Other than a dislike for Seth MacFarlane, the principal thing I took away from the 85th Academy Awards this year was the decline of the dress set. Two links and four studs of one precious or semi-precious form or another was the standard for black tie for decades, but you would never have known that at this year's ceremony where buttoning evening shirts appeared to be ubiquitous. And that is too bad because, really, when else does a man have an opportunity to wear jewelry without looking as if he is auditioning for the lead role in a reprise of Saturday Night Fever?
Now I will admit that a passion for jewelry may not be every man's cuppa, but then if everyman hung out here it would be obvious that he does not own dinner clothes. On the other hand, a dinner jacket was the holiday gift request of the precocious 17 year old Harvard undergrad grandson of a friend which tells me that standards are still upheld in a few places in this country (lacking teenage males of my own, I was happy for the opportunity to contribute the sterling and onyx set I wore at that age).
Without straying too far into the stratospheric realm of rubies, emeralds and diamonds, the regular run of good quality dress sets has in common the three materials in the photograph: polished onyx, mother of pearl, and gold to hold the other stuff together. Not inexpensive, but hardly in the same class as a Swiss wristwatch that is not even appropriate with black tie.
The relative scarcity of studs does not appear to be only a Southern California phenomenon, as a similar propensity for buttons was on display at last season's Costume Institute Gala and similar occasions in Manhattan. And since today's celebrities are hardly shrinking violets when it comes to wearing gems to the most mundane events I can only speculate that Tiffany's and its ilk do not offer loaner dress sets to every man headed for the Red Carpet, and George Clooney is one of the few who wears black tie often enough to amortize the cost over frequent wearings. But then, Clooney also wore buttons at the Awards so perhaps the dress set will preceed the dinner jacket into oblivion.
Too bad generally, but a buying opportunity for any man who pays attention to estate sales.
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Dress sets are indeed nice, but I'm also not that hung up about wearing jewellery that I have to wait for a "correct" opportunity.
Most of the people going to events like the Oscars are not doing it because they like wearing dinner clothes - in fact most seem to actively not like it. Looking for the upkeep of standards in such places is probably a wasted exercise.
For about three years, i was wearing a tuxedo at least once a month.
When i bought my first tux, the salesman sold me a nice, modern dress set - nothing fancy.
I already owned a number of cufflinks for the fraternity in which I wore the tux, so I continued to wear those, and the studs from the set.
I will be getting married in about 6 months, and wearing a military equivalent of white tie, which requires white mother of pearl studs and cufflinks.
A uniform shop sells an "ok" set, where the cufflinks are one sided with T-bars.
I found a vintage dress set for only a small amount more - however, the set was designed as having only three studs, so I'm a little worried about finding a proper white tie shirt and waistcoat which only needs three studs.
The pictured dress set of studs and links is unusual in shape, at least in my experience. (I usually see simple round or square shapes.) Whose are they/where are they from?
Using the oscars as any sort of benchmark for elegant dress is a complete waste of time. With the odd exception it was unbelievable how badly dressed the guys were considering most of them were wearing attire provided free by Tom Ford et al. Since these designer firms are supposed to be promoting their clothing you'd think they'd make a decent job of it.
Tangleman, I had not seen studs in that shape but the links are one of the forms used with some frequency by Trianon, the maker of the set.
MP,
May I suggest Brooks Brothers' "tuxedo" shirt with detachable collar? It's a beautiful shirt--I have one--and is correct for white tie (single cuffs; detachable collar; and pique, not pleated, bib). Plus, it has holes for three studs.
However, the collar that comes with the shirt is wimpy. Go online to find a proper tall wing collar. Premier Designs Historic Clothes offers the tallest wing collars I have found, though you might also have luck on eBay.
You can wear this shirt with black tie (as our gracious host has), but only with a single-breasted peak lapel jacket.
I think all the white tie waistcoats I've seen are either three stud (single breasted) or four (double breasted). Check eBay.
For the tie, though, you have to get one custom made: no one should appear in white tie with an adjustable tie! Try The Cordial Churchman for a surprisingly affordable custom white tie.
Full disclosure: Other than as a customer, I have no connection to the companies mentioned.
Hollywood evening clothes are an abomination. The celebrities don't understand that manufacturers make dinner jackets with two button fronts, notch lapels and flapped pockets to save money. It's far more cost effective to sew silk facings on to their existing business suit patterns than to make correct evening clothes, which require a unique pattern and have a much smaller market. The concept of the cummerbund is likewise lost on them, evidenced by the unsightly triangle of shirt often visible beneath the jacket waist button. So it stands to reason that shirt studs and cufflinks would be a complete mystery. One would think the "stylists" would better, but they're as poorly informed as their clients. Too bad.
Carl, that triangle of shirt visible beneath the jacket's button isn't because they're not wearing a cummerbund, it's because the trousers have a low-rise. If they wore a cummerbund at the correct height, you'd probably see shirt under the cummerbund. A cummerbund can't be worn on the hips like currently fashionable trousers.
Or a normal rise with high button closure on jacket Matt?
Sure, you could have that too, though the problem I usually see is due to low-rise trousers.
Matt, you're right, low rise trousers are the greater problem.
The worst is the three piece suit with low rise trousers. Invariably the vest isn't long enough to cover the waistband of the trouser. But that gives the wearer the opportunity to show off a large and pretentious belt buckle, preferably with a logo.
Horatio - if you mean the "Golden Fleece" shirt by BB, it's about one half the cost of my entire uniform ensemble. A little steep for me, considering I've worn white, in my 40 years on this earth, twice, and after this wedding, it will be thrice, and unlikely to do so ever again.
The Cordial Churchman does look reasonable for prices, unfortunately, they do not appear to have a white pique tie at this time.
MP, they're a small setup, so you should email them and see if they can get the fabric. I know they do custom orders (or used to) to turn FIH ties into bow ties, so I'm sure they could make you a tie to your specs.
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