Omari Hardwick is known for his TV roles, especially the dapper drug dealer Ghost on Starz’s “Power.” But he’s also in film, including a supporting role in Tyler Perry’s “Nobody’s Fool” this November, as well as the stage, with his musical show “HerO: A Work in Progress.” When he’s not performing, Hardwick, 44, who lives in Brooklyn and Denver, is considerably more dressed down.
1. Shirt: My favorite shirt tends to be jean shirts. A jean shirt and a white tee always gets me. Or I’ll sneak into American Eagle and I’ll buy the two-button crew neck tees they have. It’s just enough on the neckline. I don’t like the V-neck to be so deep. I like to think of my style as real elegant meets blue collar.
2. Jeans: Jeans dominate my closet, although I also wear sweats too. If I rock the sneakers then it’s with jeans. Or I’ll flip it up and wear boots with sweats. There is a lot of juxtaposition in my wardrobe. I like faded black jeans or something that lives in the world of gray. I like G-Star a lot, but I have Seven for All Mankind too. But I’m not a brand guy — it’s whatever fits and feels good.
3. Suit: Ghost is dressed up. It’s interesting because I’ve noticed that the younger generation holds Ghost up on a pedestal, so when they see me dressed down, or dressed the way I want to dress as Omari, they think of it as a step down or run-of-the-mill. But I would have to feel comfortable in a suit in order to play him. I like Ozwald Boateng’s suits. He’s a super special guy but also because I’m athletic, I have to look out for suits that fit my body. Tom Ford is good for that, too.
4. Shoes: My wife has threatened to kick me out of the house with all my shoes. My wife says, “You’re a like a freaking girl with all your shoes!” I say, “Hey, that’s sexist!” I’m a sneakerhead, but it’s become sort of infamous that I love boots. When I was a kid, I wanted cowboy boots and today, I’m still very much in love with boots as a commodity. I like Freebird boots and I also like Doc Martens a lot. I have maybe seven to 10 pairs that I like.
5. Accessories: I always have on five bangles to represent the family that I made. The bangles never come off except for when I’m playing Ghost or another character. I also have a ring of my grandfather’s. And I also always have a watch on. I collect watches but it could be anything. I have an old classic Rolex, Invictas and I have a navy blue Swatch watch that I really like. I treated myself to an Emporio Armani watch after buying one for my driver on “Power” Season 4. I dug the metal band and military style.
