In the HBO series True Detective, Detective Rustin Spencer “Rusty” Cohle (Matthew McConaughey) is brought in as partner of Detective Martin Hart (Woody Harrelson) to solve a ritualistic murder in rural Louisiana. Dress up as either the buttoned-up 1995 Cohle or the broken-down 2012 version who’s now a suspect.

In Murder on the Orient Express, Hildegarde Schmidt (Olivia Coleman) is the loyal maid to Princess Dragomiroff, and the former cook for the Armstrong household. Her travels on the Orient Express are business, so her wardrobe is plain and she wears few accessories.

A glamorous, charming, wildly independent female private detective in 1920’s Melbourne, Phryne Fischer (Essie Davis) solves crimes with wit, smarts and fabulous clothes on the Australian TV series Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries. Phryne is a wealthy woman with no intention of marrying and who loves interfering with the cases of local Detective Jack Robinson. To portray this vivacious woman, put together a high-fashion 1920’s inspired outfit complete with a short black bob, sparkling hair accessory and purse pistol.

Tom Selleck played the role of Thomas Magnum in Magnum, P.I. He made life in Hawaii look hard as a private eye by driving around in a Ferrari, donning short shorts and smoking the occasional stogie.

In the 2017 adaptation of Murder on the Orient Express, Ratchett (Johnny Depp) is a wealthy American criminal who fears for his life upon boarding the train. Because he deals in art forgeries, the costume designer chose clothing that would be elegant and upscale, but mismatched and out of place in Europe at the time.

In Inherent Vice, based on the Thomas Pynchon novel, Larry “Doc” Sportello (Joaquin Phoenix) is a hippie private investigator. He takes assignments from questionable clientele in Los Angeles, getting himself caught up in all sorts of intrigue.