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Like anyone with taste, I’ve been re-watching The Sopranos during quarantine. As a card-carrying Italian, I’m proud to say that I’ve seen The Sopranos roughly four times — three times through in its entirety and once watching along with a family member, catching episodes as they experienced it for the first time. Re-watching during quarantine got me thinking: How would Tony and the gang dress if they were handling collections and taking their goomahs out to dinner these days? How can an average un-made man achieve the same level of finesse and bravado as Syl and Paulie out for a night at the Bada Bing? Or Tony at one of his famous cookouts?
We’ve already talked at length about the appeal of the gangster knit: a lightweight sweater worn with trousers or even under a suit jacket. It’s a favorite of the men of Scorsese films, but I personally associate it most closely with Tony Soprano. Tony’s wardrobe boasts a proud collection of these knits, and it would be an infamia to put together a hypothetical closet of Sopranos-inspired designer fits without them. I could see Tony wearing this Anderson & Shepperd colored cable knit sweater with a pair of pleated — always pleated — trousers, loafers and even a jacket for a night out with Carm. For his more casual affairs, Tony swears by a polo shirt, and a knit version of this classic Soprano staple will always be a good choice, like these color-blocked Luca Larenza polos. For an afternoon in the back room at the Bada Bing, I’d put Tony in a Z Zegna linen and cotton mix long-sleeve polo (again, of course with his signature pleated trousers), or a long-sleeve polo in coffee-colored silk from Scaglione. For an afternoon of golf, cigars and cunniling*s jokes, might I suggest (to you, or Tony) this Topman blue pointelle knitted polo shirt. A cashmere Gabriela Hearst polo makes the bold choice of foregoing buttons, but I’d like to think I could convince Tony to give it a try.
If a gangster knit isn’t your thing (you’re wrong, but OK), Tony’s collection of button-ups is also uniquely styled — a delightful mix of lightweight solids that move effortlessly on his foreboding frame, and more traditional-looking, bowling-style shirts with rakish patterns and color paneling. This striped Todd Snyder button-down sweater is perfect for an afternoon panic attack over some grilled meats, and a Luca Larenza printed shirt would pair nicely with a captain’s hat for an afternoon on the Stugotz. I could easily see Tony in a refined open weave Santillo 1970 shirt, holding court outside Satriale’s.
For an over piece, Tony usually wears that style jacket that every Italian man wears and I don’t have the language to describe, per se, but you know what I mean; it has a narrow waist that sits right above the waist of their pleated pants and a small collar and it comes in a bevy of fabrics — leathers, polyester. It’s usually navy though sometimes it’s a taupe color, and his wife probably got it at Macy’s. But for a more refined take on the Italian dad jacket, might I suggest something like a modified bomber style leather jacket from Aero Leather Clothing, a Schott black leather moto jacket or even a suede number from Ami.
Now, we have to talk about Tony’s pants. While the modern man typically leans for a slimmer trouser, a made man in Tony’s gang would never be caught buried under a bridge in such a cut. Tony’s pants are always pleated, at least a mid-rise, with a classic-fitting leg, and while this kind of cut might be hard to come by from today’s top designers, something like a pair of Timothy Everest slacks could fit the bill. For the trimmer gangster, a higher-rise pleated trouser like these from Edward Sexton could lend a high fashion twist on the waste-management aesthetic.
And of course, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention Tony’s loungewear — we are in quarantine, after all. Can you even call yourself a Sopranos fan if you don’t immediately think about him walking down his driveway in that white robe when someone mentions the show? The white robe is an interesting sartorial choice for Tony, too — even when he’s disheveled or hungover, or reeling from his depression, his robe looks like Carmela has just bleached it; there’s a neatness, control, and consistency even to his undress. Tony’s looks like a traditional terry, but to elevate the look, I’d opt for a Derek Rose white cotton robe.
