James Gandolfini as Tony Soprano in “The Happy Wanderer”, Episode 2.06 of The Sopranos (2000).
Vitals
James Gandolfini as Tony Soprano, Jersey mob boss and conflicted family man
New Jersey, Fall 2001
Series: The Sopranos
Episodes:
– “The Happy Wanderer” (Episode 2.06), dir. John Patterson, aired February 20, 2000
– “Another Toothpick” (Episode 3.05), dir. Jack Bender, aired March 25, 2001
– “The Telltale Moozadell” (Episode 3.09), dir. Dan Attias, aired April 22, 2001
– “Where’s Johnny?” (Episode 5.03), dir. John Patterson, aired March 21, 2004
Creator: David Chase
Costume Designer: Juliet Polcsa
Background
Take some style cues for the upcoming family holiday from the ultimate “family” man himself, Tony Soprano.
The following looks are found in various episodes across the show’s timeline, so if you find yourself at a mob-run poker game, a therapy session, a parent-teacher conference, or a late-night meeting in a parking lot, you’ll have just the right outfit in mind for channeling the boss of North Jersey.
Happy Thanksgiving Week, BAMFs!
What’d He Wear?
The Sopranos maintained a nice consistency with its characters’ wardrobes, with characters realistically mixing and matching as the series went on. Unlike some shows that try too hard to make their characters look hip and stylish, viewers get the impression that these are real characters with closets full of clothing on seasonal and laundry-driven rotations. It’s a small detail but not one that goes unnoticed.
In several episodes set in the fall from the second through fifth seasons of the show, Tony Soprano wears a comfortable tan flannel sport coat that combines powerful styling with the warmth needed for a character navigating his way through a chilly New Jersey autumn. He often wears the sport coat when facing issues within his own family, making it especially apropos for a post this time of year.
Tony’s single-breasted jacket is tan flannel with a low 2-button stance. The jacket has notch lapels with a buttonhole stitched into the left lapel. The shoulders are well-padded, making the large-framed James Gandolfini look even more imposing when looming over his mob underlings. The sleeves are roped at the heads with 3-button cuffs. The jacket has jetted hip pockets and a welted breast pocket, in which Tony almost always wears a colored silk pocket square.
Tony gives Matt, one of Christopher’s newbies, some advice in “The Happy Wanderer” (Episode 2.06). Three episodes later, he would be much less friendly to the lad.
“The Happy Wanderer” (Episode 2.06)
The first appearance of Tony’s tan flannel sport coat is during the “executive game” in “The Happy Wanderer” when family friend and degenerate gambler Davey Scatino shows up and pisses away the money he owes Richie Aprile. Tony wears a light gray dress shirt with a spread collar, breast pocket, and front placket. The shirt has rear side pleats and French cuffs with a buttoned gauntlet. The cuffs are fastened with a pair of gold oval cuff links.
The role of overseeing the executive game is far more complex than you’d think.
Tony’s printed silk tie is a series of broken diagonal stripes in various shades of red and brown running down from his left shoulder toward the right hip. It is held in place with a gold tie bar.
His taupe trousers have double reverse pleats and four pockets: two on-seam side pockets and two jetted rear pockets that close with a button. The bottoms are cuffed, and he wears a black leather belt – with a gold half-oval single-claw buckle – through the belt loops.
Even in rumpled clothing from an overnight poker game, Tony knows his style gives him an edge over Richie Aprile’s old Havana shirts.
Tony matches his belt to his shoes, a pair of black leather cap-toe bluchers with black laces. The close-up we get of a sleeping Tony’s shoes also show us that he is wearing a pair of dark dress socks, probably black.
At most parties, falling asleep with your shoes on gives the others carte blanche to draw on your face with Sharpies. Tony’s cronies know better than to even think about it.
Last but not least, Tony’s pocket square is a puff of light red silk.
“Another Toothpick” (Episode 3.05)
Tony again dons his tan flannel sportcoat for his first joint therapy session with Carmela. Here, he establishes a pattern of wearing earth tones with the jacket with his UPS-style brown shirt and pants. His dark brown pleated trousers have cuffed bottoms. Tony’s olive brown silk shirt is a shade greener than the trousers and has a point collar. Under the collar, he wears a silk tie with a pattern that loosely connects a series of large tan four-square grids and small yellow dots on a brown ground.
Tony sits through an uncomfortable session with Carmela and Dr. Melfi.
