Flat-Top is the punk of the train yard, as such his costume has many references to the 1970s UK punk scene. His hair is cut in his name-sake flat top style in the original London production, however the Broadway design gave him a helmet with shaved sides and a brick on his head. He is covered in chains and graffiti, and wears cut-off shorts that show his lower leg.
With the rise of punk rock throughout the inception of Starlight Express from the 70s onwards, Flat-Top's character reflects this in his attitude and style. Early London consisted of grey cropped trousers designed with the impression of bolted together scraps, suggesting the DIY attitude of punk culture, his socks cover some of his calves peeking out, with black skates. Shoulder boxes fitted with bricks, his underlying leotard and trousers feature graffiti, with the initials "F.O.U" spraypainted on his chest. He would recieve more colour and more graffiti as the show progressed through Broadway, Bochum, etc.
Flat-Top is a flat car - a freight unit that would take cargo stacked onto it. He specialises in bricks, and as such his wide, flat shoulders are decorated with stacks of bricks. He is a dirty, scruffy kid who doesn't care about his appearance at all. In the original London production, he had his brick attached to a chain, which stuck to the centre of his belt. In later productions this brick was stuck to his helmet and was not on a chain.
Wig: Flat Top either sports a flat-top hairstyle or wears a helmet with some black hair showing, on which there are two bricks- his pet brick and its base.
Make-Up: Flat Top's make-up isn't exactly pretty, instead he sports a huge monobrow (though if he's played by a "pretty" actor, it will be two eyebrows, not one), large, dark shadows around his eyes, sometimes even looking like black eyes. On his nose he has a silver stripe, like the hoppers. His mouth is grumpy, pointing downwards all the time. He is, after all, a rebellious punk, easily annoyed by the others and not too shy to show them.
His makeup is grubby, occasionally featuring scars and graffiti. In London, graffiti such as "Rock n Roll" written across the face and peace signs, were short-lived as it gave way for inappropriate scrawlings making their way into the show.