Men’s Formal Wear

Yeah yeah I know this is a re-post from last year… but hey I didn’t have my own fabulous place to post it then! Get over it.

Originally published on November 17, 2008 3:50 PM

It was a little slow today, and I promised a friend I’d help him with a DFI project for the inauguration. He happens to be lucky enough to have a “golden ticket” to one of the balls and asked me to help with a “tux”… shudder eek-everyone repeat after me, it’s “black tie” or “formal dress” from here on out.

It’s been years since I had to dust off my fashion college degree regarding black tie, so I thought I could cheat a little and check out what James Bond is wearing – seriously why not, the man is synonymous with great formal wear!

I ran into multiple snags. First off black tie is 70% etiquette (which I’d forgotten), and Tom Ford dressed him in midnight blue. Yeah I know it’s done but not by me!

Blue isn’t going to fly in my friend’s world, and DC isn’t exactly the place to make that kind of fashion statement. Poor guy be explaining it all night. London and Paris perhaps – fuddy duddy DC, um not so much. (Insert argument from Mr. Bespoke here).

For those of you still reading – and I’d guess that’s about two of you – after color choice the next big decision is lapel style. This also determines the shirt style so pay attention.

Here again, there are definite differences between continents. A notched collar is the most popular choice in the United States, but a shawl collar (without notches) or a peaked lapel are considered more traditional in Europe and the United Kingdom. In the interest of full disclosure, I’m not a fan of the peaked lapel (with two points of fabric that point upwards and a narrow amount of space between the collar and lapel). The current

Bond has worn both a shawl collar and a peaked one.

So more searching was necessary, I ended up here, which has chapter and verse on shirts, tradition and other endlessly useful tips.

I blog this in the hope that as the days count down to the historic Obama-Biden inauguration no one utters the word “tux” again in from of me and I don’t have to have to have a PTSD flash back to the proms I attended in the early 80’s and the boys who wished to make bold fashion statements. As evidenced by the evil person who posted my prom table picture on Facebook! Black Tie Defined:

1. dinner jacket color:

• black is the norm

• midnight blue is equally correct

model can be:

• single-breasted

• double-breasted

lapels can be:

• peaked lapel

• shawl collar

• notched collar is most popular but considered inappropriate by traditionalists

and can have:

• satin facing

• grosgrain facing

sleeve buttons: covered in same fabric as lapel facings

vents: no vents is most formal

2. black-tie trousers color and material to match jacket

single braid along seams to match lapel facings

cut for suspenders

3. black-tie waist covering black waist covering can be either:

• cummerbund made from silk to match jacket facings

• waistcoat made from silk or same material as jacket

worn with single-breasted jacket models but not with double-breasted

some style experts claim that waist coverings are not worn much these days

4. black-tie shirt

white fabric

collar can be:

• wing collar, described by many authorities as the most formal but some insist it is the exclusive domain of white tie

• turndown collar

fronts can be either pleated or piqué

shirt has eyelets for studs and French cuffs for links; some authorities allow for fly-fronts

5. black-tie neckwear

black silk bow tie to match lapel facings

6. black-tie footwear

black shoes:

• patent leather pumps are most traditional

• patent or highly polished oxfords are acceptable 

Velvet slippers  for those who dare!

7. black-tie accessories black silk or fine fabric hose, over-the-calf length

suspenders of black or white silk

harmonizing black, gold or mother-of-pearl studs and cufflinks

white silk or linen handkerchief

Outerwear: chesterfield coat is most conventional but any other dark dressy coat is acceptable; rain (trench) coats are not appropriate

evening dress scarf of white silk with tassels

More on the shirts:

In North America there are two equally correct styles of shirts that

may be worn with a dinner jacket: the wing collar and the turndown

collar. Either style can be paired with any of the four archetypal

jackets but the wing collar’s dramatic points harmonize best with the

angles of the peaked-lapel jacket. Conversely, the hidden tips of the

turndown spread collar complement the more discreet lines of the

shawl-collar jacket.