Formal Wear Primer

[avedwards]

Well, yes we do. We do the paper poppies and donations in November in the USA, (as Kilo November points out). I see this every year.

My misunderstanding then Mr Scotrace . What would you say to whether a poppy should be worn in November black tie events or may a different flower be worn without showing disrespect?

 

[Carlisle Blues]

As UK loungers will be aware, in November a poppy can be worn in the buttonhole of any suit or jacket out of respect for those who died fighting. I don't know if this is also done in the US. However, if one is to attend an evening event during November in which one wears black tie, would the poppy be worn in the button hole or would one be allowed to take it out for the evening without giving the impression of lacking respect?

Since that would be the theme, so to speak, by all means wear it.

Tony did it ... so can you...Or not see hpw comfortable you are.

 

[avedwards]

Since that would be the theme, so to speak, by all means wear it.

Tony did it ... so can you...Or not see hpw comfortable you are.

I don't mean to be political, but few Brits now like Tony and would copy a look because he did it.

Thanks for the advice though.

 

[billyspew]

I don't mean to be political, but few Brits now like Tony and would copy a look because he did it.

Thanks for the advice though.

Not to get onto politics, but I hate Tony Blair with a passion, but I respect him more than most people living. He was a great Prime Minister (this is a Tory saying this).

Also, he always dressed well and seemed to know what to wear when, so I do think it's okay to follow what the chap did.

 

[avedwards]

Not to get onto politics, but I hate Tony Blair with a passion, but I respect him more than most people living. He was a great Prime Minister (this is a Tory saying this).

Also, he always dressed well and seemed to know what to wear when, so I do think it's okay to follow what the chap did.

In that case a poppy with black tie it is in November.

 

[Carlisle Blues]

I don't mean to be political, but few Brits now like Tony and would copy a look because he did it.

Thanks for the advice though.

Geez that is not a political statement I am speaking about the theme and the propriety of wearing the item that you asked about..............

 

[avedwards]

Geez that is not a political statement I am speaking about the theme and the propriety of wearing the item that you asked about..............

Don't worry about it. As Billyspew pointed out, dress sense and politics are seperate things. So in facy I will copy Blair's style this once, contrary to what I originally said.

 

[Carlisle Blues]

Don't worry about it. As Billyspew pointed out, dress sense and politics are seperate things. So in facy I will copy Blair's style this once, contrary to what I originally said.

I am not worried ......I was a bit taken aback by your response.....it's not like I was trying to burn your leather jacket....:eusa_doh: :eusa_doh:

 

[billyspew]

I am not worried ......I was a bit taken aback by your response.....it's not like I was trying to burn your leather jacket....:eusa_doh: :eusa_doh:

Tony Blair is always a hit and miss subject with us Brits, he's a bit like marmite.

 

[avedwards]

I am not worried ......I was a bit taken aback by your response.....it's not like I was trying to burn your leather jacket....:eusa_doh: :eusa_doh:

Sorry about takin you aback then. And no, Blair never intentionally harmed me, my jacket or anyone I know.

 

[Carlisle Blues]

Sorry about takin you aback then. And no, Blair never intentionally harmed me, my jacket or anyone I know.

lol lol lol lol lol easy ........I do not know the man ...... I am just a singing attorney trying to make it through the day.

 

[Miss Neecerie]

lol lol lol lol lol easy ........I do not know the man ...... I am just a singing attorney trying to make it through the day.

Do you deliver contracts in falsetto?

 

[avedwards]

Can anyone comment on how this black tie combination is? It was the only DJ I could find in time, hence it's 60s-70s cut and the notched lapels. However I think it was NOS and it was nicely priced.
I'm wearing a black 50s cummerbund (also looks like NOS as it has the original case) which isn't visible.
I realise the flower is not the correct one, but I thought that wearing a different one might just be bending the rules the right amount.
No braces as I'm wearing a cummerbund and the trousers have side adjusters which keep the trousers high enough for me.
Polished shoes instead of patent ones as I didn't have the money to invest in comething I won't wear that often.

While I have shown this to Feraud already, this doesn't mean I don't appreciate his opinion. I'd just like to have as many opinions as possible.

And just to add, the hair was my brother's work and not mine. So any criticism for that doesn't go to me .

And finally, the grainy look of the cloth is the texture of it, not poor picture quality.

 

[dnjan]

I will leave the comments on the clothing to the experts, but I must comment on the pose. Jackets are rarely cut to look good with your arms pulled behind you. Hands at your sides, preferable with a slight bend at the elbo. Possibly even a thumb in a side pants pocket (the side away from the camera), but not arms pulled back.

 

[Midnight Blue]

The combination is fine, as is the flower. I would suggest you tuck in the jacket's pocket flaps though. And while there's nothing wrong with well-shined dress shoes as a substitute for patent leather, it appears that you might be wearing brogues. If so, they are too informal for black tie.

In terms of fit, you could benefit from a smaller shirt size.

Have fun (wherever you're going)!

