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How to Dress like Al Pacino

Al Pacino. This man is someone we at OTAA consider to be among the top dressers of the acting community — a true style icon. From his distinctive dress shirts to his classic pocket squares, Pacino epitomises one of the sage pieces of advice for styling: If a person puts work and effort into their clothes, their clothes will help them in return.

Indeed, just as the actor does in his legendary roles, he puts gravitas into his outfits, which in turn helps his acting come alive. His decades-long film career has ranged from the calculating and nuanced Michael Corleone to the hotheaded and luridly violent Tony Montana. His style has evolved with his roles, often featuring the best materials for dress shirts that complement his character's persona.

So, what better way to celebrate this icon than by showcasing some of the most memorable styles from Pacino's illustrious acting career? Here are a few examples from his best-known films.

The Godfather (1972)

Francis Ford Coppola's classic trilogy chronicles the rise of the Corleone crime family, the prices Pacino's character, Michael Corleone, must pay, and the responsibilities and burdens he must take. As Michael progresses in the film, his style changes to reflect this.

From the beginning, Michael's style could be described as "Ivy League Prep", with many earthy browns, and most noticeably, his dress shirts are made from oxford cloth, which has extremely fine pinstripes and is often associated with the Ivy League style. This outfit will be topped off with grey flannel slacks and a bouncy, tousled, side-swept hairdo. Michael's dress style up to the point when his father was sent to the hospital drew both admiration and scorn from his older brother Sonny: "Bada-bing! — you blow their brains all over your nice Ivy League suit."

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Later, as Michael further involves himself in his mob family's cause, he wears more stark and formal attire while carrying some remnants of his past Ivy League style. For example, when he confronts Sollozzo and McCluskey in a so-called truce meeting, he wears a charcoal grey flannel three-piece suit and a diagonally striped maroon and white tie that may be understated but is still distinctly Ivy League prep style. Escaping the shootout, he discards the vestiges of his old lifestyle by ditching his brown overcoat to make his getaway.

The scene in Godfather, when Michael first meets Apollonia

Scene from Godfather, when Michael marries Apollonia

The subsequent move to Sicily to escape the heat from the other crime families did little to change Michael's style even though his wardrobe called for countryside wear, as evidenced by his grey striped waistcoat when he first met Apollonia. He would also wear a surprisingly stark black but rustic suit with a double-breasted jacket and black skinny tie with red polka dots when he marries Apollonia.

After the death of his older brother, Michael had to return to the USA to take over the reins as head of the Corleone family, and he now takes to a grey wardrobe. Starting with the suit he wore to his nephew's baptism, which he will regularly wear toward the end of the film, he wears a medium-dark grey three-piece suit with a grey tonal stripe and a wide-lapeled suit jacket cut generously by the costume department to make Pacino look more intimidating.

Of note is his habit of wearing high-buttoned waistcoats, which draws more attention to Michael's height. The fabric has a sheen resembling silk, mohair, or a combination. The grey sheen and the suit's stark and sharp angles make Pacino seem like he's wearing darkened steel.

The Godfather Part II (1974)

In The Godfather Part II, Michael Corleone's wardrobe reflects Italian men's style, conveying power and elegance through carefully chosen fabrics and colours. The film starts with Michael wearing a similar suit; this time, the suit is made from dupioni silk, a slub silk fabric with black and white dots and slubbing (uneven weaving). This fabric gives his suit more form and texture, unlike brushed and pitted steel.

Example of Dupioni Silk

As the film progresses, we will sense that Michael's wardrobe could be more complex and varied. This stark, elegant look shows Michael as cold, severe, and methodical while looking sleek. He knows how appearances can affect a person's image and, in turn, command respect and power.

Another example is during his foray into Havana to expand his business. Michael will wear a tan and cream-coloured suit when he visits Hyman Roth. The suit's fabric has a fine tan and cream plain weave glen check with teal blue on the outer check, and the single-breasted jacket is notch-lapelled with a welted breast pocket and straight flapped hip pockets. He wears a gold, bronze, and brown cravat tie underneath a white polo shirt and brown leather penny loafers with a matching brown belt. The pieces temper his usually cold look as he explores the possibilities of pre-Castro Cuba.

Another signature look Michael will wear in the film is his black suit, made from black shantung silk to give it a sheen like his previous grey suits. Shantung silk is similar to the dupioni mentioned above in that it is a slub silk fabric. Still, the weave is more even, and the fabric is slightly thinner and lighter.

Example of Shamtung Silk

Scarface (1983)

The film chronicles the meteoric rise and spectacular fall of Pacino's character, Tony Montana, a Cuban immigrant who, with some blood-soaked violence, made himself a drug kingpin. With his sudden streak to riches and power, Tony will flaunt his ill-gotten (or "richly deserved" in his view) gains.

