Black dinner jacket / white trou?

[dhermann1]

OK, here's a testimonial, from Ethel Waters' back up group, no less. Note, I think they're wearing ties that are NOT black, but it's hard to tell.

[video=youtube;gkLhX9W39To]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gkLhX9W39To&feature=share[/video]

 

[Fletch]

Betcha anything those ties matched the lapels - probably some natty color like pearl grey. I find such a look acceptable only as a uniform.

Nosing around on the Ask Andy forum suggests the ducks 'n tux fashion involved plain whites without a stripe. However, matching trou were briefly favored with ivory DJs in the early 30s. Striped or not? I don't know.

1933

There is plenty of good general info on men's formal customs at blacktieguide.com, the source of the above pic.

 

[Dr Kilroy]

I believe that there is an analogy between warm weather dinner dress jacket and trousers - there are self faced lapels on a white jacket, so I think that there should be no stripes on white trousers.

Best regards, Dr

 

[Fletch]

Makes sense. Of course, if you were Cab Calloway, you had ivory tails with satin facings.

Did anyone else, in or out of show biz, ever wear such an outfit?

 

[Fletch]

I puppied out

I wore my plain peak SB tux and went a little Hercule Poirot, with an optimo hat, dove grey vest and spectators. You can't see it, but my bow tie has pin dots and my collar is detachable Linene. I was easily the best dressed straight guy there. lol

 

[jamespowers]

I couldn't find what I wanted but here is something interesting from a 1916 catalog:

 

[Qirrel]

They had brown and gray dinner suits too, back then.