I would of course be remiss if I didn’t talk about the rest of the gang. There’s Syl, who is arguably the boldest dresser of the group — usually opting for double-breasted suits cut with wide lapels that make him almost look like a caricature of himself. To bring Syl out of his Scarface phase and into something a little more high fashion, I’d put him in this Tagliatore camel colored double-breasted jacket with a black trouser, and for the warmer months he would look great in a jacket that’s a blend of silk, linen and wool. I’d pair his bold jackets with characteristically bold shirts, like a long point-collar shirt (whenever you’re able to be out of the U.S. again, look up Edward Sexton for one of these). And while I’m usually firmly against contrast collar shirts, if anyone can pull one off it’s Syl, like this pink Cordone one.
Then there’s Paulie — arguably the most casual of the group (with the exception of Christopher, maybe). We usually see Paulie in a short-sleeve button-up and slacks, or some kind of tracksuit — and of course, the Paulie Gautierri white loafers. I’m thoroughly obsessed with this Hansen short-sleeve twill button-down shirt and I’d love to see it on Paulie with the top button undone, revealing a very on-brand white tank. For more formal events, Paulie is known to rock one of my favorite looks on a man: a turtleneck and suit jacket combo. To bring his look into the 21st century, I’d put him in this rich Tom Ford turtleneck and a grey houndstooth double-breasted Rubinacci jacket. Both Paulie and Christopher love a good tracksuit, and while I cannot in good faith endorse this style decision, I can suggest some worthy alternatives, like Informale linen drawstring trousers (pair with a white tee); or these Z Zegna sports trousers (pair with a black tee).
Informale Navy Linen Model T005 Drawstring Trousers
Finally, we can’t talk about Sopranos style without talking about Junior Soprano, mostly because I think most of my male relatives wear the same clothing as he does, and it would feel like a familial betrayal to forget him. Junior is a relatively casual guy who likes to keep it comfortable and cool in his co*ke-bottle glasses and caps. For his days handling business from around the house, I’d put Junior in the quintessential staple of Italian grandfathers everywhere: the sweater vest, like a Merino wool one from Stenstroms, or this cashmere one from Rubinacci. For his days planning hits on his grandson and visiting Livia in her nursing home though, I’d opt for something like a Camiseria Burgos cotton shirt. And of course, we can’t forget the Corodo cap — like this one from Cappellifcio Biellese 1935.
Capellifcio Biellese 1935 Brown Vitale Barberis Canonico Wool County Cap
Every time I watch The Sopranos I’m struck by something new — the first time I watched I obviously was just in awe of what an absolutely perfect show it was; the second time around, I realized I had become a grown Italian woman because I was attracted to James Gandolfini. After that, any time re-watching the show felt like visiting a beloved family member — gradually learning and appreciating new and subtle things about them while finding a profound comfort in their familiarity. Among these newfound points of appreciation was the feast that is the show’s clothing, and my quarantine re-watch has solidified this. It has proven to me the show’s status as a pillar of gangster style, a timeless ode to made men and their minions.
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Christopher Moltisanti may be the most loathsome lead character in TV history. Unlike Tony's love of animals or Paulie's humanizing foolishness, Cristopher has zero redeemable features.
Tony's day-to-day wear: print camp collar shirts, knit polos, gold jewellery, pleated trousers and Gucci loafers, have all become modern menswear trends of varying popularity over the last few years.
It's no secret that the costume design on The Sopranos is MAGNIFICENT. Costume designer Juliet Polca took great care ensuring the characters' outfits were not stereotypical, but instead nuanced and filled with personality.
As with most trends in recent television, the answer is largely The Sopranos. As a mob show, its look was naturally modeled on Gordon Willis' famous low-light work on The Godfather, as creator David Chase and cinematographer Alik Sakharov told American Cinematographer before the show had ever aired.
Tony's favorite sandwich was "gabagool'' (capicola) and peppers. You're going to want quality meat, so skip the deli counter at the grocery store and find an Italian butcher shop or specialty shop that sells authentic capicola, such as Bella Italia Pork Store, a family-owned Italian food market in Jackson.
