Q I will be attending a dinner-and-dance soon and the theme is Gangster Paradise. Any advice for men on how to pull off the theme in a hip way?

A What a great theme for a D&D. You can have lots of fun with this, depending on the type of gangster chic you prefer.

One dapper option is to take a cue from the smartly suited mafia men in movies like The Godfather and Dick Tracy and jazz up a standard suit-and-tie outfit with smooth-criminal touches such as a fedora.

There is a nice range of such hats in various types of fabrics from 77th Street, with prices starting from $39.90.

Another option is to go East with a retro spin – opt for threads in the style of triad bosses familiar to fans of shows like The Bund, the famous Hong Kong serial about Shanghai gangsters and their star-crossed molls.

Silk tops with mandarin collars and frog buttons from Shanghai Tang (from $322) will help you pull off this look.

Fancy yourself as more of a cool and lethal Japanese yakuza type? Try pairing a standard blazer with a T-shirt from Ed Hardy (from $262.81, above), a brand known for its loud and sparkling designs based on the artwork of American tattoo artist Don Ed Hardy, who is known for incorporating Japanese tattoo aesthetics into his work.

Add a smouldering glare and a touch of menace to your attitude and you are all set for a good time.

This article was first published in Urban, The Straits Times.