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Is this suitable dinner jacket cloth?

post #1 of 8
10/25/11 at 11:29am
Thread Starter 

I've been quietly trolling this board for some time and have really enjoyed myself and even learned a little!  Now it's time to throw myself into the fray.

 

I'm considering purchasing a MTM tuxedo in midnight blue.  I ordered swatches of all the available blue cloth (the company won't use cloth I supply), and have narrowed them down to two.  I am satisfied with the color of either one, but I'm not sure the weave of the cloth of either is appropriate.  Both cloths are 100% wool, but details beyond that I do not have.  Here are pictures of the swatches against a black "dinner jacket" (yes, I know, notched/stepped lapels . . .):

 

IMAG1039.jpg

 

IMAG1044.jpg

 

IMAG1040.jpg

 

IMAG1043.jpg

 

The pictures were taken without flash under fluorescent lighting and appear much lighter than in person.  In person they are very nearly black.  

 

So my understanding is that the classic cloth for a tuxedo is barathea (which admittedly neither the swatches nor the black jacket is).  The swatches don't have that pebbled look I would expect from barathea, but instead have a slight diagonal texture to them, for lack of better vocabulary on my part.

 

So would either of the swatches pass for a tuxedo, or is it back to the drawing board?  Thanks!!

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post #2 of 8
10/26/11 at 11:35am
Thread Starter 

I've ordered one further cloth sample, but I suspect it will be similar in weave to the two photographed below.

 

No comments in the meantime?

 

Thanks!

 

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post #3 of 8
10/26/11 at 12:01pm
I'd like to say something helpful, but honestly I think anybody would just be guessing by looking a these photos.

However, my broader point-of-view on the subject is that it's not worth fussing over the precise shade of midnight blue one uses for a dinner suit so long as it looks black under the conditions you'll be wearing. What really matters is the quality and functionality of the cloth. Most of us are better-off depending on the reputations of mills/merchants or the advice of a good tailor to estimate quality (myself included).

As for functionality, ask yourself under what conditions you will be likely to wear this dinner suit. If you plan to have only one, consider that you may need to wear it in cold and warm weather alike. I'd personally stay away from heavier cloth for an only dinner suit since one tends to wear black tie indoors rather than outdoors and it can easily get hot when standing in crowds or dancing.

Have you considered mohair? I picked my own dinner suit cloth sight-unseen. I just called up my tailor and told him I wanted midnight blue mohair and asked him to pick what he considered the best.
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post #4 of 8
10/26/11 at 1:49pm
Thread Starter 

Thanks for the thoughtful reply.  I appreciate your comments, which are helpful.  It does point to a bit of unintentional ambiguity in my OP; i.e. that I'm happy with the colors as well as the weights and density of the cloths I have.

 

I am only concerned with whether the visible pattern of the weaves is simply not suitable for dinner suit wear.  I suspected that this might be determinable from the pictures, poor as they are.  For example, I would suppose that a herringbone weave, regardless of the color or weight, would be inappropriate hands down.  Perhaps I'm wrong.  

 

Thanks again!

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post #5 of 8
10/26/11 at 2:17pm
In that case, assuming it wears black, I'd pick the middle one with the slightly more evident weave. The other looks like it will be shiny.
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post #6 of 8
10/27/11 at 5:52am

just stick to light fabrics in dark colors like navy or black

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post #7 of 8
10/27/11 at 6:05am
Since you are asking this question I do not think you will be as happy with the samples shown. Don't use these cloths, they look too common.

Your maker should have access to a formal wear book of cloths and be able to find a barathea cloth. A better substitute than what is in your pics would be faille cloth.
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post #8 of 8
10/27/11 at 12:03pm
Thread Starter 

Thanks so much for the input everyone!

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