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fter taking a serious nose-dive throughout the 90s, the past 20 years have been something of a renaissance for men’s style, and nowhere is this more evident than in the sharp and stylish movie and TV characters that have graced our (flatter, thinner and incredibly more hi-def) screens.

Characters like George Clooney’s Danny Ocean, Jon Hamm’s Don Draper, Gabriel Macht’s Harvey Specter and Ryan Gosling’s… uhhhh, whatever-his-name-was-in-Crazy-Stupid-Love (Jacob, I think?) have given us a whole new generation of style icons.

But even among this pantheon of sharp dressed men, Matthew Bomer’s gentleman thief from the USA show White Collar stands apart. From 2009 to 2014, the Neal Caffrey wardrobe perfectly embodied the modern-classic look, with a seemingly never-ending supply of perfectly cut suits, sharp skinny ties, timeless casual wear and, the piece de resistance, that patented Neal Caffrey hat.

Of course, as a fictional character on a B-level network where style is often more important than the substance of the plot (I’m looking at you, Suits), he also had more than his fair share of luck.

I mean, hasn’t every ex con in America had the experience of charming an exorbitantly wealthy elderly woman immediately upon being released from prison, only to find that she just so happens to have a closet full of her husband’s incredibly stylish old clothes—all of which fit him like a fucking glove!?!

But I digress.

Regardless of how contrived the plot line around Caffrey’s wardrobe was, the clothes themselves were certainly sharp as hell. And fortunately for those of us who don’t have wealthy benefactors or the skills of a master thief, it can be recreated for approximately 100 million times less than the cost of Caffrey’s perfectly appointed luxury condo, where he stays rent-free. (I mean, come on! How damn lucky was this guy!?!?!)

In this post I’ll share the essential elements of the Neal Caffrey wardrobe, explain how you can recreate his style in real life, and show you where to get the key pieces you’ll need to mimic his modern-classic look.

The Neal Caffrey Wardrobe

Let’s Find Out How to Dress Like Neal Caffrey By Doing a Deep Dive into the Closet of TV’s Most Dashing Thief

Essential Elements

The Three Piece Suit

Number one with a bullet. Neal didn’t always wear a three-piece, but he opted for a waistcoat so often that the style has undoubtedly become his signature look.

Neal usually opted for dark, classically masculine colors like grey and navy, but also dabbled in brighter shades of blue and even green.

(Again I say – based on the in-story explanation, we are meant to believe that he found these suits in a closet. As with so many things about the show’s plot, it’s best not to think about it.)

If you’re thinking about following Neal’s lead and picking up a three-piece for yourself, I highly recommend opting for either navy or a medium grey.

Both are extremely versatile, can be worn in almost any situation, and will never go out of style.

Of course, color is only one consideration. Check out my post about how to buy your first suit for a full break down of the others.

Below are a few sharp, slim-fitting options that definitely evoke Neal’s dapper look.