Formal Wear Primer

[Wild Root]

It is not part of Formal Wear.

It was an optional part of Day Wear when the morning Coat and Cutaway was the business wear of the day. Look at all those pre-WWI diplomats.

Spats were also big in "Tap Dance" routines in the 30's and 40's. Always worn with tails. Watch most Fred Astaire movies and you'll see what I mean.

Spats were worn also with a cut away coat and striped trousers. This was also a popular and proper outfit for a Groom to wear on his wedding day.

Spats were mostly worn on the east coast. They were a functional part of the wardrobe. They helped keep snow out of a man's shoes. They had a run of popularity from 1900 to about the mid 1930's.

=WR=

 

[Vladimir Berkov]

When it is appropriate to wear spats is easier to determine when you remember that spats originated as a way to allow shoes to replace the ankle-boot which was standard for gentlemen to wear with suits, frock coats and the like during the Victorian period. Thus if the outfit would originally have been worn with boots, it is acceptable to wear spats.

 

[3PieceSuitGuy]

Hiding the buckle on a tie your own bowtie.

I have actually found that you can hide most of the buckle on an adjustable self tie bowtie by actually looping the loose side of the tie over the buckle. This way only a small amount of the buckle shows. I will try and supply pictures soon.

Cheers

Peter

 

[adamgottschalk]

As I understand midnight blue is Edwardian or from the time of Prince Albert. Midnight blue when done correctly is supposed to be "Blacker than Black" and a great formal color.

Is this what is meant by a blue tux?

Or is a blue tux all blue?

 

[Marc Chevalier]

A midnight blue tux is all blue. In daylight, midnight blue looks very dark, almost "navy blue." At night, under artificial light, it appears as a deep, inky black.

 

[Baron Kurtz]

The problem being that black under artificial light often looks green instead of black.

bk

 

[Marc Chevalier]

And in fact, older black tuxedos (and even earlier frock coats) are often found faded to a very dark olive green. eBay sellers sometimes list them as "green coats", when in fact they are faded black.

 

[Zach R.]

Well, I couldn't find any ivory dinner jackets within my budget, so I ended up getting a more conservative shawl-collared black tux with matching trousers.

I picked up a soft-front wingtip shirt with pleats as well, it was 100% cotton too, which surprised me considering how much it was(many polyester blends around it in the store cost more...go figure).

 

[3PieceSuitGuy]

Shindeco ... pic from 30's of bowtie through shirt loop.

Hey Shindeco,

I was really impressed that you were finally able to answer the question I had for a long time on what the loop on the back of a tux shirt was. I have also been recording a lot of old movies and was watching one from the 30's where one of the characters is dressing in a tux, and lo and behold his bowtie is through the loop at the back of his shirt. Just thought you may like to see a pic.

Cheers

Peter

 

[shindeco]

Hey Shindeco,

I was really impressed that you were finally able to answer the question I had for a long time on what the loop on the back of a tux shirt was. I have also been recording a lot of old movies and was watching one from the 30's where one of the characters is dressing in a tux, and lo and behold his bowtie is through the loop at the back of his shirt. Just thought you may like to see a pic.

Cheers

Peter

Great picture! Thanks for posting it!

 

[UrbanAristocrat]

Great post Shindeco!

I am currently researching the evolution and etiquette of black tie and have some questions for you. I have sent them via private message so as not to clutter up the board.

 

[Briscoeteque]

Here's a picture of me and my friends at our college's semi-formal. Just you try to pick me out

 

[Marc Chevalier]

I didn't know you're blonde!

 

[Mr. Rover]

Just to revive this thread a little bit- I finally took my tux to the seamstress to be all-around taken in a bit. I'm going to be wearing a black bow tie and cummerbund, black patent leather shoes, and probably either a red or white carnation.
I have an Arrow tuxedo shirt with a turn-down collar,but I'm not sure if I should wear it. The cuffs seem a bit wide and flimsy. Would it be verboten to wear a regular white long-point collar shirt with french cuffs?

 

[jml90]

Just to revive this thread a little bit- I finally took my tux to the seamstress to be all-around taken in a bit. I'm going to be wearing a black bow tie and cummerbund, black patent leather shoes, and probably either a red or white carnation.
I have an Arrow tuxedo shirt with a turn-down collar,but I'm not sure if I should wear it. The cuffs seem a bit wide and flimsy. Would it be verboten to wear a regular white long-point collar shirt with french cuffs?

My formal shirt is a white shirt with a modified spread collar link cuffs (single french cuff) and a flyed front NO pocket

 

[shindeco]

Just to revive this thread a little bit- I finally took my tux to the seamstress to be all-around taken in a bit. I'm going to be wearing a black bow tie and cummerbund, black patent leather shoes, and probably either a red or white carnation.
I have an Arrow tuxedo shirt with a turn-down collar,but I'm not sure if I should wear it. The cuffs seem a bit wide and flimsy. Would it be verboten to wear a regular white long-point collar shirt with french cuffs?

By all means, wear a regular white dress shirt, If you wish. As jml90 points out, one without a breast pocket would be better but...

 

[Mr. Rover]

I had mine made custom here in Taiwan (only $30USD!!), so it doesn't have a breast pocket or a placket down the front. I should be getting the tuxedo back tomorrow if nothing goes wrong, so stay tuned.

 

[Mr. Rover]

Well here are some pictures of it back today:

The collar is sitting a little high, which makes the lapels bell out a little if I button it (which I shouldn't be doing anyway), so I am going to bring it back to see what the seamstress can do.
The lapel has that string and elastic on the back, so I just pulled a rose out of the vase and stuck it in.

 

[geo]

It would look better if the shirt cuffs were about 1 in longer than the jacket sleeve.

 

[shindeco]

That is a very nice looking outfit, Ray!! I'm a little confused, though. Did you mean to say you shouldn't be buttoning a dinner jacket?? Dinner jackets should definitely be buttoned.