P.S. Braces have absolutely nothing to do with cummerbunds. The first is to hold up your trousers, the second is to hide their waistband.

 

[Evan Everhart]

Can anyone comment on how this black tie combination is? It was the only DJ I could find in time, hence it's 60s-70s cut and the notched lapels. However I think it was NOS and it was nicely priced.
I'm wearing a black 50s cummerbund (also looks like NOS as it has the original case) which isn't visible.
I realise the flower is not the correct one, but I thought that wearing a different one might just be bending the rules the right amount.
No braces as I'm wearing a cummerbund and the trousers have side adjusters which keep the trousers high enough for me.
Polished shoes instead of patent ones as I didn't have the money to invest in comething I won't wear that often.

While I have shown this to Feraud already, this doesn't mean I don't appreciate his opinion. I'd just like to have as many opinions as possible.

And just to add, the hair was my brother's work and not mine. So any criticism for that doesn't go to me .

And finally, the grainy look of the cloth is the texture of it, not poor picture quality.

Black Tie.
One's evening shirt stays in place and does not bunch up when one wears a stiff pique or solid smooth cotton breast-plate type formal shirt with a button loop at the bottom to button to one's trousers so that one's shirt stays in place. A pleated front shirt is an other option, but it has the disadvantage of being very common and somewhat provincial looking as well as not holding its crisp shape as well as a stiff fronted shirt. The shirt should fit exactly so that your shirt does not bunch up at the sides of the visible shirt front as here.

Do not wear munitions grade shirt studs. Invest in a reasonably decent pair which are to be had very cheap and very sharp looking from any local swap-meet of any quality in my locality (I hope in your locality as well).

Original case or not, "NOS" or not, one should never wear a notched lapel dinner jacket. Peaked is the way. It's better to wear a velvet smoking jacket (which may have a notched lapel) than an incorrect notched lapel on one's dinner jacket...In short, it is better to be insouciantly under-dressed than stylistically and traditionally incorrectly dressed.

The shoes which one wears with one's formal wear for formal occasions ought never to have brogueing which means perforated or punched hole patterns or decorations of any kind aside from a very basic and un-brogued toe-cap. Shoes which are to be worn for formal wear can either be made from black calf (highly polished) or patent leather (lightly rubbed with petroleum jelly to protect it from drying, it is plastic laminated leather, or in the case of real patent leather, it is lacquered or varnished painted gloss leather), these shoes are to have a closed lacing which means that the portions of the shoe which meet at the lacing must likewise come together at the bottom edge of the lacing and be inset into the instep of the shoe instead of being simply stitched over the vamp area of the shoe in question (which is known as open lacing).

One's trousers must have a single silk stripe for black tie and a double stripe for white tie.

Cummerbunds or Kammarbands as they were originally known in India, their country of origin are really something to be avoided in my own humble opinion. They never render the same flattering or elegant appearance to one which a good quality waist-coat does. For waist-coats, do NOT get one of those monstrosities that buckle behind the neck (munitions grade "formal wear") those are beyond the pale of gaucheness.

 

[Evan Everhart]

Oh, and the shoes should have a reasonably fine and slim silhouette and thin soles. Thick soles are for work books. Also, one's shirt cuffs should always show when in evening wear; either the sleeves are too long, or your shirt sleeves are too short, or there is some bizarre optical illusion at play which is hiding your cuffs. Good luck in future sir!

 

[Evan Everhart]

Uno mas por favor!

The flower which one wore in one's lapel was up till recently entirely up to the discretion of the wearer. Different flowers were chosen for different moods. Some gentlemen were even known for wearing orchids or bizarrely dyed carnations in their lapels! Go wild with your boutonniere choice sir just make sure that the flower is proportionate to your ensemble. I often wear a small periwinkle orchid or a certain orange flower that looks somewhat like a daisy, with a periwinkle center and purple high-lights on its petals that grows around here in my lapel button.

 

[avedwards]

Just to say, the shoes I'm wearing are not brogues as there is no broging. They are plain toed shoes which I polished as well as I could before the event.

As for the link between braces and cummerbund, I once read that they shouldn't be worn together (on this forum I believe). Could this be due to the fact that brace buttons would create visible bumps under the cummerbund? As it is, the Black Tie Guide website says button adjustors on the trousers are allowed instead of braces (as a modern alternative) if the wearers build is slim enough to permit it.

As for my cuffs, they did show. The only reason they don't in this photo is because they were hidden by my arms being being my back.

The trousers do only have one stripe, it's just done in a fancy way.

The notched lapels were something which bothered me but the opinions seemed to be very mixed as to whether they were simply a less popular alternative to peaked lapels or a faux pas. As soon as I can I would like to get a shawl lapel one as one can't go wrong with it, plus a turn down collar won't look as out of place with it as it might on a peaked lapel DJ.

 

[avedwards]

Page two of this thread:

On Cummerbunds, if you were suspenders (braces) you aren't supposed to wear a cummerbund. Maybe that will help.

This made me think that a cummerbund shouldn't be worn with braces.