Is it too early for a White Dinner Jacket?

[Mike in Seattle]

The bum owes you half your money back for doing half the job!

IMHO - he owes ALL the money back to the customer. He did NOT do what the customer hired him to do. The customer listened to his advice, and then went ahead ignoring what the customer said he wanted. My opinion - it's the customer who determines if the job was done right or not.

 

[GWD]

How formal/informal a black tie event is this?

The event is a fund raising gala for my daughters school. My wife attended last year and not everyone went "Black Tie". I'll most likely be the only one wearing a white dinner jacket, and to be honest with you, I haven't committed to the boater yet.

 

[GWD]

BTW, is that little cutie in the picture an offspring?

Yes, that is my youngest daughter.

 

[Edward]

fftopic:Warning.

I just bought a new tuxedo a month back as I'd lost enough weight that my other one was hanging off me. In the process I had to have the jacket's sleeves shortened and had a major disagreement with my tailor over how long those sleeves should be. He held that the sleeves should, in fact, reach halfway down my thumb and I wanted them shortened such that about 1/4 inch of my shirt sleeve showed while standing relaxed with arms at my sides.

Regardless of what is "correct" that is what I was paying to have done.

When I picked up the tux he had shortened the sleeves, but they were still too long and he insisted that he did what was "correct" as if that trumped what I was paying him to do.

Now I'm going to have to find another tailor who will do what I'm paying for to redo the jacket sleeves.

Jings, that's not good. I had a whole bunch of stuff come back damaged from a dry cleaner a year or so ago. I took it back in, pointed out all the damages, explained to them that they were going to repair them and that I did not expect to be charged for repairs.... and I've not been back since I picked up the repaired items. That was after a good few years of using the same place on and off, but there were just too many items affected and they really weren't sufficiently bothered by it for my liking.

Thanks guys, I didn't think the spectators were going to be a good idea, but I thought I'd throw it out there.

The Jacket is a Vintage Lord & Taylor, probably mid to late 50's.

I'll see if I can find the burgundy tie and cummerbund.

Nooooooooo! Black tie only with black tie - anything else is Fancy Dress.

Elegant evening wear, certainly. But not Black Tie.

I don't know that I'd even go that far.... IMO, it looks rather tacky, everything matching like that (c/f the old debate about matching for in hand ties and pocket squares). Too unsubtle.

To be honest, I'm in Florida, and it's never too early to be wearing white. That's just one of those rules I disregard due to weather.

Close enough the tropics IMO to work just fine year-round.

IMHO - he owes ALL the money back to the customer. He did NOT do what the customer hired him to do. The customer listened to his advice, and then went ahead ignoring what the customer said he wanted. My opinion - it's the customer who determines if the job was done right or not.

Exactly.

 

[Boodles]

In our neck of the wood, the right hand coast in both NC and SC, the line in the sand for the white DJ is pretty much Easter no matter about the outside temperature. Any earlier just isn't done. Given that your old L&T jacket is bumping 50 or 60 years of age just save yourself the fret of when to wear it or not and sell me thing. I'll flip you a double sawbuck for it. Throw in the boater and I'll add a fiver.

 

[Charlie Huang]

My 2p:

Yes, you may wear a white DJ if you live in the tropics and if it is warm enough.

No, don't wear co-respondant shoes or shoes with white galoshes/tops. It will destroy the line and draw attention to the feet as well as make you look like a gangsta.

Bow tie: black.

Waistcovering: black cummerbund. Waistcoat is fine as well IMHO (I think Brad Pitt did this once and it looked rather good) and it would have to be ribbed silk and light and a have wide U-cut (and backless if you're going for the whole 'temperature' argument). I would avoid burgundy for these key items as it will begin to enter the realms of 'hired' and 'prom'...

Buttonhole: red carnation.

Square: white linen (if you're wearing a red carnation; possibly with a light coloured hand-rolled edge for contrast) or burgundy silk (if you're not). You want to avoid it being too busy in that area.

 

[1961MJS]

Bow tie: black.

Waistcovering: black cummerbund. Waistcoat is fine as well IMHO (I think Brad Pitt did this once and it looked rather good) and it would have to be ribbed silk and light and a have wide U-cut (and backless if you're going for the whole 'temperature' argument). I would avoid burgundy for these key items as it will begin to enter the realms of 'hired' and 'prom'...

