The success of “The Wolf of Wall Street” has brought the power suit back into the public consciousness. Leonardo DiCaprio played and looked the part of the Wall Street mogul in this riveting film and the clothes he donned while portraying Jordan Belfort helped sell that image, just as Michael Douglas’ Gordon Gekko character from the ’80s “Wall Street” was defined by his dashing fashion sense. How exactly do you pull of this power look? The devil is in the details.
Classic ’80s Power Suit
Your standard business suit can work as long as you have the right accessories, but the suit is also essential to the proper ’80s Wall Street look so step up your game. Look for single-breasted suits with pinstripes and a peak lapel. Double-breasted suits are practically synonymous with ’80s fashion and were worn by captains of industry and stockbrokers alike during the decade of decadence; establish that iconic ’80s powerbroker vibe with those extra buttons. Your suit should be nicely tailored, obviously, but in an ’80s fashion. That means that the suit should billow a bit more and pleats should be present.
Gordon Gekko Banker Collar Shirt
A standard dress shirt will not do if you are trying to rock the ’80s stockbroker look in true Wolf of Wall Street fashion. Opt for a banker collar, meaning white collar, shirt with French cuffs. Ideally, you’ll want for the cuffs to be white, as well. Nothing says Jordan Belfort or Gordon Gekko like a deep blue shirt with crisp and clean white cuffs and collar.
Wolf of Wall Street Style Tie
Opt for a fine silk power tie and recognize that width is crucial to nailing the look. The current trend is for narrower ties but back in the ’80s the ties were wider, which makes sense since a timeless rule of thumb dictates that a tie’s width should be proportional to the width of your suit’s lapel and the lapels were wide during Gordon Gekko’s heyday. A 3.5-inch or 3.75-inch width tie will work perfectly fine, but opt for the 4-inch tie if you can find one.
Jordan Belfort Accessories
Go full-Gekko or full-Belfort by selecting some bold cuff links to close those French cuffs. The suspenders are essential and really sell the look, especially when you take off your suit coat. Additionally, a pocket square that matches your power tie can add a bit of personal style to your ’80s powerbroker fashion.
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