Peaky Blinders Style: How to Get the Look

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The popularity of the Peaky Blinders television series has inspired a massive resurgence in 1920s and ’30s menswear. In this article, you’ll learn how to adapt the gang’s iconic look within the confines of the Classic Style so that you don’t look dated or like a Tommy Shelby cosplayer.

How Peaky Blinders Style Sparked a Classic Menswear Renaissance You Can Join In

Peaky Blinders Style Spans the Early 20th Century

Over its six seasons, fans of Peaky Blinders have been taken on a sartorial journey that stretches from the fashions of the Roaring Twenties, through the Great Depression, to the eve of World War II. As the series has progressed, lapels have gotten wider, suit patterns have gotten bolder, and most of the characters have finally transitioned from avoiding neckwear to regularly wearing ties.

While the show has been running, it has inspired many fashion trends that harken back to the early 20th century. These include the Prohibition high & tight hairstyle, dress boots, and even newsboy and flat caps, the signature feature of the Peaky Blinders gang. 

Why the Peaky Blinders Look Still Works Today

The Peaky Blinders are particularly suited for inspiring contemporary styling because their style avoids many of the flashier and more ostentatious elements of early 20th century fashion as is indicative of the Classic Style. Their understated monochromatic color palette, judicious use of subtle textures, and utility-focused accessories are distinctly appealing to gentlemen today because the look is so timeless. 

So let’s take a deeper look at the history behind the gang, menswear developments during this time, the style of the Peaky Blinders, and how you can replicate their look.

The Historical Peaky Blinders

How Street Gangs like the Peaky Blinders Used Menswear

Throughout history, street gangs have required subtle ways to distinguish themselves from friends and foes without obviously indicating their criminal inclinations to the authorities. Subtle variations in clothing were, and remain, a common identification tactic for street gangs.

The historical Peaky Blinders, operating in Birmingham, England from the late 1880s to the early late 1910s, were known for their style, which included expensive ties, prominent brass buttons on their jackets, bell-bottoms, and their eponymous peaked caps, from which they derived their name. Thanks to these markers, the Peaky Blinders became identifiable for their style in the slums of Birmingham.

A photograph showing mugshots of five men, four of whom are wearing peaked caps, with handwritten notations about their alleged crimes.
Period mugshots showcase the styles of the real Peaky Blinders. Note the prominence of their signature peaked caps and their overcoats. [Image via Reddit]

How the Peaky Blinders Got Their Name: Myths and Reality

In the fictional world of the television series, the Peaky Blinders derived their name from the practice of sewing disposable razor blades into the peaks of their caps. During a brawl, gang members could wield their hats like weapons, or head-butt opponents to cut their faces, causing their own blood to blind them.

It’s true, the real Peaky Blinders were distinguished by their peaked caps, but disposable razor blades weren’t even marketed until 1903, and so they could not have played a role in the naming of the real Peaky Blinder gang.

In reality, while the term “Peaky” clearly refers to the gang’s headgear, the term “Blinders” likely refers to a slang term for someone who dressed in such a brilliant and ostentatious way that he appeared to be blinding. Thus, “Peaky Blinders” means, effectively “Peaked Cap Wearing Flashy Dressers,” which seems like a very fitting name for this gang.

How Gangsters in the 1920s and ’30s Really Dressed

Historical resources like archival records and period photographs allow us to see how criminals in the early 20th century actually dressed. The increasing use of photographs at this time, especially for mug shots, offers an unprecedented glimpse into the clothing men really wore.

Sydney Living Museums has made available a remarkable collection of mug shots culled from the archives of Australian police agents. These images document exactly what men who encountered law enforcement were wearing after being arrested, before attending court, and while being sent to prison.

While you may not want to take life lessons from these men, there is no reason you cannot employ some of their style cues.

The Five Points Gang via Wikimedia

Historical Gang Style

Five Points Gang

The Five Points Gang operated in New York City during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. They were known for their expensive suits, cut looser to hide weapons, and their broad-brimmed hats. Members of the gang can be seen here in this photograph from the early 20th century. Image via Wikimedia

Learn more about the style of real-life gangster Al Capone!

