By securing the part of Jules Winnfield in Pulp Fiction, Samuel L. Jackson achieved two things: the defining role of his career and a place in fashion history.

The message of the film is wickedly ironic: I’m going to blow your brains out – but only in my Sunday best. And when Jackson pushed farther into comedy territory by wearing what can only be described as a limp noodle mop-top, he created one of the most memorable images in the history of film.

In terms of style, Winnfield’s iconic suit is effective in its simplicity and easy to replicate. It is strong because of its monotone sleekness. It suits all shapes and sizes because black is slimming and white clean and polished. And the best thing of all is that you can recreate the outfit with £100 or £1,000. But take your cue from Banksy, the graffiti artist, for accessories. On the not-so-mean streets a banana is better than a semi-automatic – leave the blood-splattered look to Jules.

Off screen, Jackson’s image is also memorable. Ask anyone to describe his look and the word Kangol would almost certainly leap from their lips. According to the cap-makers themselves, Jackson fell in love with the 504 style when filming Jackie Brown; lately he has favoured the fuller Spitfire shape.

As for the clothes, Jackson is an Armani man. The dove-grey and beige suits with white, round-neck T-shirts nod to the languid cool of LA (Jackson is rarely seen in a tie). The grey knitted, button-front jackets and thick-rimmed glasses, seen at Armani’s catwalk show in Milan, indicate a European sensibility. These clothes, like Jules’s, are simple, subtle and strong, but if you want to pin down the SLJ look to perfection, indulging in slightly ridiculous headwear is a necessity.