Flower in the Lapel

Mr_Misanthropy · Apr 13, 2006

Hello all
I am going to a shindig this Saturday, a show/dance/party at a fedora-friendly bar I frequent. I was planning on wearing this suit..

But with a reddish tie and a 30's style fedora (which should be here any day). I was walking to pick up the suit from the cleaners today and passed a florist. In the heat of the moment, I had a brainstorm, and walked in to order a flower to wear on my lapel Saturday night. I didn't want anything too fancy, just something elegant.

An nice older woman named Dorothy came to my assistance, and was MOST helpful!! She suggested a rose, very small (a bloom I think its called), in an ivory color. There will be a little greenery around it, but no baby's breath or ribbon or anything... it's not a prom!

I'll have pics up on Sunday hopefully from the event, so, you can all see the results then. I was wondering if anyone else has ever done the flower on the lapel? I think it's called a boutonni?®re, buccaneer, or something. Pics would be great. I don't think this is a prom only fashion... any ideas?

Regards,
-Jeremiah

Baron Kurtz · Apr 13, 2006

Ahhh, the boutonniere ...

Roses are pretty formal for me. More of a wedding thing.

I tend towards the understated flower with single layer of petals. More than that gets a bit bulky. I have quite a selection of wildflowers growing in my (tiny) garden. I generally just snip one of those and pop it into the lapel. Some are violet, some are yellow, varying shades of pinks etc. ...

bk

Burma Shave · Apr 13, 2006

Like Baron Kurtz...

...I prefer something small, understated and classic. I can't see that a tiny ivory rose would be offensive, however.

My favorites are cornflowers, which you can see here:

http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/wildseed/cornflower.html

It's particularly appropriate for a young man's lapel because another name for this flower is "bachelor button."

"Doc" Devereux · Apr 13, 2006

For more dressy evening things, I like to wear a small rose in my lapel: white with everything except white (which basically means black or dark blue), and then a black rose (I know a guy) on a white dinner jacket. It's a little formal, but I like the touch.

Mr_Misanthropy · Apr 13, 2006

Now it's not an opened up blooming rose.. it's a small closed one.

A bud... that's it. It's a bud.

Burma Shave · Apr 13, 2006

"Doc" --

I love black roses. I hardly ever see them, and most people don't believe they exist. I've gotten countless funny looks from florists concerning my requests for those things.

Marc Chevalier · Apr 13, 2006

If you want to be ultra '30s traditional, go for a small red or white carnation (the smallest you can find). Don't pin it on the front of the lapel -- put the stem through the buttonhole, and then carefully(!) pin the stem onto the back of the lapel. (Be gentle here, as carnation stems have a nasty habit of breaking.)

Why carnations? Simple: they're sturdy flowers which need less water than roses do. Carnations stay fresh-looking on your lapel for the entire day.

Roses were indeed worn by men, but almost always for special evening occasions only. In other words, with a tuxedo. (That said, plenty of men preferred to wear a carnation with their tux.)

Color rules? Well, they weren't hard and fast, but the general rule said: red or white carnation with a day suit; red rose or carnation with a tuxedo; white rose or carnation with an evening tailsuit (like Fred Astaire's).

.

Mr. Rover · Apr 13, 2006

Yes- I was going to say that rose is quite formal for a bar- I'd say carnation. I think poppies look nice, too, when the English use them.

Baron Kurtz · Apr 13, 2006

The paper ones?

bk

Mr. Rover · Apr 13, 2006

No, I've used those before when I went to a POW Ceremony here in Taiwan and they look completely bafoonish.
I'm talking about the real thing. I've seen them use it on special occassions.

Brad Bowers · Apr 13, 2006

Is a flower in the lapel and display handkerchief in the breast pocket too busy-looking? I've often thought about wearing a carnation, but was afraid I'd have too much going on with my handkerchief.

Brad

Marc Chevalier · Apr 13, 2006

I don't think it's too busy. Back in the '30s, when men wore carnations, they wore them along with pocket handkerchiefs.

.

Haversack · Apr 13, 2006

I would second the recommendation of the carnation. I have very fond memories of my grandfather both growing them and wearing them up into the 1970s. An Englishman, he had been in service as a valet and butler from 1912 up until the late 1950s in Southern California. I only knew him after he retired but when he wasn't working in his garden, he was always impeccably turned out. A white carnation or white w/red edges was his boutonni?®re of choice. At 6' 1", he was turning ladies heads until the day he died. Next time I visit my sister, I need to go through some of the family photos from the 20s and 30s.

Haversack

Hemingway Jones · Apr 13, 2006

I love a full blown boutonniere with a tuxedo.

For a more casual look a simple Carnation or even a Daisy (no visual pun intended!) through the lapel can be quite dashing. Of course, first you need to open your buttonhole.

Tony in Tarzana · Apr 13, 2006

Mr_Misanthropy said:
Now it's not an opened up blooming rose.. it's a small closed one.

A bud... that's it. It's a bud.

So when you enter the room, you can look at your lapel and say,

wait for it...

"Hey bud, let's party!"

(I'm sorry.)

Mr_Misanthropy · Apr 14, 2006

Tsk tsk tsk... that was foul, Tony.

I think i'm going to see if it's too late for me to get a Carnation instead....

"Doc" Devereux · Apr 14, 2006

Burma Shave said:
I love black roses. I hardly ever see them, and most people don't believe they exist. I've gotten countless funny looks from florists concerning my requests for those things.

I know a splendid place in Covent Garden that carries them almost constantly, courtesy of a former assistant of mine. It's quite fun seeing people's reactions to it, both the "What kind of flower is that?" phase, and the look on their faces when you tell them. I'm amazed by the number of people who don't even believe they exist!

Tony in Tarzana · Apr 14, 2006

Mr_Misanthropy said:
Tsk tsk tsk... that was foul, Tony.

I know, I'm sorry. Don't know what came over me.

Baron Kurtz · Apr 14, 2006

[QUOTE="Doc" Devereux]I know a splendid place in Covent Garden that carries them almost constantly, courtesy of a former assistant of mine. It's quite fun seeing people's reactions to it, both the "What kind of flower is that?" phase, and the look on their faces when you tell them. I'm amazed by the number of people who don't even believe they exist![/QUOTE]

So what colour is it? Purple? Black, as we know ... does not exist in nature.

bk

Hemingway Jones · Apr 14, 2006

Baron Kurtz said:
So what colour is it? Purple? Blakc, as we know ... does not exist in nature.

bk

Are you saying the color black does not exist in nature? Or are you saying that black roses do not exist in nature? Just curious.

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