The Style of the 1920s: Classic Menswear is Born

A fashion illustration of various men in early 1920s clothing
A German fashion plate from 1922 illustrate the variety of daywear styles available to men in the early 20th century.

In retrospect, the style of the 1920s was special because it represents an important inflection point in men’s fashion history. By the time the decade was running out, fashion had nearly completely transitioned away from stiff, Victorian styles and into the modern era.

Looser Cuts, Tailored Drapes, and More Variety as the Modern Suit Takes Shape

By the middle of the 1920s the tailcoat had all but disappeared for everyday wear, and suits were tailored with a loose, draped cut that elongated the legs, compressed the waist and emphasized the shoulders. With a more pronounced fit in the body, suits emphasized an inverted v silhouette that would dominate menswear for most of the 20th century.

Waistcoats remained popular, and pointed tips were coming into style for single-breasted models. The three piece suit was no longer effectively mandatory, however, and suits could generally be found in a great variety of colors, patterns, and textures than in previous decades.

Capture the timeless whimsy of the 1920s with a boutonniere that won’t wilt

Velvet Edelweiss Boutonniere Buttonhole Flower Fort Belvedere

Edelweiss Boutonniere

Red Silk Poppy Boutonniere Remembrance Day Flower by Fort Belvedere

Red Poppy Boutonniere

Yellow Silk Buttercup Mini Boutonniere Buttonhole Flower Fort Belvedere

Buttercup Boutonniere

The Style of the 1930s: Classic Menswear is Perfected

When the Peaky Blinders series enters the 1930s, it enters fully into the Golden Age of Menswear, a seminal and definitive moment in the development of modern Classic menswear. 

Big and Bolder: ’20s Suits Evolve into ’30s Suits

In general, Twenties and Thirties suits are distinguished primarily by their breadth. Lapels are wide, cuts are fuller, and there is generally more padding. Fabric choices were also more plush, giving clothing a fuller look, and there was less waist suppression, although the inverted v silhouette remained very popular. 

The Thirties also saw a rise in bold garment patterns, such as checks and plaid, and this reality is reflected in the slow introduction of more varied patterns into the wardrobes of Peaky Blinders characters as the series progresses.

The Coming Ascendancy of Breadth in Menswear: Double-Breasted Suits and Pleated Trousers

As one might expect, the greater emphasis placed on fullness led to the primacy of double-breasted garments, both waistcoats and jackets. Pleated trousers were also extremely common. Both of these trends would persist through the Thirties, although waistcoats, while still seen, were not as ubiquitous as they had been in the Twenties, and detachable collars and day boots were also falling out of favor.

Add vibrant color and plush textures with 1930s-inspired pocket squares

Olive Green Pocket Square Art Deco Egyptian Scarab pattern on white background

Olive Green Egyptian Art Deco Pocket Square

Reversible Madder Silk Pocket Square in Yellow with Orange Pheasants and Blood Orange Paisley on white background

Reversible Yellow Madder Silk Pocket Square with Pheasants

Off White Rabbits on Wine Red Silk Wool Pocket Square

Wine Red Silk Wool Pocket Square with Rabbits

Wearing the Peaky Blinders Style Today

Even though nearly 100 years have passed, almost every element of the typical 1920’s and 30’s (and the Blinder’s) wardrobe is wearable today – save for the starched, detachable shirt collars, and the Albert watch chains. 

How Characters Dress on the Peaky Blinders Television Series

The Basic Uniform: A Study in Working-Class Exceptionalism

Tommy Shelby, his brothers, and his crew all wear a uniform based on a three-piece suit, oxford laced boots, a newsboy cap, a detachable collar shirt, and a heavy overcoat. This look is explicitly drawn from what working-class Englishmen wore at the time.

Fabrics and Materials: Muted Colors, Heavy Cloth

For most of the early seasons, the members of the Peaky Blinders limited themselves to dark-colored, relatively plain garments, although their suits and coats occasionally have unusual textures or unique weaves.

