After looking at dozens of photographs of dinner jackets last week for the San Francisco Ballet post, it occurs to me that many of the men would have benefited from a touch of red.
Boutonniere, pocket square, hose or in the pattern on a waistcoat, a touch of red (or purple, for that matter) adds just the right amount of color to otherwise unadorned black tie.
Monotony is less of a problem with white tie (not that many of us have much occasion to wear it) because a man can, and should, wear his medals with white tie. But black tie can be so, well, black.
So try a touch of red. But please, not the bowtie. That should never be colored.
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
A Touch of Red
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11 comments:
The red is nice with dinner jacket. Have worn medals once with that. None with white tie, though of course with dress mess.
Excellent post! I always wear a red or purple pocket square with my black tie attire. I think it adds just the right amount of color.
I agree with your opinion on colored ties. I cringe everytime I see wedding photos with rented formal wear and colored ties to match the girl's dresses.
Would medals be appropriate in black tie as well? I am familiar with mess dress and dinner dress regulations but what guidelines would you recommend for medals with a dinner jacket if one went that route?
I, too, wear a purple pocket square with my DJ. Frank Sinatra advocated a touch of orange as that was his favourite colour. The red will go nicely with my new midnight blue dinner suit, though.
Christopher, I remember that it had been proposed that medals be permitted at Court in the UK with black tie but I don't recall what happened. Perhaps one of our English readers can tell us.
If nothing has changed, they are correct with white tie.
As a USAF retiree, miniature decorations are worn with dinner jacket or black tie attached above the left pocket, according to order of precedence, pursuant to regulation. This is contrasted with mess dress or white tie, where miniatures are worn on the left lapel. Some other branches of service permit full size decorations.
Very nice photo, Will. I agree that red goes nicely here and seems to add something a little more than a white square would.
Very nice photo, Will.
I agree that red goes very nicely here and seems to add a little something extra than a white square would.
Thanks for the tip.
What really makes the illustrated red waistcoat effective is the fact that it is a classic low cut vest that barely peaks out above the closed dinner jacket. The high-buttoning waistcoats of today, on the other hand, display an excessive amount of colour when worn with 1-button jackets.
Ah, if only such garments were still available today . . .
But they are available, even ready to wear, in both the U.S. and the U.K.
I recall Ben Silver offering a nice maroon silk version.
A very inspiring post, indeed.
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