Style Inspiration: Joe Pantoliano

Joe “Joey Pants” Pantoliano is a well-known and talented actor, spokesperson for depression sufferers, cigar enthusiast and hat devotee. While his characters run the gamut from well-dressed mobsters to scruffy workmen, his personal style is a great mixture of casual and high-end pieces. Joe Pantoliano is a great example of being sophisticated and casual in one’s dress. How does he do it? Here are two quick tips on how to pull it off. First, Joe recognizes the elegance of a great hat. A short-brimmed fedora or driver’s cap lends a little casual elegance to even a hoodie and t-shirt, as seen below. The fedora is a nicer alternative to the more common baseball cap. If he were wearing a ball cap with his hoodie, he'd be just another slob in line at Starbucks. The fedora gives him a funky, creative vibe. 

Second, Joey Pants knows how to wear denim with dressier pieces. Where many of his contemporaries in the baby boomer generation brought casual pieces like jeans to the forefront of American style at the cost of losing the elegance of more formal clothing, Joe Pantoliano shows how to blend the two together. In the example below, he keeps his denim dark and has pops of color in his tie and pocketsquare. His square-framed glasses show his age and give him a hint of seriousness. His jaunty hat is a nice addition that is both timeless and hip. While worn on the red carpet, this ensemble could be worn at a casual office or to a dinner date.

If you take anything away from the style of this amazing actor, it's that it is possible to look great while being casual and comfortable. Invest in a great lid and you'll be halfway there.