Going for the Peaky Blinders Look?

The British series Peaky Blinders has long been renowned for its outfits that exude leadership, masculinity and style. Want to create this look yourself? It's easier than you think! GENTS explains in this blog how you can achieve a Peaky Blinders touch with a few essential items. So are you going for the Peaky Blinders look? Read on and discover how you can wear the same outfits as the Shelby brothers!

Peaky Blinders is a British crime drama series set in Birmingham, England in the 20th century shortly after the end of the First World War. The series premiered in 2013 and we're all eagerly awaiting the 6th season. Peaky Blinders has become renowned not only for its compelling plot, excellent acting and impressive scenes. The vintage men's outfits have also become hugely popular thanks to this British series. Want to dress like the Shelby brothers? GENTS has done the research and mapped out how you can easily create the authentic Peaky Blinders look.

Classy with a rugged twist

When winter temperatures and rain grip our country, we seek stylish outfits that protect us from the elements. The Peaky Blinders look is perfect for this kind of outfit. This look of the Shelby brothers can be described as a stylish interpretation of British style in the 1920s. For this classy style with a rugged twist, you'll need a few items. Without a flat cap, 3-piece suit, overcoat, worker boots and the right accessories, you won't be able to pull off the Peaky Blinders look.

The flat cap

The first signature item of the Shelby brothers is undoubtedly the hat they wear: the flat cap. Don't confuse this with a newsboy cap. With a newsboy cap, the front is the same as a flat cap, but the shape of this hat is rounder and fuller than a flat cap. For an authentic Peaky Blinders look, only a flat cap made of 100% wool will do. Already have such a flat cap at home? Then you own an all-time classic to dress like the Shelby brothers.

A 3-piece suit

In addition to the flat cap, you'll also need a specific suit for the Peaky Blinders look, namely a 3-piece suit. By a 3-piece suit we mean a pair of trousers, blazer and waistcoat that are coordinated with each other. In the British series, the men of the Shelby family appear only in 3-piece suits made of tweed. Tweed is a coarse woollen fabric that was very popular in the 1920s and 1930s.

The modern version of a 3-piece suit in Peaky Blinders style is a woollen suit in grey, blue or a subtle check pattern. Trying on a new suit and want to dress like the Shelby brothers? Make sure the trousers hang loosely and the trouser legs end just above the ankles.

Round-collar shirt

When wearing a 3-piece suit, you can't just put on any shirt to achieve the Peaky Blinders look. In the series, the Shelby men always wear a shirt with a round collar or round neckline. This type of collar is also called a "club collar". The reason for this distinctive collar can be explained by the fashion of the 1920s and 1930s. Shortly after the First World War, detachable collars were widely used by gentlemen. These were collars that you could simply button onto a shirt to make it look fresher. That saved a wash!

An overcoat

When you want to create the Peaky Blinders look, a solid overcoat is essential in your wardrobe. This is the item that completes this classy look with a rugged twist. If you're a fan of the series, you know that the Shelby brothers appear in a long overcoat, or wool coat. Don't have an overcoat yet? Choose one in a dark colour.

GENTS tip: coordinate the rest of your Peaky Blinders outfit to the overcoat, not the other way around. This makes it easier to create the right look.

Accessories for the Peaky Blinders look

An outfit is only truly complete with the right accessories. It's all in the details. If you want to dress like the Shelby brothers, there are a few items that shouldn't be missing. Of course, we at GENTS have listed these for you!

Worker boots

Under a 3-piece suit in Peaky Blinders style, polished dress shoes are absolutely out of place. The appropriate footwear is rather worker boots. These are stylish yet functional boots that (as the name suggests) were typically worn by workers in the 1920s and 1930s.

Pocket watch

Although we no longer really need watches to tell the time thanks to smartphones, these accessories have taken on a new function. A pocket watch is, for example, an excellent detail to complete your Peaky Blinders look. The chain is a stylish eye-catcher. If you look closely, you'll often see the Shelby brothers walking around with such a pocket watch in the waistcoat pocket.

Tie or bow tie

Although the round collar works well worn without an accessory, for the authentic Peaky Blinders look you really should wear a tie or bow tie. For example, choose a knitted tie or a bow tie with a subtle print in warm colours. Whatever you choose, make sure the tie or bow tie matches well with the colours of the rest of your outfit.

GENTS tip: have you chosen a tie to complete your Peaky Blinders look? Then don't pair it with a tie pin. Although you occasionally see the Shelby brothers in the series wearing a tie pin, it's not really appropriate. According to etiquette, the waistcoat is already an accessory that keeps the tie in place. This makes a tie pin unnecessary.