As the seasons progress, the Peaky Blinders evolve past solids and into the prints and stripes that will dominate the 1930s. Suit material, however, remains functional, heavy-weight wool, an ideal fabric for the regular wear-and-tear of early 20th century life and to handle the especially rough lives of the Peaky Blinders.

You should note that a variety of subtle texture and weave variations can imbue considerable visual interest into muted-tone fabrics, so do not feel that imitating the more suppressed wardrobes of the Peaky Blinders will consign you to dull outfits.

The Peaky Blinders Namesake: The Peaked Cap

Newsboy caps are the symbol of their gang, so even when the Peaky Blinders can afford to buy expensive fur felt hats that the rich wear, they choose to keep their caps. By intentionally preferring this working-class headgear over more respectable hats, like the bowler or, later in the series, the fedora, the Peaky Blinders incorporate a signature style of the ’20s and ’30s directly into their gang’s identity. Keep individual identity and expression in mind if you would like to make headgear a signature component of your personal style.

Detachable Collars and Neckwear: Practical Dressing and Class Considerations

Because of heavy air pollution and sometimes irregular bathing schedules, shirt collars and cuffs, which were very easy to soil, were detachable for most of menswear history, so that they could be easily washed or replaced. 

Detachable collars were also expensive, however, so the secondary characters of lower means in Peaky Blinders often wear shirts without the collar. Conversely, many characters wear collars, but no neckwear, either symbolically or due to financial necessity.

This neckwear-less look, with a prominent brass or gold collar stud visible, became a hallmark of the style of the Peaky Blinders series, but as we will discuss below, we do not recommend imitating this exact look today. Even in the series, more characters eventually start wearing neckwear regularly.

Accessories: Accenting Excess

Early in the series, the Peaky Blinders primarily wear gold pocket watches with single Albert chains, tie bars, and rings. Tie bars remain a popular accessory to this day that add vintage flair, but unless you favor a more antique appearance, pocket watches and chains are best reserved for only the most formal day wear.

As the seasons, and fashion, progress, the Peaky Blinders add more jewelry to their ensembles, especially in the form of collar jewelry. Collar pins and bars are especially prominent. Accessories like these are a subtle way to reflect the Peaky Blinders style without appearing dated.

These jewelry accessories are often made from gold and serve as noticeable counterpoints to the more somber pieces which constitute the majority of the Peaky Blinders ensembles. 

Blending in While Standing Out: The Peaky Blinders and Formal Wear

A photograph of Peaky Blinders character Tommy Shelby in Black Tie.
Tommy Shelby sports a Black Tie ensemble that is both understated and over-the-top. Note that he has eschewed many common accessories, like a boutonniere or pocket square, and his studs are very basic. Conversely, he wears a prominent bejeweled ring and chunky segmented watch chain with jeweled fob. His ensemble rejects the conventional ways that one in Black Tie dress stands out and instead adds gangster’s flair to the look. Image credit: BBC.

Primarily in later episodes, Tommy and his family members can often be glimpsed in Black Tie under very specific circumstances. But just as often, Tommy and the Peaky Blinders make choices that openly flout class conventions of the time, such as wearing black gloves, rather than the more popular lighter colored gloves, as a personal style choice.

Similarly, for his daytime wedding, a man of Tommy Shelby’s status would be expected to wear a morning ensemble, but he instead opts for a “Sunday best” approach, reflecting his working class origins on one of the most important days of his life. 

Now, as a general rule, we encourage you to follow understood dress codes, but in all but the most formal situations, there is usually some room for creativity and personal expression.

How to Dress like the Characters from The Peaky Blinders

Dressing like Shelby or any other member of his faction is far easier than some of the bolder suits and outfits worn by other Gentlemen of Style we’ve covered like Harvey Specter, Hannibal, and even the cast of Downton Abbey. Though the look is suit-heavy in it’s original form, the individual elements can be paired with more modern garments for a more wearable and versatile look.

