By Jae-Ha Kim
Chicago Sun-Times
March 28, 2001
Anthony Potenzo has one thing to say to about how the men dress on “The Sopranos”: “It’s about time!”
“Television has finally caught on to how I’ve been dressing all my life,” says Potenzo, 42.
“`The Sopranos’ gets it right. I’m from an age where you put on a tie and jacket when you go out. I like to wear hats, too. It disappoints me when I see people going out in jeans and sneakers. When my pals and I go out, we’re always clean and presentable.”
A big-time “Sopranos” fan, Potenzo hosts weekly Sunday night parties. In his Gold Coast apartment festooned with photos of Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin, Potenzo cooks up a pot of homemade soup or pasta, serves wine to his nattily dressed crew and tunes the TV to HBO’s hit mob series, which just began its third season.
The show hasn’t been the fashion trendsetter that, say, HBO’s “Sex and the City” has (think: Manolo Blahnik shoes), but it has inspired some men (and women) to dress up without apology.
Sharkskin suits? Cool. Coiffed hair? Even better. As for pinky rings–they’re must-haves to complete the ensemble.
While fashion experts deride “Sopranos” style as very ’80s, some of it translates to everyday wear quite naturally. You could describe the look as a casual version of what Al Pacino and Robert De Niro wore in “The Godfather,” and what Ray Liotta donned in “GoodFellas.”
“They’ll wear a sharkskin suit, but it’ll be less formal than in `The Godfather,’ ” says Meg Rottman, an L.A.-based fashion marketer. “They’re just as likely to pair it with a Polo shirt or a black T-shirt as a shirt with cuff links and a tie. Even the mob has gotten more casual.”
Banana Republic employee Dorian Klein, of Chicago, looks like he just stepped off the set of the series. Clad in slim pants and a striped, microfiber shirt, he sports the slicked back ‘do that has become the calling card for the men on the show.
“People tell me I look like I belong on the show all the time,” Klein says, laughing. “I don’t know if that’s a compliment or not, but I do enjoy watching the show. They all have such distinct styles and most of them dress really well.”
“If you want to get that Sopranos look, you have to make sure you don’t wear a lot of color,” he says. “That’d be a dead giveaway.”
They may be shy when it comes to color, but the characters spare no expense when it comes to accessories like watches, chains and pinky rings, which is not an easy piece of jewelry to pull off.
Who does?
“A big guy who doesn’t give a damn what anyone thinks,” says Howard Kaplan, president of Henry Kay Jewelers at Water Tower Place. “A nice pinky ring set with diamonds will run $2,000 and up. This is a guy who wants to be a little flashy and show off that he’s got money to spare. Like Tony Soprano.”
While his minions would make do with lower-end Rolex watches ($5,900), Tony would want a solid gold number encrusted in diamonds ($19,750 to $29,000).
Then there’s the leather jacket, which embodies chic to women and danger to men.
“Leather traditionally has a big meaning for men,” Rottman says. “They want leather seats in their cars, leather sofas in their homes and leather jackets for play. It’s a very masculine type of fabric, and I think macho is definitely the hallmark of the mob.”
As for the women on the show, their style ranges from stylish to over the top. Carmela Soprano opts for silky materials and classy, well-fitted outfits. She might jazz up a pair of stretch pants with a gold chain belt. But you’d never catch her in anything gaudy or too revealing.
Not so for Tony’s mistress, Irina.
“She would probably like this red matte jersey wrap shirt ($58),” says Klein. “It’s bright and shows off her figure. I don’t think she’d care that it was rayon and polyester as long as it showed her shape.”
She would also persuade Tony to buy her a rhinestone, sea green, front-zip mini-dress ($525) at North Beach Leather, or maybe a pair of side-laced, golden bronze leather pants ($550). And just to kick around in, she’d probably wear a bright yellow fleece warm-up suit ($137) from Bebe.
“I’d wear some of that sexier stuff,” says Claudia Scalzitti, 31, of Elmwood Park. “I bought a pair of leather pants a month ago, and I like that whole leopard print thing. That low-cut, strappy look is great for tops, too. Some of the girls on that show have style.”
