The State of Black Tie: Your Observations - Page 21

Black gosgrain facings are perfectly fine with a midnight blue tuxedo. I've yet to see midnight blue facings.

I'm concerned about color variance, especially with flash photography. It seems Rubinacci refused to make up black facings for mafoofan on his commission, so I'm sure they do exist. Somewhere.

I made the mistake of having midnight blue facings made in a different midnight blue fabric (non-satin/non-grosgrain) for my jacket, and without satin/grosgrain seams in my pants.

After much debate (and wisdom from the SF crew, thanks to Vox & Foo), I switched the facings and added seams in black satin. I'd like to think it all worked out for the best.

Metlin - I can see how a non-grosgrain/silk/satin facing would be problematic, glad you sorted that out.

My tailor has now confirmed he can do the grosgrain facings in either midnight or black. I'll report back with photos when this project is done. I'm leaning toward the midnight facings, but even he has recommended I go with black.

I received an invitation for a "black tie attire" wedding, but I'm 99.9 percent sure they have no idea what black tie really means. I asked if she meant tuxedos or suits and she seemed confused by the question and just said to wear something nice. I think I'm just going to wing it and go with a navy sharkskin suit.

But... but it's you chance at wearing black tie!

I probably would do the same, given what you described. It would suck if it were only you and the groom and possibly the groomsmen wearing a tux.

What would have she said if you said dinner suit? I once said dinner suit IRL, it didn't go well.

That's mostly the case nowadays, they say one thing about the attire then go to the event only to find guests wearing mediocre suits.

In the latest Mission Impossible TC wears a midnight blue SB dinner jacket with black facings. Notch lapels.

Frankly, during that part of the movie, I was not paying attention to TC.

No need to explain


;) (Click to show)

And to think I fell for it...

She would have no idea what a dinner suit is (and she would probably call me gay for knowing). I'm all for people choosing a dress code, but I just wish they would take the time to look up the real meaning of what they end up choosing.

Just saw this thread yesterday and just finished reading through the entire thread (yes, I have nothing else to do with my life), and I thought I'd share some thoughts.

I live in DC, am in my early 30s, and have had many opportunities to wear black tie in this town. On average, I have worn black tie 5-6 times a year in the last three and a half years or so. I've mainly worn it to:

- opening nights of the opera at the Kennedy Center

- Viennese balls (there are at least five that I know of that take place in this town every year), not to mention other less formal but "black tie requested" types of balls (NYE etc.)

- my office Christmas party, which is black tie optional

And I'm not even counting the four inaugural balls that I attended - one of which was an official one - when Obama became president in January 2009. There are also a lot of black tie fundraiser galas in this town, but I rarely go to those, as I think they are stuffy and boring. To me, black tie is supposed to be worn when you're feeling festive and having fun, not when you have to sit down at a table for hours listening to speeches and making small talk with strangers whose company you might not appreciate.

I admit that some of the events I listed above are a bit "niche" in nature (there's not much point in going to a Viennese ball if you don't like waltz, and not all companies have black tie optional Christmas parties), but my feeling is that black tie is far from dead in DC and if you are determined enough, you can find your way to at least one or two black tie events every year. I also have the impression that people who do go to these events take black tie seriously. While compliance with the black tie "gold standard" may vary, at none of those events that I attended did I feel overdressed or out of place in my tux, as many others who attended would also be in black tie. At the Viennese balls, some people even turn up in full white tie rigs!

What I do miss however, are opportunities to wear black tie in more intimate settings, like a house party for instance. I obviously do not move in rarified enough circles to be invited to such parties (if they indeed do exist.)

Interestingly enough, I found a very decent "proper" tux at JAB. It's the only item of clothing I bought from there that I don't feel ashamed to be in.

It has grosgrain facings and peak lapel (I had to fight the salesman on this - he insisted that notch lapel was the appropriate choice. I think he meant 'popular.')
Standard tux shirt. Studs and cufflinks I inherited from my dad. Grosgrain bowtie and cummerbund from Neiman Marcus (these were a BITCH to find). Thinking of hunting down a nice waistcoat. Finally I found good patent leather shoes with grosgrain band somewhere (They're CK).

Interestingly enough my tux is the most comfortable suit I own. I could wear it all day. Thankfully I have about 5-6 events a year (mostly fundraisers) that are black tie or black tie optional.

My understanding is that the Vienna balls are white tie events. The Viennese Opera Ball in NYC is white tie. Are the ones in DC less formal? How sad.