Pair Neutral Tweed or Flannel with Faint Patterns

Forget having to coordinate colors, the Peaky Blinders are all about monochrome attire. Pair gray, navy and brown three-piece suits with vintage stripes, houndstooth, faint windowpanes, and thick glen checks.

Flecked Donegal Tweed jacket and tie
Your best bet to recreate the look is to invest in a heavy, vintage tweed suit with short lapels, a matching waistcoat, and pleated trousers. The above flecked example illustrates how to add visual interest while maintaining a relatively neutral overall palette. Keep the finished pant hem rather short with no break; it was practical to wear short pants in muddy Birmingham but nowadays, it just happens to be in fashion.
Allen Edmonds chukka boots in sand paired with houndstooth flannel 3-piece suit
The spinning of yarns wasn’t as advanced in the 1920’s and hence the fabrics were much thicker and the patterns less detailed. Contemporary fabrics are much lighter weight, which means they lack the drape you see in the show. You cannot replicate that look with modern cloth unless you go with tweed. You may wonder if it’s worth attempting, but we wholeheartedly believe so; tweed is one of the best ways to add texture to a modern wardrobe even if you’re not angling for the Peaky Blinder look.
A screen shot of the Peaky Blinders character Ben Younger

Make his style work for you

Ben Younger

As an army intelligence officer and veteran of the cavalry, Ben Younger appreciates the utility of new ways of thinking and new technologies. Perhaps that is why he is one of the first characters in Peaky Blinders to start wearing a wrist watch, a relatively new way to keep time in the early 20th century. If the pocket watches favored by the Peaky Blinders are not your style, consider a classic dress watch with a leather band. Image credit: BBC.

Add a Heavy Overcoat

Tommy Shelby loves to wear a black single breasted overcoat made of heavy wool cloth, a black velvet half collar, and peaked lapels. It’s similar to a chesterfield, but it lacks the notched lapels. Stylistically, this city overcoat does not work at all with a tweed suit, but Shelby is a villain who intentionally ignores the finer conventions of personal style, and his combinations are a reflection of that.

Assuming that you want to emulate his look while working within the confines of Classic Style, however, we suggest choosing gray, brown or navy rather than somber black. We have also found that a covert coat will also be a more unique choice that also proves to be more versatile.

Sven Raphael Schneider's Tweed overcoat
This tweed overcoat provides striking visual interest thanks to its pattern while the color is neutral. Add more color with a pair of gloves, but we suggest ignoring Tommy Shelby’s perchance for black gloves and choosing instead more historically accurate, and classically stylish, colorful gloves. The above pair comes from Fort Belvedere.

Accessorize with a Tweed Cap

The Shelbys prefer a newsboy and flat caps that were known as a working man’s hat. Today, these hats remain quite stylish and are worn year round in various colors, styles and materials. Hence, the first hallmark of a Shelby is the tweed cap either in herringbone Harris tweed or a grey Donegal tweed.

This style of hat is perfect for fall, winter and spring, especially as an althernative to the hair-crushing, boringly ubiquitous beanie.

Opt for Winchester or Solid White Shirts

Winchester shirt with Wool Challis Navy Bow Tie with White Polka dots paired with Blue Cornflower Boutonniere Buttonhole Flower Silk - Handmade by Fort Belvedere
This example of a Winchester shirt is typical of the early 20th century, rendered in the common color pairing of blue and white stripes. The blue tones are subtly emphasized by the Wool Challis Navy Bow Tie with White Polka dots paired with Blue Cornflower Boutonniere Buttonhole Flower Silk both by Fort Belvedere

As far as shirts go, you sometimes see a white dress shirt with single cuffs for cufflinks and a stiff, starched, white detachable collar. However, you can see the Shelbys more often in all sorts of striped shirts. Although difficult to find these days, British legal outfitters still carry these fancy striped shirts for detachable collars, and since it is such a unique item, you definitely have to get one of those. A shirt with an attached collar simply has a very different look and won’t suffice.

