Gangsters/Mafia

In the public eye, the 1920s gangster and bootlegger "above the law" lifestyle brought money, fame, nice clothes, women, cars, and homes. Quality, high fashion suits and expensive accessories were as much the calling cards of the gangster then as they are today (though I doubt you'd hear the term haute couture being dropped regularly)The 1920s plays host to many other organized criminals with expensive suits and flashy names.

The 20's most famous gangsters were: "Scarface" Capone, "Lucky" Luciano, "Bugs" Moran (AKA Jack "Legs" Diamond), and "Dutch" Schultzn. The 1930s the names became "Pretty Boy" Floyd and "Babyface" Nelson, while the 1940's gives us "Bugsy" Siegal. In more recent years the name parade brings John "The Teflon Don" Gotti, and Salvatore "Sammy the Bull" Gravano. Every famous gangster has a colorful name to go along with his fine suit. It's also been said that the gangster, as the American public sees him, is a creation of the mass media.

In the 1920s gangsters became the American icons of the self-made-man. Expanding their organizations into illegitimate markets, namely racketeering, bootlegging, and prostitution, these gangsters live life by their own shady but strict code of ethics, but outside of the iron grip of the law. 1920s gangsters fashion owes much of it's rise in the public's consciousness to the prohibition and the newspaper media's love affair with these criminal media darlings.

Capone was "Public Enemy Number 1". He had moved to Chicago in 1920 where he worked for Johnny Torrio the city's leading figure in the underworld. Capone was given the task of intimidating Torrio's rivals within the city so that they would give up and hand over to Torrio their territory. Capone also had to convince speakeasy operators to buy illegal alcohol from Torrio. Capone was very good at what he did. in 1925, Torrio was nearly killed by a rival gang and he decided to get out of the criminal world while he was still alive. Torrio handed over to Capone his 'business'. Within 2 years, Capone was earning $60 million a year from alcohol sales alone. Other rackets earned him an extra $45 million a year. Capone managed to bribe both the police and the important politicians of Chicago. He spent $75 million on such ventures but considered it a good investment of his huge fortune. His armed thugs patrolled election booths to ensure that Capone's politicians were returned to office. The city's mayor after 1927 was Big Bill Thompson - one of Capone's men. Thompson said

http://www.chicagohs.org/history/capone.html

http://www.1920s-fashion-and-music.com/famous-gangsters.html