After he finishes his first big job, Tony flaunts his riches to his sister and mother. Tony's suit resembles John Travolta's character's disco suit in Saturday Night Fever. We suspect this is a homage and serves to set the tone for Tony's taste in loud clothes later on.

However, the suit in this scene differs from Travolta's disco suit in numerous ways. First, Tony's jacket has notch lapels that are not actually on the side, letting the lapels of Tony's black silk point-collared dress shirt do the talking. Also, although Tony looks like he's wearing a black-and-white dress shirt, he wears a high-buttoned white waistcoat and a black pocket square to match his black dress shirt.

Later on, as he rises within the ranks and meets another kingpin, Alejandro Sosa, on his boss's behalf, Pacino wears a cream-striped suit cut similarly to the previous white suit. He pairs it with a maroon point-collared dress shirt whose lapels again talk alongside a silk white polka-dotted red pocket square. He also accessorises with a gold chain and vintage sunglasses, which became symbols of Tony Montana's lavish and assertive style. And to complete his upstart gangster look, he liberally accessorised his outfit with gold jewellery.

Breaking from his penchant for white suits, we see Tony in another scene where he wears a sky blue gabardine suit in a club scene where hitmen attempt Tony's life. Early in the scene, before the bloody mayhem goes down, Tony's outfit starts as a three-piece suit with a peak lapeled jacket this time, the high-buttoned waistcoat again, and his white striped dress shirt whose lapels again do the talking with the silk pocket square. In the aftermath of the assassination attempt, the waistcoat is completely unbuttoned and pushed out of the way for Tony's arm sling. Note that the prop department made sure the red blood contrasted with Tony's sky-blue suit as much as possible.

During his triumphant wedding to the widow of his now deceased ex-boss, Tony still does not let up with his penchant for white suits, going with a three-piece ivory-coloured tuxedo in a near monochrome outfit that's interrupted only by a dark red bow tie. Usually, a dark-coloured suit would be more appropriate for day weddings, but wearing a white tuxedo is a loud statement from Tony Montana.

The infamous last scene shows a startling change in Tony Montana's garb. Freshly returned from New York, where he had to blend in with '80s Manhattan to carry out an assassination plot, he dresses in a dark navy chalk-stripe wool suit with a peak lapelled suit jacket bearing jetted rear-slanting hip pockets and double side vents, a waistcoat to match, a white pocket square, and a red patterned tie.

Where the New York plot served to give Tony a jarring reality check, Tony's return home served as the point where everything he had built over the years unravelled blindingly fast — and his downward spiral ended in a bloody demise. He discards his tie and unbuttons his white dress shirt with a slim collar, front placket, and double/French cuffs in a no-bar-held rampage against the intruders of his mansion home.

Scent of a Woman (1992)

Here, Al Pacino plays a coarse, near-blind, medically retired Army colonel named Frank Slade. He had his protagonist nephew take him on a joy ride to fulfil his bucket list before he committed suicide. At the start of his stay at the Waldorf-Astoria, he hires his tailor to make him a suit he'll wear for the better part of the film. He was also generous enough to have her make one for his nephew.

Here, the fabric of his suit is patterned in a sharp black-and-white Glenurquhart pattern with a pink overcheck to give the fabric some colour. His three-piece suit includes:

A peak-lapelled, single-breasted, three-button jacket.
A low-buttoned waistcoat.
Double forward-pleated trousers with cuffed hems.

In one scene, Pacino wears a khaki trench coat, showcasing his preference for classic British style with a twist, adding to his character's laid-back aesthetic.

Here, you can see a clearer view of the Glenurquhart pattern on Frank's suit.

This suit was carefully crafted to flatter Al Pacino's 5'7" (around 170 cm) stature and simultaneously allow him to do the famous tango with the random bystander, Donna, waiting for her date in the Pierre Hotel. He completes his outfit with khaki button suspenders, a burgundy tie with white polka dots, and a white pocket square.

On another vacation day, Frank will switch his burgundy tie for a blue patterned tie, though he wears a burgundy scarf to give the outfit some colour. He also wears a fawn-coloured overcoat to complement his suit's colours, a blue and white striped dress shirt, and black leather gloves.

Heat (1995)

In this crime thriller, Al Pacino plays Lt. Vincent Hanna, an LAPD robbery-homicide detective tracking down an expert robber, Neil McCauley, played by Robert De Niro.

He wears a wardrobe with a mostly drab colour palette, in keeping with his role as an overworked, strung-out police lieutenant. Hanna's look is a prime example of Pacino's signature relaxed tailoring. His suits are often oversized, reflecting a calm approach to suiting while still giving him an authoritative presence.

Hanna meets with McCauley in a similar outfit but with a different tie.

Just moments away from an outburst of exasperation with a suspect he is taking away, Hanna wears a near-monochrome outfit, broken only by his navy blue dress shirt. In line with Pacino's style during the 1990s, he often wore massive wool overcoats, adding a layer of gravitas to his character's appearance.

