When you talk about TV and style, one thing we’ve all grown to expect is a near constant outpouring of articles from publications large and small, style-related and otherwise about the attire of our beloved Mad Men. Thanks to the masterful work of the show’s costume designer Janie Bryant, few casts in the history of television have been as sartorially acclaimed as the Mad Men, yet they certainly are not the only well-dressed gents to grace the TV set. So without further ado here’s our roundup of some characters that deserve a seat at the table alongside Sterling, Cooper, Draper, and Pryce.
Enuck “Nucky†Thompson – Boardwalk Empire’s corrupt kingpin of Atlantic City is the epitome of Prohibition Era panache. His high collars, pinned ties, and bowler hats are just sharp enough to conceal the menace that lies beneath Nucky’s three-piece suits.
Robert Culp and Bill Cosby – Before Cosby became sitcom royalty during the eighties, he got his big break on this short lived secret agent series in 1965. Cosby and his Robert Culp made up television’s traddiest duo with their three-roll-two suits, tennis sweaters, dark ties, and suede harringtons.
Deputy U.S. Marshal Raylan Givens – Timothy Olyphant’s character on Justified consistently looks like he’s been clothed by RRL. Dressed in leather sport coats, all denim everything, roper boots and his signature Stetson, Givens costumes often beg the question: TV character or Brimfield dealer?
Magnum PI – No one has done more for the Hawaiian shirt than Thomas Magnum. Aloha shirt, epic stash, short shorts – Magnum had an uncanny ability to turn anything from tacky to badass.
Jackie Chiles – As Seinfeld’s resident rabble rousing lawyer Jackie Chiles was the master of the nineties powersuit. For Jackie, everything was big, from his lapels, to his glasses, to his rhapsodic rants that were a spot on parody of another well-known nineties attorney, Johnnie Cochran.
Carlton Banks – While most people herald The Fresh Prince himself as an influential style icon, Carlton Banks was truly the best dressed character in Bel-Air. With his pastel striped shirts, draped cable knits and fittingly corny dance moves, Carlton was the perfect foil to Will’s blown out nineties style.
Sterling Archer – Because let’s face it, a cartoon character really is the best dressed man on TV.
I think you ought to consider some of our network news readers/anchor men too. I think the NBC guys and now Fox guys are wonderfully traditional dressers.
Don’t forget about Hannibal and Mads Mikkelsen.
Hannibal!
Anthony Bourdain-Parts Unknown (CNN)-his effortless, classic style looks cannot be ignored.
Eric Shatzner-Market Makers(Bloomberg News)-I haven’t figured out whether he’s gay or not, but regardless, he always wears a nicely tailored suit and a tie that makes a statement
A third vote for Mads Mikkelsen’s Dr. Lecter on Hannibal. A very dandy dresser.
Stephen Colbert rocks it!