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Morning Suit?

William Stratford

A-List Customer
Messages
353
Location
Cornwall, England
Chaps, have any of you had success wearing this style jacket outside of the obvious wedding occasions? I know they are really aimed at formal wear. So not wishing to come across as either steam punk or Dandy what do you think?

The question relates to a rather nice M&S Autograph Morning Suit Jacket I have just acquired-

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/120855373...NX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649#ht_1284wt_698

I would not wear tails to anything but a wedding, to Ascot or the Derby, or to a white tie event. It is a specific formal uniform for a specific time and place.
 

Oldsarge

One Too Many
Messages
1,440
Location
On the banks of the Wilamette
I am really hard pressed to imagine a use for such a garment. Wedding? Not in my socioeconomic class! The only other reason for owning one would be to wear to church on Easter morning. Though for that price, one wearing a year ain't bad.
 

Rathdown

Practically Family
Messages
572
Location
Virginia
Now all you need is a pair of striped trousers and the proper waistcoat and you are good to go (to any formal day time event).
 

Tenorclef

One of the Regulars
Messages
137
Location
North Yorkshire, UK
Now all you need is a pair of striped trousers and the proper waistcoat and you are good to go (to any formal day time event).

Why striped old chum? I thought as long as the trousers were grey or light charcoal that would be fine. Its more to do with the contrast I think.
 

Chasseur

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,494
Location
Hawaii
Why striped old chum? I thought as long as the trousers were grey or light charcoal that would be fine. Its more to do with the contrast I think.

With morning dress you should have gray striped trousers (sometimes called Hickory trousers in the US).


http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vintage-Moss-Bros-Bespoke-Grey-Stripe-Morning-Suit-Trousers-W-34-x-33-L-/150828018946?pt=UK_Men_s_Trousers&hash=item231e0ced02

In days past there was a little more flexibility with the trousers, in particular if you pair the outfit with a stroller/black lounge coat rather than the tailcoat. Then other patterned gray trousers: POW check etc. seemed to have been worn. However, today with the morning coat its probably safer to stay with stripped trousers.
champagnestroller.jpg


Slightly down the formality level, but again hardly seen today beyond Prince Charles is the morning suit with match coat, trousers and waistcoat. Then you could go with one single color, but again its pretty rare these days.

Prince-Charles-style-Prin-004.jpg
 
Last edited:

dhermann1

I'll Lock Up
Messages
9,154
Location
Da Bronx, NY, USA
Morning suit would be de riguer of you were going to the signing of the Versailles Treaty, or maybe a royal wedding. I think in Britain they're still popular for regular folks' weddings, but then they're usually rented.
There are several chaps who wear morning dress at New York's Easter Parade every year. But I don't think outside of such situations, you'll have many opportuinities to wear one. DON'T make the mistake of wearing a morning suit in the evening. I've been to too many evening events, like dances, where guys showed up dressed that way, thinking they looked SOOO cool. Sorry, guys. Simple de trop.
 

Tenorclef

One of the Regulars
Messages
137
Location
North Yorkshire, UK
So 'de rigueur' should be grey pin stripe trousers. I assume these would be full rise and with or without braces depending on whether they have pulls on the sides of the trousers. My thinking on the morning coat purchase was that at the BIN price I would not be able to hire one at such a good price so it made sense to own one for those rare occasions rather than a rental that perhaps dozens of other people had already worn previously.

Better to have one and not need it than to need one and not have it ;-)
 

St. Valentine

A-List Customer
Messages
433
Location
Germany
As I am going to Ascot this year and didn´t want to hire a morning suit (for the obvious reason Tenorclef stated) I have bought my own. Striped trousers are called "Stresemann" trousers in Germany after Gustav Stresemann who was chancellor in 1923. Apart from the trousers the jacket originally was grey, as you wear it before the evening. Later black jackets came up which could be worn with different trousers after six o´clock, although a smoking would be more appropriate.

DSCN2522.jpg
 

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