gangster | Clothes on Film

A fortnight ago to the day, Clothes on Film creator and editor Christopher Laverty joined fashion historian Amber Jane Butchart to give one of two talks and a Q&A chat at The British Library in London. The subjects under discussion were, respectively, the unexpectedly colourful clothing of Prohibition era gangsters as portrayed in the HBO television series Boardwalk Empire, and the influence of movies and movie star style on fashion during The Jazz Age. After Christopher and Amber finished their talks to a delighted audience (they clapped), everyone reconvened to the elegant backdrop of the main library grounds to swig cocktails and dance the night away to Alex Mendham &…

Here’s a bit of justified promotion for an event you will absolutely want to see: fashion historian, DJ for Jazz FM, author and Clothes on Film contributor, Amber Jane Butchart, teams up with your very own editor, Christopher Laverty, for an exquisite evening entitled Puttin’ on the Glitz on 28th March in London. Taking place at the sumptuous, gorgeous, you-really-should-have-been-there-by-now British Library, Amber and Christopher present two separate talks pertaining to the 1920/30’s Jazz Era before coming together to answer questions from the audience. After that, there will be cocktails and period frivolities courtesy of The Vintage Mafia. It all starts at 6.30 pm and finishes around 10.30, so plenty…

Fred Williamson as Tommy Gibbs adopts the gangster codes of 1930s cinema in blaxploitation classic Black Caesar.

In honour of the The Wolverine and his black on black Yakuza uniform, a round up of posts featuring memorable black costumes at Clothes on Film.

Trailer number one for The Wolverine and he appears to be dressed as a Yakuza.

Meryl Streep’s timeless Burberry trench coat is one of the most recognisable contemporary costumes of 1970s.

The glossy costume world of gangster squad is faithful to history, but not a slave to it.

Costume designer Margot Wilson talks exclusively to Clothes on Film about her impeccable work on Lawless.

Tom Hardy heralds dawning of the knitwear anti-hero. Margot Wilson discusses her use of the cardigan for Lawless.

A mishmash of sci-fi conventions and clichés cobbled together as something we have never quite seen before.

Betsy Heimann chats exclusively about one of the most iconic costumes of the 1990s.

There is a man on Boardwalk Empire with even more sartorial presence than Nucky Thompson; That man is Chalky White.