If you do not own the following things, you are not well dressed - Page 9

Hell yes. Have two and wear them a lot. (had a 3rd which I wore well past its usefulness and was loathe to let go)

I have never (and I'm pushing 50) been invited to a black-tie event, and given my social circle, likely never will be.

Maybe your retirement party, then. I am sure you will be invited.

Just wore mine last night. The metal-buttoned one that I have is a brighter blue, lightweight and unlined. I probably wear it more often than any other jacket in summer.

Glad to read I make the more advanced cut.

I will probably never be well dressed going by this list. I have two cats so I tend to stay away from solid worsted wools, specially darker ones; they are a fur magnet ... flannel, glen plaid, and other busy patterns/textures do wonders hiding it, lol. Next autumn/winter is probably going to be all flannel and tweed for me

Black tie is mostly doesn't happen in Canada.

I have a hard time believing that there would be less black tie events in, say, Toronto or Ottawa, than in Milwaukee, where I live. Mine gets use twice a year or so.

Rob

It's unfortunate, but I think it has reached a tipping point where there aren't very many black tie events, so quite a lot of people don't have a black tie rig, so many people know this and don't want to inconvenience or exclude guests by creating black tie events (or even black-tie-optional, which is almost black-tie-if-you-can-afford-it, which casts something of a pall over the proceedings), so then even fewer people have black tie, etc...I wish it weren't so, or that somehow we could make a big push to reverse the trend, but the momentum at this point is quite strong.

not if he works at a police station. in the movies those parties are never black tie.

i think it greatly depends on what social circles you travel in, and what industry you are in.

This is true - most of the lawyers and lobbyists I know do have a black tie rig. My social circles are not uber-rich aristocrats, but I think most of my friends make over 100k. Which isn't a huge huge amount, but it's well more than the median American. I don't know what percentile 100k would be, maybe 90th? Anyway, while some of them have black tie rigs, nobody would ever even dream of hosting a black tie dinner at their house, or really organizing any kind of black tie event themselves. Was it ever thus? What percent of American males in, say, 1925, would have a black tie rig? To me it seems like the number has gotten low enough that its complete disappearance is all but inevitable. But if the numbers were always this low, maybe I'm wrong.

Much appreciated.

These are rare. I have been to a few. More frequently parties than dinners and fewer of both over the years (reflecting the times and my declining popularity). Most common uses now are charity and professional events and weddings. These are not uncommon and while charity and professional events are more frequently becoming "business" or "cocktail" attire, black tie weddings seem on the uptick.