Some may disagree but if a man needs only one set of evening clothes for the fall season I think the midnight blue four button double breasted dinner jacket with black grosgrain facings is the semi-formal style to choose.
All things being relative, the double breasted is the informal approach to black tie. Less stiff than its single breasted, waistcoated relation it looks good with either peak or shawl lapels and an unstarched pleated shirt with a turn-down collar. Woolen merchant H. Lesser offers a 12 ounce midnight blue barathea that's just about perfect for tycoons and those who wish to look like them.
The opera diva is an optional accessory that can add considerably to the evening experience.
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Semi-Formality for Fall
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6 comments:
Great post! Given that my own dinner jacket is a DB from Paul Stuart, I can only concur.
I love that it stands out just a bit, but without the silliness that men indulge in trying to personalize their black tie look, esp. that prom-special, the colored and patterned bow (usually a clip) tie and matching cummerbund.
Will,
every post you do on evening wear makes me more and more antsy about getting my first dinner suit. I'm having it made in India (My parents are there on vacation and I've sent with them my most perfectly fitting suit to have several copies made) as we speak and should have it in a month. 1B Peak with grosgrain facing. I can't wait!
I agree. In my view the most colourful one should ever get with Black-Tie is a midnight-blue jacket.
Considering it's a uniform, we're already presented with a good choice of options to personalise the dress without going overboard:-
SB or DB jacket.
Peak or shawl lapel.
Grosgrain or satin facings.
Marcella or pleated shirt.
Waistcoat or cummerbund.
Patent Oxfords or pumps.
Black, ivory or midnight blue.
Fold-down or wing.
...to name a few.
Throwing in some white-tie elements can smarten the look further and the many accessories (buttonhole, pocket square, fob-watch etc.) should be enough for any man without resorting to modern trends.
Will,
watching to the '30s dinner jackets , one can admire beautiful facings covered by the so called "canneté silk" that looks like an heavy silk twill with a more pronounced diagonal weave than the grosgrain.It seems that it is no more possible to found it now. Do You have any suggestion for an useful address for finding and purchasing it ?
Thanks .
Regards
Angelo
I've always wondered about combining black with blue. Perhaps my palette is off, just the nearness yet mismatch of the colors strikes me as being the same sort of foul that mixing the wrong stripe patterns can be in that there's a restless confusion which burdens the eye.. Just my two cents.
They are a joy to wear. Last weekend Mrs. E. and I took in a Doc Scantlin and the Imperial Palms Orchestra (feat. Little Chou-Chou.) I wore her grandfather's midnight blue, 4 button, DB, grosgrain lapeled dinner jacket (with flat front trousers!) It was made in the 60's and must be at least 12 ounces. I felt like a million bucks and was very comfortable all through dinner and dancing.
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