Invited to a party with a 1920s or Peaky Blinders theme? You want to be Thomas Shelby or one of his brothers for the time of an event? Roaring Twenties disguises, costumes, vests, caps, accessories: here’s everything you need to have a complete Peaky Blinders man look, rhyming with elegance.
The famous TV series Peaky Blinders is famous for its English atmosphere of the 1920s. Its story is about the life of gangsters, during the interwar period, in Birmingham and especially about the Peaky Blinders gang, led by the character Thomas Shelby (played by the actor Cillian Murphy), surrounded by his brothers Arthur, John, Finn, but also by Polly Gray and Ada Thorne. In addition to their illegal and dangerous activities, what captivates the viewers and fans is also their retro and classy looks, since the series begins in 1919, at the beginning of the Roaring Twenties. Let’s take a look on the Peaky Blinders’ style of dress over the 6 seasons and the men’s fashion of the 20’s so that you can concoct a disguise worthy of the Shelbys.
Men’s Peaky Blinders looks and outfits
Tweed suit, gavroche cap, pocket watch, the look and feel of the Peaky Blinders gang members oscillates between the gangster, gentleman and bourgeois style of the English aristocracy of the Charleston years.
Because they spend a lot of time on the streets and in the cold of Birmingham, the Peaky Blinders are dressed in heavy clothing: baggy pants, round-neck shirts, 3-piece suits with suit-matched vests and long winter knee-length coats in dark tones (gray, dark blue, black, brown, tweed material – thick wool), all accessorized with leather boots / booties (or brogue boots), a flat cap / gavroche, a tie / bow tie, suspenders and a pocket watch with a chain sticking out of the vest.
And because they have money, the Peaky Blinders brothers dress in an elegant way, with expensive outfits, and tailored suits. At parties or events, their outfits are closer to those of the English businessman or aristocrat, to blend in with the mass of honest men.
As for the hairstyle/beard, you will notice in the episodes of the series that the men are clean-shaven, except for Arthur Shelby, who wears a mustache. Most of them have shaved hair on the bottom and side of the head and longer hair on top, plastered back with gel.
A Peaky Blinders outfit or costume for men
Wedding, birthday party, cocktail party, New Year’s Eve, cosplay or costume party, you want to dress up as a member of the Peaky Blinders gang (Thomas, Arthur, John or Finn)? Find out where to buy a complete outfit like the Shelbys: suit, coat, shirt, hat, boots and Peaky Blinders accessories.
Peaky Blinders 3-piece suit: pants, vest, jacket Peaky Blinders
Don’t want to buy each piece of clothing separately for a Peaky Blinders suit?
Amazon sells complete sets of vintage Peaky Blinders suits, in tweed, plaid or pinstripes in the perfect colors for a Peaky Blinders man costume. Elegant, vintage, retro, chic, English style, the 3 piece suit will give you a look like the Shelby brothers: gentleman or gangster. To complete your costume, you can also buy a sleeveless vest to complete a costume you already have in your wardrobe.
Also discover more 20’s costumes here.
Want to buy the various elements of a retro Peaky Blinders costume separately? That’s totally possible! If you don’t want to buy a complete Peaky Blinders 3-piece suit, here’s where to buy the various elements of a 1920s Shelby-inspired men’s outfit separately.
Peaky Blinders suit vest
To begin with, the sleeveless vest or vest! Chic, elegant, vintage, the vest is worn over the shirt and is usually paired with a jacket. The Peaky Blinders sleeveless vest can be plaid, herringbone, plain, navy blue, black, grey, brown… You can hang a pocket watch on it (see below). It is most often combined with a tie, but sometimes with a bow tie, as Arthur Shelby does.
Peaky Blinders shirt
What shirt do the Shelby brothers wear? You can choose a classic white, light blue, black, two-tone striped shirt… But if you want a shirt exactly like the one worn by Thomas Shelby and his brothers, then you’ll have to go for a club collar shirt, which ensures a roaring twenties vintage look!
Combined with a tie, a bow tie, vintage suspenders or a vest, it will be perfect for a man’s outfit of the roaring twenties.
Peaky Blinders Pants
Are you looking for 1920’s style pants like the Peaky Blinders? Either you pull out one of the black, navy or grey (but not shiny!) suit pants from your closet, or you buy a vintage style pant like these beige/brown check tweed pants or these grey tweed wool blend pants in the gentleman’s style of the Roaring Twenties. But even if you want to go that far, maybe buying a Peaky Blinders suit would be more appropriate!
Long Peaky Blinders style coat like Thomas Shelby’s
You like Tommy Shelby’s long black winter coat? Buy a similar one for the perfect Peaky Blinders gentleman’s outfit! A great vintage coat for a complete Peaky Blinders winter outfit, if your 20s party is in this season.
Flat cap / gavroche or beret like the Peaky Blinders
It’s the essential of the Shelby’s outfit when they go out: the gavroche cap keeps the head warm and allows them to hide razor blades to defend themselves. This flat cap is not hard to recognize and is one of the must-have head accessories of a 1920s man’s outfit. Check out a selection of Peaky Blinders caps and berets that the Shelby brothers might wear below.
The Shelby boots
If moccasins, derbies and Richelieu (called brogue boots in English) are the trendy shoes of the Roaring Twenties, the Peaky Blinders also wear brogue boots for their everyday wear, which we would also call biker boots today. You can also choose more chic shoes, less “street wear” for an elegant Peaky Blinders suit.
Accessories for a Peaky Blinders costume
Among the other essential accessories for a total Peaky Blinders costume, pocket watches, gloves, vintage suspenders, cigarette case are not to be forgotten!
Pocket watches
Beyond allowing to know the time, the pocket watch is one of the aesthetic fashion accessories that we find unavoidable on a man’s suit of the roaring 20s. Usually gold, the vintage pocket watch can also be silver or gray and hangs on the suit vest.
Vintage 20’s suspenders
Suspenders are one of the essential costume accessories of the Roaring Twenties. Over the shirt, under a suit jacket, suspenders will give you a vintage look.
Gloves and cigarette case
Elegant to the end of their fingernails and cigarettes, men of the 1920s like the Shelby brothers always carried a cigarette case and leather gloves.
It’s all in the details
To make your Peaky Blinders costume and 1920s man costume even more perfect, you can also add the following accessories:
- tie clips,
- a tweed tie + a pouch.
Now you know everything about how to make a complete 1920’s Peaky Blinders outfit! And if you’re coming with your wife or a friend, you can also find out how to make a Peaky Blinders woman outfit!