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Formal Wear Primer

Midnight Blue

One of the Regulars
Messages
132
Location
Toronto, Canada
Waistcoat lapel facings

I'm having a hard time finding specific references to lapels on vintage black-tie waistcoats and I'm hoping you guys can help me out! It seems that silk waistcoats usually took self-faced lapels / revers but I can't find any info about facings on the lapels of wool waistcoats. Were they generally faced with the same kind of silk as used on the accompanying jacket lapels or were they usually self-faced or were both options common? Also, I'm curious as to whether buttons on vintage waistcoats tended to be covered in the same material as the lapels. (I would really appreciate it if you could site your sources - including references to actual vintage garments - so that I can potentially use this information on my web site.)
 

Qirrel

Practically Family
Messages
590
Location
The suburbs of Oslo, Norway
None of the wool waistcoats I have seen had silk lapels. Only ones I have seen with silk lapels had the body made from plain or patterned silk. I'm on my phone right now but I can name a few sources for you when I get home.

Edit:

Had a look through my books, and all they say is that silk facing/trim "gives a rather stylish effect to the garment".
 

dnjan

One Too Many
Messages
1,690
Location
Seattle
dnjan said:
Thanks for the bottom button advice. It definitely matches with what to me is common sense.

First wearing of my new waistcoat will be in about 2 weeks (25th wedding anniversary dinner).
Off-white, three-button, with a vertical buttonhole below the top regular buttonhole for my watch chain.
I'll try to have someone take our picture.
Here is the photo of us out for our 25th Anniversary.
Waistcoat is cream-coloured - to me it is just enough off white to stand-out from the shirt. (in case the colour-difference doesn't come out in the picture)
anniversarydinner301.jpg
 

thunderw21

I'll Lock Up
Messages
4,044
Location
Iowa
I just picked up this early 1950s tailcoat and trousers in Midnight Blue. Really good condition except for a minor flaw in the trousers. I'll be selling it since it's too big for me (40-42 jacket, 34-36 trousers).


It's a lot darker than these photos show, almost black.
tailcoat001.jpg


tailcoat002.jpg


tailcoat003.jpg


tailcoat004.jpg


1949 union tag
tailcoat005.jpg


tailcoat006-1.jpg
 

Chasseur

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,494
Location
Hawaii
Speaking of midnight blue tails I just picked these up awhile back. They needed a little work at the tailor, but when I get them back I'll post better pictures (that are not in the dingy bathroom mirror...). They fit very well, lovely belly to the lapels, long tails, and nice waist suppression. They are so dark I didn't notice they were midnight blue instead of black until I was with my tailor.

391951830.jpg
 

Corky

Practically Family
Messages
507
Location
West Los Angeles
Per my comment about a black suit replacing the tuxedo...

Per my comment about a black suit replacing the tuxedo, I offer an image from "Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps":

JP-WALL-articleLarge.jpg


Shia LaBoeuf is seen sans cummerbund, Josh Brolin looks like a candidate to play the next 007 and Michael Douglas looks cooler and more savvy than either of them in a simple black suit in "Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps."
 

Tailor Tom

One of the Regulars
Messages
131
Location
Minneapolis, MN
My little bit....

Corky said:
Per my comment about a black suit replacing the tuxedo, I offer an image from "Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps":

JP-WALL-articleLarge.jpg


Shia LaBoeuf is seen sans cummerbund, Josh Brolin looks like a candidate to play the next 007 and Michael Douglas looks cooler and more savvy than either of them in a simple black suit in "Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps."

Shia LaBoeuf is also beltless, as you can just see a hint of suspender strap showing...this ads to the "clean" look of his suit.
 

Yeps

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,456
Location
Philly
Corky said:
Shia LaBoeuf is seen sans cummerbund, Josh Brolin looks like a candidate to play the next 007 and Michael Douglas looks cooler and more savvy than either of them in a simple black suit in "Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps."

I don't think Michael Douglas looks good here at all, especially with the tie way down over his trousers. The best is Mr. Brolin in the middle. Very classy.
 

Midnight Blue

One of the Regulars
Messages
132
Location
Toronto, Canada
Corky said:
Per my comment about a black suit replacing the tuxedo, I offer an image from "Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps":

JP-WALL-articleLarge.jpg


Shia LaBoeuf is seen sans cummerbund, Josh Brolin looks like a candidate to play the next 007 and Michael Douglas looks cooler and more savvy than either of them in a simple black suit in "Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps."

Douglas looks like a waiter taking the order of the other two men.
LaBeouf looks like a prom date but only because of his exposed waistband and suspender straps. He should either get a cummerbund or keep his jacket closed.
Brolin looks like a true gentleman. Is that midnight blue or do my eyes deceive me?

Would have been great if one of them would have added smart white pocket square!
 
Midnight Blue said:
Douglas looks like a waiter taking the order of the other two men.
LaBeouf looks like a prom date but only because of his exposed waistband and suspender straps. He should either get a cummerbund or keep his jacket closed.
Brolin looks like a true gentleman. Is that midnight blue or do my eyes deceive me?

Would have been great if one of them would have added smart white pocket square!


He does indeed look like a waiter in that outfit. Fortunately, the black suit instead of the tuxedo is only popular in Hollywood.
Good call on LaBeouf as well. :eusa_clap
 

bradbunnin

New in Town
Messages
9
Location
Berkeley,CA
This picture gives new meaning (sadly, one altogether too common these days) to the concept of "semi-formal": Wear whatever you like, because it really doesn't matter.
 

dhermann1

I'll Lock Up
Messages
9,154
Location
Da Bronx, NY, USA
White kid gloves

Moving over to the white tie and tails side of this thread, I'd like to find out about one of the more esoteric aspects of full white tie mufti, the white kid gloves. According to everything I've read, a gentleman must wear gloves that match his overcoat, when he is outdoors, but when he is wearing white tie indoors, he must wear white kid gloves.
I just bought a nice new pair of white kid gloves, and am hoping they're correct. Anyone have any pics of correct kid gloves?
Oh, and how about canes? I've seen some comments that say it should be an ebony or black cane, but I've also seen plain crook wooden canes in many movies. I suspect the latter were completely standard back in the day.
 
dhermann1 said:
Moving over to the white tie and tails side of this thread, I'd like to find out about one of the more esoteric aspects of full white tie mufti, the white kid gloves. According to everything I've read, a gentleman must wear gloves that match his overcoat, when he is outdoors, but when he is wearing white tie indoors, he must wear white kid gloves.
I just bought a nice new pair of white kid gloves, and am hoping they're correct. Anyone have any pics of correct kid gloves?
Oh, and how about canes? I've seen some comments that say it should be an ebony or black cane, but I've also seen plain crook wooden canes in many movies. I suspect the latter were completely standard back in the day.


My vintage white kid gloves have mother of pearl button closures at the back if that helps any. [huh]
I would think an ebony cane would work nicely. Plain wood would stick out and clash with the black of the outfit to me. Then again, those movies were black and white. They didn't care because it wouldn't show up on the screen anyway. ;) :p
 

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