Modern Day American Gangsters Need More Stylish Sweatshirts

Wednesday 05th of January 2011 02:41:40 AM

Modern Day American Gangsters Need More Stylish Sweatshirts

You probably saw on the news that 127 American gangsters or mobsters were arrested last week. The men were taken by surprise by agents representing the Federal Bureau of Investigation one morning who came knocking on their doors. But what you may not have read is that the men arrested were an embarrassment to the dapper image of American gangsters according to GQ, the men’s iconic fashion magazine.

The days of Al Capone in his pinstriped suit and well dressed Joseph ‘Je Bananas’ Bonanno apparently are long gone. The New York mobsters that were arrested weren’t wearing monogrammed pocket squares and Gucci shoes. They were wearing what you and I wear - sweatshirts! The plain ordinary sweatshirt and hoodies along with loose jeans seemed to be the dress of the day. GQ almost waxed nostalgic when talking about Carlo Gambino in his 3-piece suits and John Gotti looking like a fashion plate in white shirts that could stand up on their own because they were so starched. But guess what Gott’s son wears? He is frequently seen in sweatshirts and polo shirts. So the trend away from gangster GQ quality dress to sweatshirts has been in the making.

It is ironic that the fashion industry is actually responding to the arrests with dismay. It was easier to romanticize mobsters in dapper Italian suits then the latest bunch of criminals looking so sloppy. The current arrests didn’t leave much for the movie companies to work with in terms of fashion and that seems to upset them the most. The well known author Arthur Nash wrote “New York City Gangland”. He said, “My first thought was that they’d busted up a tailgating party.”

In all fairness, these gangsters were awakened at 5 AM by the FBI agents. Maybe it is poetic justice that they look so bad. After all, these are the bad guys and bad guys shouldn’t look good.