Melfi diagnoses him with antisocial personality disorder (APD)—making him someone who, according to the Mayo Clinic, "consistently shows no regard for right and wrong," "ignores the rights and feelings of others," and shows "no guilt or remorse" for his behavior.
Tony Soprano, suffering from random panic attacks that lead him to pass out and collapse, sees a psychiatrist, Jennifer Melfi, to help him deal with it. A man like Tony Soprano, in 1999, usually didn't see a therapist.
After all, Tony Soprano (a ''sociopath,'' a ''criminal, not a sociopath,'' a ''psychologically complex psychopath'' or a man with ''a vertical split,'' depending on whom you ask) was raised by a rejecting mother and a mobster father. He picks dangerously needy women for his extramarital affairs.
Throughout the six seasons of the show, there are multiple instances in which you can catch Tony wearing notable St.Croix styles. Tony wears a white short-sleeve St.
Bread and a green salad were staples, along with a rotating menu of pasta featuring macaroni with marinara or Bolognese sauce, lasagna, manicotti, or eggplant. Meat dishes like roast chicken or veal pizzaiola and a vegetable as simple as green beans or something fancier like stuffed artichokes completed the main meal.
“The prints echo the height of human achievement in fusing the decorative with the utilitarian. The luxe fabric is an expression of male decadence—one of the defining issues, of course, of The Sopranos. Together, they convey the irresistible seduction of working for Tony: labor and pleasure are impossibly entangled.”
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.
In the series, the Lupertazzi Family was said to have had over 200 soldiers. All the crews in the Soprano Family combined didn't come close. Carmine Sr.called them a “glorified crew” to denigrate Tony as a boss and imply that he was nothing more than a capo of a large crew rather than boss of a family.
One of the most controversial and hardest to watch scenes in the entire show came when Ralphie Cifaretto beat a young woman he'd been dating to death at the back of the Bing.
The weakest season of The Sopranos is still better than the best season of most television programs. The main questioned asked by the season relates to Tony's true ability to change, as he faces what is perhaps the toughest task of his life.
Formally known as capicola, gabagool is by no means the most trendy or popular of the Italian cold cuts, but it is, just on the mouth, the most fun to say.
The image of Tony reading the back of a Honey Comb cereal box, a grouchy father lost in thought or searching for a distraction, is perhaps just as metaphorically potent as some of the show's more cryptic or self-evidently symbolic images.
Although she would never admit it, Janice's personality is very much like her mother's: she is both manipulative and suffers from Narcissistic personality disorder.
Lady Gaga is a Lyric Mezzo-Soprano. As she possesses a dark and healthy lower register and finds her tessitura around the C5-D5 range, one can assert quite confidently that she is a Mezzo-Soprano.
In speaking about voice types, Seth Riggs, founder of Speech Level Singing would always say that 99% of males are some kind of tenor and 99% of females are some kind of soprano.
Therapy scenes also included Tony talking about struggles with NPD traits. NPD for him presented as an inability to understand the needs and emotions of others and anger for having such needs and demands of him. Tony also hides his symptoms and need for mental health treatment from almost everyone in his life.
Simply put: It is impossible for a person to compartmentalize evil acts and separate them from the rest of his or her life. In the case of a gangland boss like Tony Soprano, it is impossible to maintain a real family and a Mafia family without having the latter corrupt and threaten the former.
Vincent "Vinny Ocean" Palermo (born June 4, 1944) is an Italian American former mobster who was de facto boss of the New Jersey DeCavalcante crime family before becoming a government witness in 1999. Fictional mob boss Tony Soprano, the protagonist of the HBO series The Sopranos, is said to be based upon Palermo.
Usually referred to as Tony, the Italian-American character was conceived by The Sopranos creator and showrunner David Chase, who was also largely responsible for the character's story arc throughout the show's six seasons.
Although Tony Soprano's usual watch was the Rolex Day-Date, he occasionally appeared with a Rolex Submariner, although it is presumed that this was not the character's own but James Gandolfini's own.