Thanks Charlie, Burgundy / Maroon is one of my favorite colors in clothing, but when you're right, you're right darn it. I didn't even go to the prom, I had college entrance exams that day (8:00 AM until 6:30 PM) and was actually asleep during our prom.

Later

 

[dhermann1]

I dunno. I think the maroon cummerbund looks nice with the white jacket. And even very dark maroon socks to go with it. Hey, live a little!

 

[GWD]

The weather is cooling down quite a bit this weekend (low 60's) so I think this whole conversation is for not....Looks like I'm donning the black shawl collar dinner jacket with white pocket square and dark red carnation.

 

[GWD]

In our neck of the wood, the right hand coast in both NC and SC, the line in the sand for the white DJ is pretty much Easter no matter about the outside temperature. Any earlier just isn't done. Given that your old L&T jacket is bumping 50 or 60 years of age just save yourself the fret of when to wear it or not and sell me thing. I'll flip you a double sawbuck for it. Throw in the boater and I'll add a fiver.

LOL, sorry Boodles! It's hard to find vintage items that fit me, let alone items that I know look good to this day. They're staying right here on the left coast. Maybe someday the rest of these Californians will catch on and learn style and leave the fashion to the youth.

 

[Charlie Huang]

I dunno. I think the maroon cummerbund looks nice with the white jacket. And even very dark maroon socks to go with it. Hey, live a little!

If the burgundy is very dark that it is almost black then that would be passable (subtlety is key here). I would not go for coloured socks (you want a conituous line of black from waist to toe).

 

[Boodles]

LOL, sorry Boodles! It's hard to find vintage items that fit me, let alone items that I know look good to this day. They're staying right here on the left coast. Maybe someday the rest of these Californians will catch on and learn style and leave the fashion to the youth.

Rats. I thought I might have a chance to make a buy. As an old fat man I know how difficult it is to find vintage that fits and looks swell.

In the end, whether you wear the white jacket or the black one you'll be light years in front of those fathers who dress like the young friends of their daughters. Looking like a father/adult male is the thing to do.

If you change your mind I'll keep a twenty standing by.

 

[Bernie Zack]

Even in Vegas, where ALMOST anything goes, the spectators would be too much. And I've seen combinations that would make your head spin AND look pretty good.

On a related note, I had a pair of tuxedo pants ever-so-subtlely (sp?) "pegged" and got compliments every time I wore them. It really accented the Ferragamo wanna-be pumps/slippers. That look couldn't have been achieved if the pants that i wore had a break in them, so I agree with the earlier poster about taking the pants up a bit. I would consider pegging them as well. LOVE the jacket!

 

[GWD]

Please explain "Pegged" Thanks!!

 

[Bernie Zack]

Please explain "Pegged" Thanks!!

Learned about it from a gentleman over o the 'Ask Andy' forum. "Pegging" is just a term for narrowing the pants from the knee down. The purpose is just to keep the lower portion of the leg from flapping around and it gives a "sleeker" appearance. If you've seen the Take Ivy pictures most of the guys in those shots have "pegged" pants.

 

[dhermann1]

Pegged pants is a VERY late 50's, early '60's, "Mad Men" look.

 

[Bernie Zack]

Pegged pants is a VERY late 50's, early '60's, "Mad Men" look.

Yes! Reminds me of the look of Dick York in "BEWITCHED"

Elizabeth Montgomery. Ahhh, my first love!

 

[GWD]

Thanks for the info! Always learn something here!

 

[Edward]

I dunno. I think the maroon cummerbund looks nice with the white jacket. And even very dark maroon socks to go with it. Hey, live a little!

It was very popular in the Thirties, though specifically the cummerbund. A matching tie (although no doubt it was done by some at the time) would be inappropriate for black tie, though.

 

[Edward]

I dunno. I think the maroon cummerbund looks nice with the white jacket. And even very dark maroon socks to go with it. Hey, live a little!

If the burgundy is very dark that it is almost black then that would be passable (subtlety is key here). I would not go for coloured socks (you want a conituous line of black from waist to toe).

Oh, juings, aye - I missed the reference to socks. Black only, with black tie.