The gangster outfit is a costume idea for men from the Roaring Twenties, suitable for Halloween, theme or costume party.

During the 1920s, one of the biggest influences in the United States was that of the Eighteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, otherwise known as Prohibition. Prohibition made the production, sale and transport of alcohol illegal, although not its consumption or private ownership, at least under federal law.

People being people, they still wanted to have a drink, and consequently and industry arose to help them get one. With most of the stages required in order to supply people with their desired tipple being illegal, those fulfilling the need were criminals, whether they started out that way or simply became criminals due to what they were doing.

Organised criminal gangs arose to better supply and make money from alcohol, and to eliminate the competition, and the members of these gangs became known as gangsters. The gangster, also known as mobster, is an iconic image from the 1920s, including people such as the notorious Al Capone, and a suitable costume idea for men for that period. The gangsters of that period have a reputation and image of being well dressed, certainly compared to modern ones.

The Head

Hats were worn by almost all men at the time, and gangsters were no exception. The one most commonly associated with them was the fedora, a felt hat with a crease lengthwise down its crown – the part of the fedora covering the top of the head – and pinched at the front, although other crown creases were also common. They also had a brim, and usually a band around the base. Black, grey, tan and dark brown are the most popular colours.

The Body

To go with the well dressed image, a suit and tie would be worn on the body, complete with black dress shoes. The suit could be a two piece, or a three piece with a vest (or waistcoat), and often featured pinstripes. Greys were the most popular colours here. Dark shirts with a contrasting light coloured or white tie would be worn with the suit.

The Accessory

The primary accessory associated with the 1920s gangster is the Tommy gun. The Thompson submachine gun, particular with its distinctive drum magazine, and sometimes called a Chicago typewriter, was popular with both criminals and law enforcement in the 1920s, particularly for the sheer volume of bullets it could pump out.

Take a look at this search for more gangster costume ideas.