Light yellow striped Winchester shirt with point collar paired with Wool Challis Tie in Sunflower Yellow with Green, Blue and Red Pattern from Fort Belvedere
If you prefer something more bold to contrast with a simple suit, consider a more colorful shirt like this light yellow striped Winchester shirt with point collar. Here it has been paired with an equally exuberant Wool Challis Tie in Sunflower Yellow with Green, Blue and Red Pattern from Fort Belvedere.
Charles Sabini with tilted head

Make his style work for you

Charles Sabini

Oozing Mediterranean style, Italian mobster Charles Sabini rivals the Peaky Blinders in the streets of London and in dress, adopting a flashy, colorful look that is almost the antithesis of the Peaky Blinders uniform. That being said, he understands the utility of a boutonniere when adding color and texture to an outfit. To keep within the Classic style, however, you’ll want to avoid the oversized flowers favored by Sabini. You will also need to do decide whether a real or fake flower is best for you. Image credit: BBC.

Add Black, Laced Boots

A pair of black above-ankle length captoe oxford style boots in black with leather soles are an absolute must for a Peaky Blinders outfit. Make sure they are not spit polished but rugged with some patina and a bit of dirt if you want to recreate the authentic look.

Accessorize with Ties & Bow Ties

Arthur Shelby sometimes wears finely printed bow ties made of English silk. Throughout the series, Tommy regularly wears a tie. In the early seasons, he wears solid grenadine ties, knit ties, and solid silks. In later seasons, he started wearing the large neats that became popular in the 1930s. Even though it is Peaky Blinders style to wear three-piece suit without neckwear, it will often make you look too unusual or like a Tommy Shelby cosplayer nowadays, so we instead recommend you wear neckwear that harkens back to the classic style of the early 20th century.

Arthur Shelby with a bow tie

Make his style work for you

Arthur Shelby

While he may be prone to tantrums and childish rage, we do have to commend Arthur Shelby for being the only Shelby brother to regularly wear neckwear, especially in the show’s early seasons. His bow ties are a signature feature of his look, although he does not always wear them with grace and style. To ensure that you look your best in a bow tie, take advantage of our Definitive Guide to Bow Ties. Image credit: BBC.

Consider the Peaky Blinders haircut

Many people assume that the undercut haircuts sported by the members of the Peaky Blinders are historically inaccurate. But in fact, as illustrated by the images above, this haircut was relatively common during the early 20th century and was likely favored because it was relatively easy to cut as well as to style. If you think that this hair cut might work for you, see our video on how best to style it.

How to Dress Like Tommy Shelby

Tommy Shelby, played brilliantly by Cillian Murphy, is the stylish, yet muted kingpin of Birmingham. Even though he sticks with the Peaky Blinders uniform, his look is differentiated in several ways. He is typically the only male character who wears an overcoat with a black velvet half collar. His high-and-tight is swept forward over his forehead, rather than back like the rest of his gang.

Tommy Shelby in Black Tie

“Oh, I don’t pay for suits. My suits are on the house or the house burns down.”

Tommy Shelby

Tommy occasionally wears pinstripes or formal ensembles, but in general he doesn’t need to use his clothes to project authority when his actions do it so clearly. In the early seasons, Tommy’s most typical look includes the detachable collar, three-piece tweed, and no neckwear. Tommy eventually evolves to wear more neckwear, most notably knit ties, tone-on-tone ties, and eventually the stripes and neats that would become popular in the ’30s.

Quick Tips for Tommy Shelby’s Style

  • Focus on dark and earth-tones that complement your natural coloring.
  • Derive visual interest through textures.
  • Invest in simple garments made from exceptional materials.
  • Wear tone-on-tone neckwear.
  • Rely on jewelry to add color and unique texture to your ensembles.
  • Ensure that you wear your clothes with confidence by finding the perfect fit.
  • Consider breaking a few style rules to set yourself apart, like mixing unusual textures.

