Our first example, the late Porfirio Rubirosa, was a diplomat, polo player, auto racer, womanizer and my secret boyhood hero. He is clad in a well-cut morning coat for his marriage to Doris Duke, a woman who if she was not the richest woman in the world was in the running. Rubirosa exited the marriage after a year with the photograph, alimony, a fishing fleet, several sports cars, a converted B-25 bomber, and a 17th Century house in Paris (he did not do quite as well from a later marriage to the heiress Barbara Hutton but then that one only lasted a few months). Choose formal day wear for marriage in a cathedral even when the bride to be is not an heiress.
The second photo features the late Melchor Gastón Ferrer, the actor, director and producer who had the good fortune to be married to film star Audrey Hepburn, whom Hubert de Givenchy helped become one of the best dressed women in the world, for fourteen years. Ferrer is elegant in nothing more complex than a blue suit, white shirt and silver tie. And, much as I like formal day wear, most men would do well to emulate him, at least those whose ceremonies will not be in cathedrals.
Morning coat or suit will live on in the photographs. Men planning Spring nuptials should commission one or the other.
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6 comments:
Great post and a welcome discussion of iconic dressers outside of the Grant-Astaire-Dook trinity. Have you read Shawn Levy's biography of Rubirosa? It's quite entertaining.
In some Italian restaurants the enormous pepper mills wielded by the waiters are known as Rubirosas. I'll leave the reason to your imagination.
Ruby, Ruby, Ruby.
What memories.
What laughs.
And what swordsmanship.
Here in the western reaches of L.A., he was a frequent dinner companion of dad's, though reports of intimacy with stepmom Elizabeth are, to my mind, fashioned of whole cloth.
What I recall most of Rubirosa, though, aside from his amazingly strong handshake and the most soothing voice this side of Crosby, was a truly remarkable parlor trick performed in the Polo Lounge, Romanoff's or, after hours, in the back room of the Players' Club.
For Ruby could, even after six deep scotches, balance four fountain pens--tip to tip--on top of one another. What's more, he could keep them so perched for as long as he chose.
Of course, there was talk these were trick pens, that he used adhesive, that nothing in his life was even close to what it seemed.
Still, the trick amused and bemused us all. No one ever tired.
Finally, came a night at the Mocambo when Bill Holden watched Ruby and his pens. Then Bill attempted the feat himself.
Holden couldn't even get to two pens and quickly gave up with one of his wonderful, laughing shrugs.
Ruby simply smiled one of those 200-watt smiles and said quietly:
"You know, I have practiced my entire life with a long, straight object.
"And when you have true and masterful control, you can accomplish anything."
Will - a bit of advice, please, given the topic of today's post. I have a 5:00 pm wedding in a private club setting, followed by dinner and reception. No dinner jackets - the groomsmen are wearing lounge suits - in charcoal or dark gray, as they are likely to have something on hand already that is comfortable and fits. I did not want to inconvenience anyone into any unplanned purchases, regardless how foundational it may appear to the readers of this blog. The matching ties will be from Sam Hober, likely in a burgundy grenadine.
As for me (the groom), I am having a (three piece) suit made. I am torn on color, however. I initially leaned towards dark gray or charcoal as to be more in tone with the groomsmen. However, reading on the topic has impressed upon me that navy is more appropriate for suits worn by grooms or for events stretching into the evening (and here I have both). Which is the greater crime? Having a gray clad set of groomsmen as I go navy, or going clad in what may look a little too business? Or, alternatively, has the male form of wedding neurosis finally taken hold?
JR, your groomsmen are going to be wearing a variety of shades of gray and I doubt that anyone will think of them as a matched set.
I would get a navy suit.
Great photos. I like the charming way in which Doris Duke is glancing down to admire Porfirio's well-trimmed fingernails. She looks smitten.
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