Dressing in the Peaky Blinders Style for a Wedding

The 1920s has long represented a rich vein when it comes to British fashion cues, for both men and women. It’s where post-war optimism and aspiration rubbed shoulders with austerity and poverty, especially in the cities. If you wanted to look wealthy, the natural way to do it would be to draw your look from the country gent who would probably have been your commanding officer in the trenches. And if you did actually havewealth, be it from graft, luck or blatant criminality, you could afford the finest tailoring to really show you’ve arrived.

And what’s the look that’s the epitome of rural elegance with a rugged edge? It has to be tweed. The Scottish fabric is still worn today by the country set, and was a powerful statement in the 1920s and 30s. It was the natural style language of one the most successful TV shows of the past few decades: Peaky Blinders. In fact, it was so iconic that it’s hard to see the tweed look nowadays without thinking of the series. And it has led to a huge resurgence in the fashions of the day, with a modern twist of course.

How to play a Blinder at your Next Wedding

Weddings are the ideal place to showcase your 1920s look. They straddle the formal and the informal, the celebratory and the solemn. A smart tweed suit is going to tick all those boxes, and make you stand out among the crowd.

But it’s not just a case of grabbing the first tweed suit you see – there’s a subtle style language to learn, and you might not pick it up solely from watching the show. Don’t forget – it’s a period performance, and the costume department will have gone to great lengths to make sure every possible detail is appropriate to the age. In the 2020s, you’re looking to interpret the look, not cosplay it. Here’s how.

Go for a Three-piece Suit

If there’s a single rule that you follow, it’s that the suit must be a three-piece. That was the look that was observed throughout the series, but it’s also a style that has survived the century, and remains contemporary.

Tweed tends to be made in earthy colours – greens, browns and greys. But within those headline hues, there’s plenty of room for manoeuvre. A summer wedding might call for a light brown piece, for example.

If autumn is in the air, a muted bottle green or deep olive will fit the bill. Tweed is characterised by a mixture of colours, so you can use the colour of the pattern to inform your accessories. But the overall shade – that is, what a guest will see from ten paces – is what you’re going for here.

Waistcoat – To Match or not to Match?

The idea of a three-piece suit will naturally conjure up a suit whose trousers, jacket and waistcoat are made of one fabric. That idea largely stays intact, but you can have a bit of fun with the waistcoat by choosing one that complements, rather than mirrors, the other two components.

A complementary waistcoat can work with a single- or double-breasted suit, so if you already have a tweed number in your wardrobe, this could be a great way of wringing a little more style out of it for the special day.

Immaculate Shirt and Shoes

This look is all about pulling off a refined, respectable style, and that means you have to pay special attention to the shirt. Despite the countrified vibe of the tweed suit, the shirt should be befitting of the occasion, and that means perfectly pressed, clean and almost certainly pristine white. 

 

You can achieve a casual elegance by forgoing the tie, and even leaving the top button undone. That’s a decision you can only make with reference to the dress code, the season and your own identity. It’s absolutely not how the Peaky Blinders would have been seen in public, but don’t forget this is all about the 2020s, not the 1920s. If you do opt for a tie, a plain, unpatterned one will always work alongside the subtle lines of the tweed fabric. Aim for a dark, muted colour that matches one of the secondary threads of the tweed.

To complete the look, make sure your shoes are just as immaculately turned out. There’s nothing wrong with a bit of character, though. Think brogues or ankle boots, which are perfect complements for any tweed suit.

Accessories

How far do you want to take this? Because if you’re really trying to get the look, you’re going to need a pocket watch, with its chain visible. Is it the most practical way of telling the time when you’ve got a smartphone in your pocket? Probably not, but if you have a classic pocket watch, or there’s one in the family, you’ll never get a better chance to show it off than at this wedding.

How about a flat cap? Again, you could be veering into cosplay territory here, especially if you don’t normally wear one. It’s all down to you, of course. Perhaps ask around to see what others are wearing. If you’re a groomsman, you could make this part of the uniform.

Cufflinks can be considered an essential part of this look. They’re in keeping with the fashions of the period but also bang up to date, so there’s no overkill here. A good pair will really finish off the suit, especially if the jacket will come off at the reception and evening do. Ask around because there could be some beautiful cufflinks among the family heirlooms, and there’s a good chance they’re from the precise time the series was set.

Where to buy Peaky Blinders Suits

The Peaky Blinders look is so hot at the moment that we’ve collected all our appropriate suits and put them into one special collection. Make sure to have a look at our guide to measuring up for a suit, and it’ll make the whole process easier.

Play this right, and you’re going to really look the part, with your personality shining through. It’s going to be a wedding to remember.