Accessorize like Tommy Shelby

Orange and Charcoal shaow stripe socks by Fort Belvedere

Add character to boots with muted but vibrant socks

Monkey Fist Knot Cufflinks - 925 Sterling Silver Rose Gold Plated

Rose-gold cufflinks give an antique luster to jewelry

Crunchy knit tie in navy Fort Belvedere cri de la soie silk

A navy knit tie requires no pretension to make a statement

How to Dress Like Luca Changretta

Italian-American mafioso Luca Changretta, portrayed by Adrien Brody, comes to England seeking revenge, and brings with him a healthy dose of trendy American styles and flashy gangster bravado. Changretta embraces the new turndown collar, the Fedora hat, bold pinstriped double-breasted suits, brighter colors such as blue and red, and jewelry such as cuff links and multiple rings on each hand.

Luca Changretta

“I have a tailor in New York City. Look: Fenacci. Italian. He’s my uncle. He makes suits in a basement in Mott Street. He is my uncle, so every stitch is stitched with blood. I heard you dress well, Mr. Shelby. But now I see, not so well as me.”

Lucca Changretta

In many ways, Changretta is the sartorial opposite of the Peaky Blinders, but his look is still indicative of Classic menswear, although some aspects of his dress are not as timeless. Overall, his look will serve you well if you enjoy mixing dandy flair with vintage flash. if you’d like to employ his style, consider and Of course, Changretta’s propensity for is a style cue you can easily employ today, as well as his double-breasted jackets and pleated trousers. Other aspects of Changretta’s outfits, like his spear collars, may have been trendy in the 1930s, but nowadays they will add a distinctly vintage feel to your ensemble. Likewise, his taste in is exuberant, even by modern standards.

Quick Tips for Luca Changretta’s Style

  • Plan outfits with more than three colors to really stand out in a crowd.
  • Favor ties with unique or unusual patterns and color combinations.
  • Add a fedora to your ensemble and a luxurious overcoat.
  • Experiment with double-breasted suits and waistcoats.
  • Consider overt vintage touches like spear collars.
  • Determine if jewelry like rings or cufflinks will suit your personal style.

Accessorize like Luca Changretta

Orange Red Poppy Boutonniere by Fort Belvedere

A boutonniere is a timeless source of class and color

Burgundy Men's Dress Gloves with Button in Lamb Nappa Leather

Avoid the Black Hand with burgundy gloves

Herringbone Cashmere Scarf in Mustard Yellow and Grey by Fort Belvedere

Keep out the chill with a classically inspired timeless scarf

How to Dress Like Michael Gray

Michael Gray, played by Finn Cole, is a cousin of the Shelbys whose ambition is matched only by his expensive taste in clothes. Early in the seasons, Michael follows the lead of his cousins with his dress, although he always favored more luxurious fabrics, more colorful designs, and more unusual patterns.

Mich Gray with waistcoat and overcoat

“I’m gonna get better slowly. But you need to get better fast.”

Michael Gray

After spending time in America during the height of the Roaring Twenties, and with likely input from his wife, Gina, played by Anya Taylor-Joy, Michael adopts more fashion-forward dress. He was clearly influenced by the trends hitting the United States and continuing to innovate menswear despite the crushing weight of the Great Depression. His outfits in this period often feature exuberant silk ties, luxurious materials like camel hair, and brighter colors, as well as interesting shades of earth tones. Finally, Michael doesn’t shy away from Black Tie like some of his fellows, and always executes it with verve and panache.

Quick Tips for Michael Gray’s Style

  • Consider fabrics with heavier drapes and padding to build out your silhouette.
  • Also favor fabrics that are soft and luxurious.
  • Dress in multiple shades of one color, like tans or blues.
  • Add unexpected color with gloves and socks.
  • Invest in quality Black Tie accessories that make it clear you know the dress code well.

