Mafia/Gangsters

In the 1920's gangsters represented silk suits, diamond rings, guns, and drinking and influenced many people to think that gangsters and the criminal lifestlye was the cool thing to be. The public saw the gangster lifestyle as a way to get money, fame, nice clothes, women, cars, and homes. Quality, high fashion suits and expensive accessories were what the gangsters wore.

The 1920's brought us the best dressed and most famous gangster of all time, known as Al Capone. Many other famous gangsters were Lucky Luciano, Bugs Morgan and Dutch Schultz. Every famous gangster's name went along with the color and style of their suit. The tailored suit was the key to their whole ensemble.

When prohibition was passed gangsters changed the way they went about their business. Business was no longer beating someone up for their money and valuables, but instead the mob integrated itself throughout the neighborhoods of Chicago, Detroit, and New York City. Here they would bootleg and make millions of dollars from it by supplying beer and liquor to speakeasies.

Gangsters were feared and respected within their neighborhoods, which allowed them to earn a good living from the public by convincing them to increase the price of groceries and services. Then they would take the profits from the providers of these goods.

In the 1920's, gangsters became the American icon of an ordinary man. Gangsters lived their life by their own ethics by bootlegging, getting into illegal marketing and prostitution. The modern gangster is still the ultimate consumer of everything luxurious and expensive. Jewelry, clothes, cars, and houses are and were the rewards of their lifestyle.

source: www.1920s-fashion-and-music.com/1920s-gangsters