cold and calculating New York Mafia boss
Long Island, NY, August 1955
Film: The Godfather
Release Date: March 15, 1972
Director: Francis Ford Coppola
Costume Designer: Anna Hill Johnstone
Background
Last weekend, I attended a baptism. While other family members were snapping photos through tearful eyes, I kept picturing fat Clemenza blowing a guy away with a shotgun and Moe Greene getting the Bugsy Siegel treatment.
Whether or not you’re the type of person moved to sentiment by a baptism, anyone who has seen The Godfather can hardly forget the brilliance of Coppola’s juxtaposition between Michael admitting his son into the church while simultaneously sending his enemies to hell.
After returning to the United States and taking his slain brother‘s former mantle as boss of the Corleone Crime Family, Michael Corleone leaves behind the earth tones he sported earlier in the film. Gray is now his color of choice, reflected throughout his wardrobe. Continue reading
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