Accessorize like Michael Gray

Single End Bow Tie in Black Silk Faille Grosgrain by Fort Belvedere

Master the intricacies of Black Tie with the perfect black tie

Antique Gold Ochre Silk Wool Pocket Square with Printed geometric medallions in beige, red and blue with cream contrast edge Fort Belvedere

Capture the decadence of the 1930s with a plush pocket square

Fine Faille Grosgrain Cummerbund in Black Silk Repp

Get all of the details right with a grosgrain cummerbund

Conclusion

The Peaky Blinders and their leader Tommy Shelby are not the kind of men worth idolizing; they were the opposite of gentlemen. They are, however, icons of British gangster style on the small screen, and they certainly are much better dressed than the average man on the street today. They remind of us of the visual power and influence of the styles of the 20’s and early 30’s, which are the basis of most modern men’s fashions. Even if you have no intent of replicating the Blinder’s style, there is no denying they are an incredible source of vintage-cool inspiration.

If you enjoyed this piece, make sure to check out our other TV-series and movie clothes reviews.

Reader Comments

  1. As a slight correction/clarification, the real Peaky Blinders were an exclusively Birmingham street gang. They had no connection to London. In the Tv series, they expand their operations and come into contact with the London underworld but they are still Brummies and wouldn’t have thanked you for calling them Londoners, I imagine.

    As to clothes they are very good. They tred a clever line between a proper vintage look and something you could wear today. When the first series came out, there was an article on Clothes on Film (still out there if you want to look it up) called ‘Dress Like a Peaky Blinder’. The costume designer is quoted as saying they were trying to get a look that fitted its just pre-1920s setting but would also fit into contemporary menswear. The AW 13 look was heavy on tweed and shared a not dissimilar slim cut look (though the vintage look remained rather better than the too short jackets and too low waisted current versions of the look tend to have.)

    1. Hal, I watched all the seasons and they are in London a lot. I amended the article so it makes more sense. I am familiar with the Clothes on Film, but in my experience costume designers often get it wrong especially in terms of historical accuracy, even though British shows are usually infintely better than American shows.

  2. Interesting, but you make it seem as if the actors chose their own clothes. I’m pretty sure there is a costume designer who has labored long and hard to make these looks a reality, including hiring Keith Watson to tailor the clothes. Credit where credit is due, please.

    1. Good point. Here is an interview with the costume designer. I find it confusing that she claims “I would never want to use anything that’s historically wrong,” and then goes on to detail all the things she changed in order to “heighten” the look (the convicts’ haircuts particularly irked me–convict haircuts were imposed by prison authorities; they weren’t considered stylish). But she does give a good overview of how the decisions were made, and what she was going for. http://clothesonfilm.com/peaky-blinders-qa-with-costume-designer-stephanie-collie/33288/

    2. Of course, the actors did not decide on what to wear. In this day an age, that is never the case as far as I know. I do not know for certain that Keith Watson tailored everything, hence I make no such claims. Do you know if he tailored all the clothes or what clothes he tailored exactly?

  3. I gave up on the “Peaky Blinders” tv series, partly because the inaccurate haircuts and collars-without-ties drove me crazy. I tend to prefer historical accuracy to modern stylishness. But the real Peaky Blinders gang did not operate during the 1920s–they began in the late 1880s, but had faded away before 1914. The razor-blade-in-cap story is apparently urban lore, since razor blades were expensive, and the logistics of fighting with a bladed cap are difficult.
    The photo gallery connected with this article shows what some real Peaky Blinders members were wearing in 1904. http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/whats-on/tv/birminghams-peaky-blinders—fact-5912820

    1. Each to his or her own, but I would like to point out that the undercut was indeed a popular hairstyle for working class boys and men during the Edwardian era (1920’s, about). The predecessor was Curtained hair, kept in place with pomade, worn by rugby players who needed style but also an actively oriented hairstyle. As similar sports sports were popular with young men, the hairstyle became widespread as well. From the turn of the century until the 1920’s, the haircut evolved into something like Peaky Blinders’ Arthur’s hairstyle: short sides and back, maybe faded, with a long top slicked back instead of parted. These men were not the pinnacle of cultured society so there should be some disparity between their style and what we nostalgically remember, the more traditional flattened, shiny side-part. I am a young man and have an undercut myself, that I maintain by shaving the sides and back periodically with a straight razor, and have gotten many complements from all types of people. It can be worn more formally with the sides longer and faded, or with more flair with the side length very short and disconnected from a top starting at 15 cm long at front and gradually stepping down to 8 cm long in back, which I normally do. For more formal occasions such as giving orchestral concerts with black tie dress code, I can leave the sides out longer by abstaining from shaving myself and going to a proper stylist. Overall I would like to say it is an excellent, versatile option for both the stylish young man and the new hipster.

