Miami Vice is an American television crime drama series, and its terms of fashion, it is by far the most influential piece of media to ever come out of the great city. It starred Don Johnson as Sonny Crockett and Philip Michael Thomas as Ricardo Tubbs. They were two detectives in the series who worked as undercover in Miami. The series ran for five seasons in the late 1980s bringing the city’s underworld of crime into the households of America in a super-stylized manner.
If you’re one of those who loves the fashion styles of the characters in Miami Vice, then we’re here to give you some ideas and inspirations on how you can recreate and achieve them.
The Ricardo Tubbs Blazer
The key to successfully recreate the Miami Vice style is to get a sleek and maybe slightly muted Tubbs blazer. Then you can pair it with matching bottoms or a slim-fit welt chino pants for a classic Ricardo Tubbs look. Or you can also roll up the sleeves and wear it with a pastel t-shirt and pants, creating a Crockett/Tubbs combination.
Pastels
If you’re aiming to achieve a Miami Vice fashion style, then the color is non-negotiable because no earth tones are allowed. You can stock up on pastel basics like a jacket or two. You can also get some matching pants and make your closet as colorful as the Miami art deco architecture. A dressy sports jacket can also be paired with a colorful striped t-shirt instead of a classic button-down shirt.
Aside from that, Johnson also rocked pastel-colored fitting t-shirts tucked in his pants. Pink V-neck shirts are for date nights while white and blue shirts are for anticipating life while walking on the beach.
Flashy Prints
Aside from pastel-colored shirts and blazers, flashy prints were also a staple when it comes to Miami Vice style. You can explore mixing prints with solid monochromatic outfits to execute the tropical print trend. For example, you can wear a black skinny blazer then a pink flamingo-printed shirt under it.
Shoulder Pads
When recreating the Miami Vice style, you will also need to get some shoulder pads. It’s because they are found in different clothing before such as from t-shirts, dresses, and even blazers. Adding a shoulder padding would certainly help you achieve the ultimate Crockett look.
Wide-Legged Pants
Another way to achieve maximum Vice-ness is to get a pair of pastel-colored wide-legged pants. Then top it with something padded, shove your hands in your pockets and walk around to the tune of Glenn Frey’s You Belong to the City just like how Crockett did it in the season two premiere of Miami Vice.
Wayfarers
A pair of wayfarers is one of the iconic accessories and the ultimate prop that Don Johnson made in the series. It is perhaps the only element of the Miami Vice fashion that never goes out of style. Having a pair of Ray-Ban Wayfarer is perfect to make you look cool and it can help you achieve the perfect Miami Vice style.
Also, cops are known for their preferential treatment of aviator shapes when it comes to eyewear, so if you’re going for a Miami Vice detectives look, then find a distinctive South Beach style of wayfarers that has a double-bridge cut.
Gold Wristwatch
A gold wristwatch is Sonny’s second go-to accessory in the series. And it goes really well with the crisp white linen suit that he always wears.
No-Show Socks
If you’ve noticed, Crockett usually does not wear socks in the series. It’s because Don Johnson just stopped wearing socks due to the heat while shooting on location in Miami. However, going out without a sock can be less functional in the real world but you can still achieve the no-sock look like Crockett by wearing no-show socks. These socks will help you look like Crockett without making your feet suffer.
A Lamé Jumpsuit
If you’re a woman and you also want to wear something that is inspired by Miami Vice, then you can recreate the look of a young Kyra Sedgwick when she was romancing Phil Collins in the season two episode of Miami Vice called “Phil The Shill”. She wore an outfit that was like a combination of sparkling fabrics and jumpsuits. If you want to recreate the style, you can simply wear a silver and sparkling romper jumpsuit.
These are some of the different ways on how you can recreate and achieve the Miami Vice style. Their fashion and style don’t really grow old because we can still definitely rock the 80s Miami Vice fashion in the present time.