Twenty years after it first aired in 1999, The Sopranos is still considered one of the greatest television shows ever made. There are countless aspects that make it great — the writing, acting, directing, cinematography, etc. But personally, I don’t think the costumes are celebrated enough. What gives?
Other popular shows like Sex and the City and Mad Men may have had trendier or more elegant wardrobes, but the Sopranos characters are just as tuned in to high-fashion brands like Versace, Jimmy Choo, and Fendi. They also have an overwhelming passion for luxury and the power and beauty it embodies — so much that it informs a large number of the decisions they make. When Christopher Moltisanti sees a woman in Manolo Blahniks, for example, he decides to take her to bed.
More importantly, though, the characters on The Sopranos have an authentic sense of style that exists independent of trends and labels, fashion or otherwise. Costume designer Juliet Polcsa made a concerted effort to portray the Italian-American characters in a non-stereotypical way, and the result is a nuanced, six-season wardrobe that feels deeply personal. Sure, oftentimes the characters wear loud prints and flashy jewelry, but to describe The Sopranos’ style as “tacky” misses the point entirely, as nothing in the show is cheap or tasteless. Carmela, Adriana, Silvio — all the characters dress with personality, and that’s not something that can be said of everyone in fashion.
Below, an abridged appreciation of some of the best, most stylish moments on The Sopranos.
Tony Soprano’s Bathrobe
When we’re first introduced to Tony Soprano in the pilot episode, it’s the morning after he’s met with his therapist, Dr. Melfi. He wakes up and goes to get the paper in his bathrobe — a scene we’ll see over and over again throughout the series. Despite Tony being the boss, we get to see him at his most vulnerable and stripped-down. His bathrobe serves to portray him as human, as someone just like us.
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