    2. Peaky Blinders didn’t wear Newsboy caps (with a button on top) they wore flat cloth caps as worn by the working class male in England (white collar workers wore bowlers) The Peaky Blinders gang were known to dress every day in their Sunday best clothes and shoes, men’s outfits generally saved by the working class to wear on Sundays

  4. A couple of points if I may: in furtherance to Hal’s comment; Birmingham is about 120 miles from London which is a long distance in the UK and was a good few hours journey in the 1920’s.
    Secondly I am informed that the name ‘Peaky Blinders’ comes from the gang’s habit of having a razor blade in the peak of their caps which could then be used as a weapon to blind your opponents

    1. That could be very much the case, thanks for sharing! In the show they cut their opponents in all sorts of places, but your explanation sounds very plausible to me.

  5. If these people or the Gazette’s hero Capone had any style, it was indulged with money gained from murder, extortion and the like. They cannot be described as Gentlemen of Style.
    I didn’t watch the series. Is there supposed to be a reference to bell-bottoms in the article? (Fifth line after The Real P B)

    1. John, if you read our articles you will find that we neither call Capone nor Peaky Blinders as our hero. In fact we specifically write claim:”Peaky Blinders and its leader Tommy Shelby are not the kind of men worth idolizing”

      Maybe you should watch the series ;)

  6. Raphael,
    Thank you for this article!
    Question: I often watch such movies / series of around this time. A lot of men with high detacheable collars do not wear their ties all the way up, with as a result the button or collar pin is visable. Not tucking your tie neatly all the way up into your collar would be considered sloppy today. However, was it the idea back in these days?
    Thanks and regards, Arnold

    1. I suspect that the answer might be that the collars were very heavily starched. A lot of vintage detachable collars are so stiff that they barely move. With certain collar designs, this can make it hard to get the tie knot up as high as you always can with a softer collar. I’m not sure there was ever a time that having a knot at half mast was a sought after look but doubtless I’ll be corrected if wrong.

    2. Hal raises some good points. Also, a starched collar has a smooth sufarce which allows the tie to slip down more easily. On top of that, the collar were often very high, which cause the tie to slip. If you look at old photos you can often see that. Personally, I don’t like the look and I prefer my tie knots all the way up.

  7. Dear
    Sven I am a young man learning about fashion and would like to know what books I should read about style? Particularly I am interested in the 1930’s fashion, such as Clark Gable, Fred Astaire, and Cary Grant.

  8. Interesting article.

    I watched sesaon 1 but found it difficult to watch the show as it glamourises violence. The producers would say that it doesn’t, but the stylish way it is shot and the lighting, sets and costumes make the characters seem “cool”. At least “A Clockwork Orange” showed the unglam side of violence.

  9. Just to correct a few minor mistakes. 1) The REAL Peaky Blinders actually existed 20 years before the show happens. 2) The name Peaky Blinders comes from a) peak caps b) blinders a slang for punchers or fighters. Sorry razor blades are artistic creation of the show. There are a few good Youtube videos on the subject matter. Enjoy.

  10. Great post!! I am very glad to read this post as you have shared very knowledgeable stuff I discovered this blog really helpful in order to enhance the knowledge and I will definitely share your post with my friends in order to enhance their knowledge!!

  11. I looked at the article with the Peaky Blinders gallery. The heights of the three men pictured ranged from 5’ 2” to 5’ 4 1/2”. Not very intimidating. People were shorter a century ago but the working class would have been shorter than the middle class because of malnourishment. Also the idea of them tangling with the American Mafia is funny.

  12. Thanks for sharing great insights on peaky blinders suits style that will help create a classic style. I will try to add this to my wardrobe.

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