British actor Charlie Chaplin was one of the most famous actors of the silent film era. His signature character, The Tramp or The Little Tramp, appeared in dozens of short and full-length films. The character, known for being down on his luck but still plucky and good-hearted, was internationally popular and remains an icon of the silent era. The last film featuring The Tramp was Chaplin’s Modern Times, released in 1936 and considered “culturally significant” by the Library of Congress.
The Tramp typically wore a fitted jacket with tails, baggy pants, a small bowler hat (also known as a derby hat), over-sized shoes, a cane, and a small mustache. The idea was that he would wear ill-fitting clothes because they were bought second-hand and not made to fit him.
Dressing up at The Tramp is easy to do because his bowler hat and black mustache are so iconic that everyone will know who you are at just a glance. Add a tuxedo jacket, bamboo cane, and clownishly big shoes to complete the look.