Fur coats, acrylic nails and cheetah print. That is the essence of the so-called “mob wife” style that is running rampant across social media platforms and in stores. Before you go to your monthly nail appointment to fit the aesthetic, I must remind you of an important root of the trend.
Look no further than Carmela Soprano — the mob wife of all mob wives —who paved the way for the acrylic french tips that adorn the fingers of modern teen girls.
HBO’s “The Sopranos” — arguably the best show of all time — tells the story of a mob family in North Jersey. Its content ranges from family dinners, men getting “whacked,” women gossiping, sex, drug deals and probably whatever other sleazy thing you can think of.
Considering the show’s content, you may not think of “The Sopranos” as a point of interest for fashion inspiration. However, its premiere in 1999 proved that mobsters could indeed become style icons.
Carmela was the wife of the boss, Tony Soprano. She was an upper-class suburban wife with an elegant, but very 90s style. She had high blonde hair and diamonds upon her décolleté. She sported matching sets and pantsuits, which were often monochrome in pastel colors.
Workout sets were her casual uniform. She wore athletic skirts, tank tops and zip-ups as she ran errands, did housework and went to workouts. Elements of these elevated sporty-style outfits have transformed into the modern athleisure look of today.
She often received her designer items as a gift from Tony to make up for his infidelity and crimes, but she wore them fabulously. Most notably, her massive sapphire ring.
Adriana La Cerva, another one of the mobster’s girls, earned her spot as the show’s true fashion icon. She always wore a full face of makeup and dark red acrylics. She had chocolate brown curly hair streaked with lots of blonde highlights.
Adriana is synonymous with animal print, stilettos and copious amounts of gold jewelry. Even when attending tennis lessons, she paired tight white shorts and a blue sports bra with thick gold necklaces and a smokey eye. She showed up to another lesson in tight red shorts and a matching red beaded fringe top.
I found that Adriana often commanded attention when she came on screen, and not just with her thick New Jersey accent. She was not afraid of statement pieces. She even walked her dog in leopard-print heels and studded bell-bottoms.
I must also mention her snakeskin pants and tiger-print silk maxi dress.
While the women’s fashion is truly the main attraction, I must acknowledge some of the male style choices that are particularly chic.
Christopher Moltisanti, who gifted Adriana all of her Jimmy Choos, is quite the fashionista himself. In Season 1, before he was a “made man,” he had more interesting, youthful style choices than the older “capos,” or bosses.
Christopher’s iconic look was truly ahead of its time. He wore a gold pendant chain paired with a wife-beater and a navy short-sleeved Nike tracksuit. Along with the classic 90s dad sneakers, he topped off the outfit with a bucket hat — a trend that would reemerge 15 years later.
As Christopher climbed up the chain of command, he dressed in more sleek suiting. At his moving-up ceremony, he debuted a navy blue herringbone suit with a cream undershirt that set the tone for his future wardrobe choices.
In 2024, men are still dressing like the boss: Tony Soprano. His character strayed from the stereotypical mobster in jet black suits and top hats. He dressed in retro bowling shirts, polos and pleated slacks, but with a slight flair. He wore a subtle gold chain, bulky rings and flashed a chunky watch as he puffed his cigars.
Sometimes, he covered up with a fitted black leather jacket. Other times, he dressed up in a mock neck sweater and dress pants by adding a blazer, for business purposes.
Tony’s style is quite versatile, yet simple. I find that its air of understated luxury slightly contradicts that of the women’s wardrobe. I think that it’s really Tony’s demanding presence that works with his outfit to create the whole picture of his character.
The maximalism in mob-inspired fashion represents an escape from the “clean girl” aspirations that have plagued the recent list of fads. The “mob wife” look doesn’t require perfectly clear, glowy skin and an entire wardrobe of white and baby pink.
Most of all, the women of “The Sopranos” were bold and unapologetic. After all, it takes guts to stand up to a man who you know has a gun strapped to his ankle. I suggest you take inspiration from these women in not only style, but in spirit.
It’s easy in today’s world to follow the trends that you see online and blend in with the crowd, but if you’re looking for some inspiration to elevate your wardrobe and attract attention, you should start by getting a Max subscription.
After that, simply sit back, click on the “Pilot” episode of “The Sopranos” and let the fashion show begin.
