Our Linen Heroes — Leonardo DiCaprio
Ah, the 20s — no more war, wild parties, and inhibitions thrown to the wind. It was a time of social and cultural revolution, with young folks looking to throw off the painful memories of the previous few years and learn how to be free again.
If there is one thing that is instantly recognisable from this period, it’s the clothes. Flapper dresses, art deco-inspired pieces, and, of course, the most dapper of suits. And who better represents the well-dressed gent of the time than enigmatic millionaire, Jay Gatsby?
This iconic character was brought to life by the always-classy Leonardo DiCarprio in the 2013 film adaptation of Fitzgerald’s novel, The Great Gatsby. And let us tell you, he wore some great suits in that film. We’ll be looking at one particularly dashing example today.
The suit
Now, we know what you’re thinking — “Yes! That pink linen number was tremendous!” And while we agree, we’re actually going to be examining a different, more narratively significant look from the film.
A quick note on that pink suit. We think it’s great — as should you — but in the narrative, it’s portrayed as something of an own goal for Gatsby. The ostentatious nature of the unique colouring belies Gatsby’s humble roots and shows that, while he has the money, he still does not have the social awareness and sensibilities of the upper class that he is so desperate to be a part of. There’s a lesson in there somewhere…
Anyway, picture the scene: you’re a reclusive millionaire of dubious origin who throws lavish parties and lights a literary device at the end of your pier each night, all in service of your erstwhile lover and physical manifestation of the American dream, Daisy Buchanan. And you’re finally going to see her again after five long years.
What do you wear?
The answer is obvious — “a white flannel suit, silver shirt, and gold-colored tie”. This is the description in the book, but the filmmakers decided to go with a more summer-appropriate linen suit for Leo on the big screen.
Set against the backdrop of Nick’s small cottage, Gatsby stands out like a sore thumb. Which is exactly his intention, misguided as it may be. It’s a head-turning look and will put you in contention for the best-dressed gent in any room you happen to be in.
Recreate the look with Tweedmaker
Leo’s suit in the film is not actually white but instead falls somewhere between off-white and ivory. Depending on what you’re going for, consider Tweedmaker’s book-accurate White Linen 3-Piece Suit or for a look closer to the film, the Cream Linen 3-Piece Suit.
Speaking of 3-piece suits, we find out at the end of the film that this suit does have a matching waistcoat, although the circumstances of its revelation are less than ideal. However, for the meeting with Daisy, Gatsby makes the bold choice of eschewing the matching waistcoat for a contrasting brown piece.
The silver shirt is more of a deep blue in the film, sporting French cuffs much like our Custom Tailored Dress Shirts. This is paired with a yellow-gold tie and pocket square that complements the deeper shade of the waistcoat.
To round off the look, Leo wears a metal-banded watch with a rectangular face and a pair of two-tone spectator shoes, often visible below the shorter cut of his trouser legs. All in all, it’s one heck of an outfit and is sure to make you the talk of any extravagant new money party you attend should you decide to follow suit.
For all of your tweed, linen, and sartorial needs, be sure to take a gander at the full Tweedmaker range today!
