Peaky Blinders, We do not advocate basing your entire sense of personal style on the wardrobe of a TV show or film. Anyone who bought one of those replica scorpion-embroidered Drive jackets after seeing Ryan Gosling crush skulls and burn rubber in his iconic white satin bomber, for example, looked a little foolish.
But a work of on-screen fiction can serve up enough inspiration and cultural influence that the world of menswear begins to take notice – and therefore, with the caution, so should you. In recent years we had Mad Men and its almost-single-handed reboot of the old school city slicker aesthetic of sharp haircuts, wide lapels and lunchtime affairs (monogamy can be cool, guys!), before 2013 saw the horse-drawn arrival of Tommy Shelby and Peaky Blinders, which saw British men suddenly attempt to revive their own bit of style history.
A Twenties British military-esque look typified by heavy fabrics, cropped trousers, sturdy boots, and oversized coats (we shouldn’t even need to mention the haircut), four years down the line and Cillian Murphy’s portrayal of a nattily-dressed ganglord continues to grip style habits both on the high street and across high fashion (Gucci’s Alessandro Michele, amongst others, has cited vintage British style as one of his biggest inspirations).
Here are the 5 key elements to achieving that subtle Peaky Blinders look.
1. The Jacket
2. The Layers
3. The Shirt
4. The Trousers
5. The Boots