Since this outfit is browner than we saw in “The Happy Wanderer”, Tony sports a pair of dark brown leather cap-toe bluchers and dark brown dress socks. And, in case Tom Haverford asks, he is indeed wearing a light brown silk pocket square.
“The Telltale Moozadell” (Episode 3.09)
Later that season, A.J. is called to task for vandalizing his school’s swimming pool (in a scene featuring a very young Lady Gaga, actually), and Tony and Carmela are called into the school principal’s office. His attire for this family meeting is a simplified version of what we saw at Dr. Melfi’s office four episodes earlier.
A subtle, warm look for Tony, perhaps subconsciously inviting A.J,.’s school principal to take it easy.
Tony again wears dark brown trousers and a brown shirt, this time in poplin and with a spread collar, with his simplest tie yet – a Macclesfield silk tie with a repeating geometric pattern of brown and tan that nicely incorporates both the shirt and jacket colors. No pocket square; Tony isn’t trying to be too flashy when it comes to his son’s future.
The next episode is set during Christmas, so we know the weather must be getting pretty brisk around the time of “The Telltale Moozadell”. Tony combats the cold with a single-breasted khaki raincoat. This simple, clean-looking coat has 5 buttons down the front with a shirt-style collar, single-button tab cuffs, and a single rear vent.
It’s not raining yet, but Tony would be better prepared for it than Carmela.
“Where’s Johnny?” (Episode 5.03)
The last time we see this tan flannel sport coat is for Tony’s contemptuous meeting with Johnny Sack in the Shea Stadium parking lot. This is the most casual look of the four, perhaps to show subtle disrespect for his frenemy or just because the jacket is now one of his older ones. Again he wears brown trousers with turn-ups, but – instead of a dress shirt and tie – he wears a tan acrylic polo with a zip collar and chevron striping. His dark brown silk handkerchief is folded into several points that poke out of his jacket breast pocket.
Tony lays down the law for Johnny Sack. Of course, Johnny Sack probably thinks he’s the one laying it down.
Tony’s Accessories
Already not a small guy, poor James Gandolfini must have felt very heavy in all of Tony’s gold jewelry. Around his neck, Tony always wears a gold open-link chain necklace with a pendant of St. Jerome. On his right wrist, he wears a wider gold chain bracelet.
Poor Tony is ganged-up on during his therapy session. And it’s normally such a happy place for him too.
In case people didn’t already know he was a mobster, Tony also wears a gold pinky ring with a ruby and diamond on his right hand. On the ring finger of his left hand, he wears his plain gold wedding band.
Tony wears a Rolex President Day-Date in 18-karat yellow gold on his left wrist. Tony’s Rolex has a 36 mm case, a “champagne” dial, and a flat three-piece link bracelet with a concealed clasp. Rolex continues to advertise this particular watch on its site as “the most prestigious Rolex model since 1956”.
Tony attempts to win over the heart of a civil servant by flashing his own $10,000 watch.
How to Get the Look
Tony never wears the same look twice with this tan flannel jacket, but he does have a preference for the mobster-esque look of a darker shirt and pants with a lighter silk tie popping out.
- Tan flannel single-breasted 2-button sport coat with notch lapels, welted breast pocket, jetted hip pockets, 3-button cuffs, and ventless back
- Dark brown dress shirt with breast pocket
- Earth-tone printed silk tie
- Brown double reverse-pleated trousers with on-seam side pockets, jetted rear pockets, and turn-ups/cuffs
- Dark brown leather belt
- Dark brown leather bluchers
- Dark brown dress socks
- White ribbed cotton sleeveless undershirt
- Khaki single-breasted 5-button raincoat with shirt-style collar, 1-button tab cuffs, and single rear vent
- Rolex President Day-Date 118238 yellow gold wristwatch
- Gold open-link chain bracelet
- Gold pinky ring with ruby and diamond stones
- Plain gold wedding band
- Gold open-link chain necklace with round St. Jerome pendant
Since the details always vary, keep Tony’s preference for gold accessories in mind if you opt for cuff links or a tie bar.
Do Yourself a Favor and…
Buy the entire series.
The Quote
Tensions are sure to run high at many family gatherings, so a dose of Tony’s sarcasm won’t hurt.
Dr. Melfi: You’re both very angry.
Tony: Yeah? You must have been at the top of your fuckin’ class.