It's incredible what an FNC, a bulletproof vest, and a non-reg side arm can do to give your outfit a lot of gravity.

The Devil's Advocate (1997)

It stands to reason that since Al Pacino had acted in many anti-hero and thuggish roles, he will inevitably have his share of villain roles, too. And so it is here in this supernatural horror film where Al Pacino takes on the role of John Milton, the head of a New York City law firm that hires the protagonist Kevin Lomax, played by Keanu Reeves.

As his previous suits on screen were tailored to flatter his height, this is essential here. Pacino needs to be commanding while acting opposite Keanu Reeve, who is 6'1" (about 186 cm). In this film, Pacino's nonchalant suiting is paired with robust ties, often in bold colours or prints. These ties become the focal point of his otherwise subdued outfits, allowing his character to maintain an air of sophistication while making a strong visual impact.

He will also wear the power suit that is so prevalent in New York. He is wearing a wool black pinstripe suit with a peak-lapelled suit jacket, a white pocket square, and a black and bronze patterned tie while quietly watching his potential new hire. This film's use of statement ties aligns with Pacino's broader style approach during the 1990s, where ties often served as the sole point of print in his outfits.

Though he might wear it many times in the film, one cannot help but notice he usually goes to a bronze or gold patterned on a black tie.

In the climactic scene, Milton finally reveals his true identity. He wears a peak-lapelled black suit but foregoes a tie. His low-buttoned black waistcoat has a bronze paisley pattern that hints at his satanic nature.

Ocean's 13 (2007)

Al Pacino plays the movie's antagonist, Willy Bank, a devious wealthy investor who scams his way into building a casino. Danny Ocean, played by George Clooney, sets out to exact revenge. Although he was described as "a greedy man with no taste," he wears attire befitting a banker and a member of the high-rolling crowd in Las Vegas.

Here, Banks wears a black pinstripe suit with a blue and pink striped dress shirt and a pink paisley tie — the patterning still works even with a garish shade of pink for the tie.

It is the same suit as above but with a different striped dress shirt, a patterned pink tie, and a matching pink pocket square.

Here, Banks wears a navy blue pinstripe suit with a similar blue pinstripe dress shirt, this time wearing a blue and neon green paisley tie with a blue pocket square and gold accessories.

The Irishman (2019)

In this Martin Scorsese film, Al Pacino plays Jimmy Hoffa, a labour union head for whom the main protagonist, Frank Sheeran, played by Robert de Niro, works. Going for historical accuracy, the costume department dropped the flash and pomp of the romantic gangster era of the past. It kept things more grounded, mundane, and low-key. Of course, Al Pacino's wardrobe stands out in keeping with Hoffa's outspokenness and brashness.

Hoffa meets Tony Pro, a rival union boss. With utter disdain for Pro's lack of punctuality, decorum and decision to wear shorts to a meeting, Hoffa wears a tan linen suit, a white dress shirt and a striped tie with yellow stripes upon black and white stripes. The outfit calls to mind his Havana suit from The Godfather Part II.

Hoffa in a wool suit and red gold striped skinny tie during a union meeting

Hoffa is in a wool suit and a red-gold striped skinny tie during a union meeting.

Hoffa in a suit of finer fabric, wearing a skinny blue and green striped skinny tie

During a courtroom scene, Hoffa is wearing a suit of finer fabric and a skinny blue and green striped tie.

Hoffa rebuffing Ruffalino during a union party. He wears a period-style white and red zigzag and striped tie. With Scorsese's direction, if the jagged red lines on Hoffa's tie could mean anything, Hoffa could face something unfortunate pretty soon …

These iconic films influenced Al Pacino's style. His 1990s fashion choices, particularly oversized coats and laid-back suits continue inspiring contemporary fashion. Designers like Gucci and Ferragamo have drawn on these elements in recent collections, proving the enduring appeal of Pacino's style.

So whether you adopt his style or want some of his styling to influence your wardrobe, you can look to his most famous and stylish characters. There, you can see the thought process and the effort that went into Pacino's wardrobe on set.

how to dress like Al Pacino

To channel Al Pacino's iconic style, start by embracing the key elements that defined his look on and off the screen.

Opt for relaxed tailoring, oversized blazers, and trousers that convey a sense of effortless cool. These are often paired with understated accessories like penny loafers and dark sunglasses.

Incorporate bold yet sophisticated touches, such as a printed tie or a denim shirt under a suit, to add a layer of intrigue to your ensemble.

Invest in a well-fitted trench coat or a wool overcoat with strong lapels for outerwear. For added depth, experiment with textures like silk or gabardine. Keep dress shirts wrinkle-free to maintain a polished appearance—an essential detail that complements Pacino's sleek style.

Whether you're inspired by his role as Michael Corleone in The Godfather or Tony Montana in Scarface, remember that Pacino's style is about confidence, subtle luxury, and a touch of nonchalance.