The star auditioned for the role of mobster Bobby 'Bacala' Baccalieri during the late 1990s, when he wasn't the big guy he became. But, because the show's script included several jokes about the character's burgeoning waistline, producers asked Schirripa to don a thick bodysuit to keep the storyline in check.
In addition to having outstanding characters, what really made The Sopranos engrossing television entertainment were the compelling storylines. While each episode could be enjoyed beginning to end on its own merit, there were additional intricate story arcs that extended through multiple episodes and sometimes seasons.
Men of James Gandolfini's size tend to prefer pleated trousers for their roominess over the hips, and Tony wears a pair of khaki slacks with double reverse pleats. These trousers have narrow belt loops for his black leather belt, side pockets, and turn-ups (cuffs) on the bottoms. …
Over in the camp of mafia capos and consiglieri, flashy pinky rings—Joe Pesci's character in The Irishman turns a rare dollar liberty coin into a diamond-studded gem; Tony Soprano, on the other hand, preferred a gold band topped with a ruby—bound them to their shared cause, but also served a different sort of practical ...
Ray Curto was the one informant on The Sopranos that never got caught and was never at risk of being exposed. He was careful, matter-of-fact, and didn't let himself get stressed into making a mistake. Only the viewers knew that every time he appeared on-screen, there was a chance he was recording the mob's business.
A few of the actors who appeared in The Sopranos were either directly associated with gangster families or had relations with individuals who were. HBO's groundbreaking The Sopranos was lauded for being so realistic, perhaps because a number of its actors were linked to mob families and criminal activity in real life.
Strippers at the Bada Bing were portrayed by extras including Elektra, Gina Lynn, Justine Noelle, Kelly Madison Kole, Luiza Liccini, Marie Athanasiou, Nadine Marcelletti, Rosie Ciavolino and Sonia Ortega. The "Bada Bing Girls" appeared in a photo spread in the August 2001 issue of Playboy magazine.
Melfi diagnoses him with antisocial personality disorder (APD)—making him someone who, according to the Mayo Clinic, "consistently shows no regard for right and wrong," "ignores the rights and feelings of others," and shows "no guilt or remorse" for his behavior.
During the conclusion of The Sopranos' fourth-season episode “Watching Too Much Television,” Tony Soprano drives his car and is unexpectedly overcome with emotion as The Chi-Lite's “Oh Girl” comes on the radio.
In the HBO TV series the Sopranos, the main character Tony Soprano is regularly featured wearing the luxurious Velour track tops from the Italian sportswear brand, maybe it's the Italian connection or just the fact they look cool as.
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.
Jamie-Lynn Sigler, best known for her role as Tony Soprano's daughter Meadow on “The Sopranos” from 1999 to 2007, revealed she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) when she was just 20-years-old. She has been living with her disease for nearly 15 years.
Part of the show's lure is the chance to indulge in armchair analysis. After all, Tony Soprano (a ''sociopath,'' a ''criminal, not a sociopath,'' a ''psychologically complex psychopath'' or a man with ''a vertical split,'' depending on whom you ask) was raised by a rejecting mother and a mobster father.
Personality. Although she would never admit it, Janice's personality is very much like her mother's: she is both manipulative and suffers from Narcissistic personality disorder.
This is the episode in which Phil Leotardo watches as his goons beat Vito Spatafore to death simply because he's gay. They had been looking for him for a while, and Tony had been protecting him, not wanting to condemn one of his most loyal soldiers to death for such a reason.
Throughout the six seasons of the show, there are multiple instances in which you can catch Tony wearing notable St. Croix styles. Tony wears a white short-sleeve St.Croix Polo in “Where's Johnny?” (Season 5, Episode 3) and “All Happy Families” (Season 5, Episode 4).
This lot is offered without reserve. This blue short sleeve button front shirt by Rochester Couture was worn by the character Tony Soprano portrayed by actor James Gandolfini and appeared in the opening credits of HBO's award winning series The Sopranos.
Introduction: My name is Arline Emard IV, I am a cheerful, gorgeous, colorful, joyous, excited, super, inquisitive person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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