"My suits are on the house": When Tommy Shelby from Peaky Blinders proved once again how he runs the show

BBC's crime drama Peaky Blinders, which ran for six seasons and will also release a feature film soon, is based on a real-life Birmingham gang of the same name, who operated in the 1880s.

The show follows the titular gang, led by Cillian Murphy's Tommy Shelby, and their notorious criminal activities in Small Heath. However, another thing that made the gang stand out was their dapper fashion, which is faithfully adapted in the show.

Tommy and his brothers stand out in their ''tailored jackets, lapelled overcoats, buttoned waistcoats, silk scarves, bell-bottom trousers and flat caps'' which they flaunt while blinding their many enemies through six seasons.

When asked where he buys his suits from, Tommy gives this befitting reply in Peaky Blinders Season 1 Episode 3:

"I don't pay for suits. My suits are on the house or the house burns down."

Tommy's reply is enough to prove the gang's and, most importantly, his dominance in the city and that the Shelbies run the show here.

More on Tommy's fashion and how it is equivalent to his power in Peaky Blinders in our story.

Tommy Shelby's iconic line highlights his dominance in Peaky Blinders

In season 1, when Tommy invited Grace to accompany him to the races, she complained about not having a proper dress to wear to the event. When she asks whether he had purchased his suit for the event, Tommy gives this befitting reply, asserting his power dynamics in Small Heath.

Tommy and the Shelbies are often seen picking up their suits from Mr. Zhang's dry-cleaning/br*thel in season 1. We also see rows of fine suit clothing all marked 'Shelby', highlighting the power this crime family holds in the area.

Tommy's comments about not buying any of his suits highlight how, in that period, small businesses had to make their services exclusive for mob families such as Shelby. This power dynamic also underlines the fact that Tommy not only leads the Blinders but also runs the show in Birmingham.

Tommy Shelby's refined fashion highlights his social mobility in Peaky Blinders' later seasons

While Tommy Shelby always power-dressed in Peaky Blinders, his fashion saw a considerable shift in season 4 to accommodate his family's social mobility. Since clothes are often associated with one's status symbol, a new costume designer, Alison McCosh, was brought in season 4 to visualise Tommy's transformation.

While Tommy's style was always dapper, his suit material became more rich and refined as the gang leader entered a life of politics in season 4. In an interview with Netflix Tudum, McCosh describes Tommy's fashion transformation:

''They come from this [world of] poverty and backstreet crime to legitimate business people. Tommy Shelby entered into the world of politics. Tommy’s coat was changed to a beautiful cashmere in an astrakhan color. The silhouette is very simple, it’s a stronger shoulder, and the level of attention to detail in the fabric was very important to show.''

While McCosh developed a new wardrobe for Tommy and the other characters in season 4, the gangster still donned his iconic cap because it defines him and has been a central part of the gang's identity since season 1. The Blinders' cap (which is historically accurate to the actual gang) holds a special value, as McCosh notes:

''Cillian and I talked about this: It was really important that he kept his cap. It’s the core of who [Tommy] is, and he never really wants to lose that center of himself. So even though he’s in the political world, he still wears his cap.''

Also Read: When Tommy Shelby from Peaky Blinders had his own definition for his mental health

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