Formal Wear Primer

flat-top · Oct 15, 2008

I'm attending a very special formal occasion this winter. I found a great suit/ tux--tone on tone black pinstripes, single breasted with a velvet shawl collar. Not vintage, but looks it.
I'd like to customize it a bit however. I found a great pair of very dressy 1920's style suspenders. I'm thinking of removing the belt loops completely and utilizing the suspenders.
My question: will this make the whole ensemble look less formal or wrong?
I haven't purchased anything yet, but this is one of my options.

Bird's One View · Oct 15, 2008

If the event is truly formal (e.g. if you received a printed invitation that states "Black Tie"), stripes and velvet are both very wrong. (Have a look at blacktieguide.com if you haven't. Of course there is good information in this thread as well.)

That issue aside, there is no need to remove belt loops from tuxedo trousers (if they are present) because their waistband should always be covered by a vest or cummerbund. By all means wear suspenders (and no belt). (It is fine to remove the loops, just not necessary.)

flat-top · Oct 15, 2008

Bird's One View said:
If the event is truly formal (e.g. if you received a printed invitation that states "Black Tie"), stripes and velvet are both very wrong. (Have a look at blacktieguide.com if you haven't. Of course there is good information in this thread as well.)

That issue aside, there is no need to remove belt loops from tuxedo trousers (if they are present) because their waistband should always be covered by a vest or cummerbund. By all means wear suspenders (and no belt). (It is fine to remove the loops, just not necessary.)

Well, it's not exactly a tux, but to the layman, if I wore a bow tie with it, it would look like one. It's not a Black Tie affair, but certainly formal.
I'm also not wearing a vest, so the suspenders will be visible. Will that look wrong?

scotrace · Oct 15, 2008

Velvet collar sounds almost smoking jacket-y. Of course you would be able to identify it as such if it were because you know your stuff. But my point is that it sounds like you're on the right track. You have your own style, so you want to look like you... so the jacket and nifty suspenders combination sounds like something you can work with.

Does that make any sense?

flat-top · Oct 15, 2008

scotrace said:
Does that make any sense?

It does!
Formal wear is one area where I'm no expert, but since I'm not going vintage, I feel like I want to make this ensemble my own.

Tomasso · Oct 15, 2008

flat-top said:
It's not a Black Tie affair, but certainly formal.

Formal = White Tie....Semi-Formal = Black Tie. The outfit that you're describing sounds like something one might wear to a Creative Black Tie event, like the Academy Awards.

flat-top · Oct 15, 2008

Tomasso said:
The outfit that you're describing sounds like something one might wear to a Creative Black Tie event, like the Academy Awards.

That seems about right!

cufflinkmaniac · Nov 7, 2008

This is really helpful!

Tomasso · Dec 10, 2008

Wisdom from the folks who bring you GQ/Details.

Warning: Click at your own risk.

Suitable · Dec 10, 2008

I should have heeded your warning....

Why is it so difficult to understand that formal means following established forms?

Midnight Blue · Dec 10, 2008

Tomasso said:
Warning: Click at your own risk.

"At some point in the evening, you’re going to toss the jacket."

Hey why stop with the jacket? Wouldn't you feel so much more comfortable ditching the shoes, losing the tie and unbuttoning the shirt? Hell, save yourself all the trouble of mid-evening undressing and just arrive in sweats and Crocs. After all, isn't every party all about you?

Feraud · Dec 10, 2008

by the time you’re leading “Livin’ on a Prayer” choruses.

oh the humanity!

Suitable · Dec 11, 2008

The article was full of incorrect advice. One removes one's dinner jacket only at the very end of the evening—and not to "toss" it, but to hang it in the closet, together with one's trousers, waistcoat, tie, and braces.

Cody Pendant · Dec 12, 2008

Get with the Times, man!

You old fogies got it all wrong. Their not talking about just removing ones jacket, but the new black tie party game, “Toss the Jacket”. It’s apparently all the rage now. You toss the jacket from across the dance floor into the punch bowl. Kind of like bean bag toss or washer toss. First one in is the winner. Come on man; “GET WITH IT!”

_RAGNAR_ · Dec 12, 2008

LindyTap said:
I recently found my grandparents' wedding picture from 1954 and initially thought "oh cool, grandpa's got white tie on" but on further examination I realized that he didn't have a vest on. In fact, it looked like he had on a cumberbund. On top of that, I realized he had a dinner jacket, not a tailcoat on.

I think it was very common in weddings, as is the groom wearing a white dinner jacket while the rest wear black. it may not be proper but it was done a lot. (I am commneting on late 50 to 60's pictures I know nothing about earlier)

graybadger · Dec 29, 2008

Dancing

I'm seeking advice: I would like to wear a tuxedo for ballroom dancing, but the few I've tried would not accommodate raising the arms without binding and distorting the shape. I read somewhere that the limiting factor is the way the sleeves join the body of the dinner jacket, which seems correct. Does anyone have advice on which brands have the best cut in this regard? Thanks.

DocMustang · Dec 29, 2008

AnySuit

Thinking about getting a tux from anysuit.co.uk. It looks like they do made to measure. I was thinking that I might be able to get them to narrow the armholes on the jacket to accomadate raising the arms. Anyone here get a suit or Tux from them in the past?

David V · Dec 29, 2008

graybadger said:
I'm seeking advice: I would like to wear a tuxedo for ballroom dancing, but the few I've tried would not accommodate raising the arms without binding and distorting the shape. I read somewhere that the limiting factor is the way the sleeves join the body of the dinner jacket, which seems correct. Does anyone have advice on which brands have the best cut in this regard? Thanks.

You may want to look at ballroom dance wear suppliers. I believe they make coats specifically for ballroom dance. Otherwise you may need to go bespoke for I can think of no OTR maker who offers the high armscye.

Doc · Feb 7, 2009

I have a question; I’ve looked all over but not really found an answer. I’ve seen in a few photos a white scarf being worn with evening attire. What’s the story on this accessory? When is it to be worn and was it in vogue in the 1930’s?

One final question, perhaps thread worth; where there any standards for pocket square folding for the 30’s? I’ve seen some wild ones but I haven’t noticed any “formalwear only” styles.

Thank you in advance.

Midnight Blue · Feb 7, 2009

Doc said:
I have a question; I’ve looked all over but not really found an answer. I’ve seen in a few photos a white scarf being worn with evening attire. What’s the story on this accessory? When is it to be worn and was it in vogue in the 1930’s?

One final question, perhaps thread worth; where there any standards for pocket square folding for the 30’s? I’ve seen some wild ones but I haven’t noticed any “formalwear only” styles.

The Black Tie Guide explains the details of a proper formal scarf. However, there is no traditional etiquette for wearing this scarf indoors and based on my research it appears the practice is more common in Britain than in America. I would strongly advise against it until you have a lot of black-tie experience under your belt (braces?) as it can easily come across as being affected or theatrical. Keep in mind that the more a man downplays his formal attire the more the attire will play up the man. And vice versa.

There was also no prescribed manner for folding formal pocket squares in the '30s. A visual survey of Esquire and Apparel Arts illustrations from that period shows they were loosely bunched so that one or two asymetrical points were visible. The dégagé effect was much like that of the self-tied bow tie. Avoid the meticulous geometric folds found on formalwear mannequins these days.

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