Smoking jacket

I found a beautiful crimson, shawl-collared velvet smoking jacket this past weekend at a consignment store.  The one thing that kept me from buying it is doubt as to how much wear I would be able to get out of it.  When and where would it be appropriate to wear such a jacket?  At black-tie optional events?  With jeans and a T-shirt for a night out?  Or is it best left for evenings at home in the company of a fine brandy and cigar?

keep it at home, with the smoking, would be my take on it.

Wait for a cool night, then drive up to Wilmington, DE and join me in my c. 1913 library at my house.

I recently have bought several smoking jackets on Ebay and can't wait to use them. My wife thinks I'm crazy for buying the smoking jackets.

But to me, a wood panelled library with a Mercer & Mueller tile fireplace, coffered ceiling, vintage Chesterfield sofa and wing chair simply CALLS for a smoking jacket.

And of course a great bottle of claret or a glass of port. Since we just got back from Portugal, we are well stocked with the port. Come up from DC and join us.

At home, no question IMO. Bottle of 1982 Leoville Las Cases or 1987 Chateau Montelena. Probably works best if you live in a slightly chilly castle on a hilltop somewhere in Westchester County, NY, with a wood-panel library or billiard room with 16+ foot ceilings, with the smoking jacket put on about midnight after a black tie evening.

Or, you could just pair it with jeans and a pink shirt for a funky look.

In times Victorian, the smoking jacket lived for its nominative purpose. After dinner, the men of the party would remove themselves to a separate room for the purpose of enjoying tobacco. There, they would don smoking caps and smoking jackets, the purpose of those garments to insulate the gentleman (and his hair and tailcoat) from the pungent aerosol detritus of the smoking arts. In those less enlightened times, it was thought that the lingering odor of smoke was not for the delicate olifactories of the fairer sex.

Given, its historical origins, a smoking jacket would certainly work for a black tie event you host at your home and might even be appropriate for a more intimate semi-formal engagement held at the home of an acquaintance. I would recommend mothballing the jacket for more public events--particularly those black tie affairs where sartorial novelty might be looked at askance.

They work very nicely for communing with a Cuban on coastal balconies North of San Francisco.

I'd only wear it out to an event at another home.

Will

An evening at the Playboy Mansion?

Interesting topic. It seems to me, you are inspired by some movie that you've watched and been impressed by somebody wearing something like that. It's a special jacket and I'm not sure whether I would be wearing it outside the house. If you want to feel and act like a rich gentleman home, well do it. If the jacket is expensive maybe it's not worth it. If you want to wear it outside, (like somebody suggested) I don't think women will judge you as the most manly man around. In north america something like that is considered gay. I've become very careful in the last years not to wear anything flashy or unusual. I used to wear a black velvet jacket evenings or social gatherings, and one of the chicks suggested that I better avoid it because it made me "too cute". The next day gone.

Strictly speaking, I believe that a smoking jacket is best worn only by the host when entertaining in black tie at home. I suppose it helps drive home the point that black tie is technically "informal."

But it seems that lots of smoking jackets are being sold for wear outside the house -- most of these tend to be tailored like a regular dinner jacket, but made of velvet or patterned silk. Last winter, Paul Stuart had more tailored smoking jackets (I would guess for wearing out) upstairs with their suits etc. and had looser-cut jackets (with a tasselled sash) downstairs with pyjamas.

I like smoking jackets a lot, but would be inclined to leave them at home with the carpet slippers. But you could probably get away with wearing one out to an event that didn't require the most strictly correct dress.

In a library like this, with a glass of Port or a bottle of older Claret from your cellar.

If you will invite me I have some very nice cigars to bring

In a library like this, with a glass of Port or a bottle of older Claret from your cellar.

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How many Cuban cigars and how much vintage Australian red do I need to bring home with me in December to gain admission to this library? Oh - and what is the dress code? (The picture looks great - I love the leather.) From the fFar Side of the World, Bryan Jeep4wdva

If you bring some older Grange, you are welcome anytime. Or anything from Clarendon Hills winery. Roman Bratasiuk may be the best winemaker in the world right now. And the dress code, whatever you prefer, my friend. We host several black tie fundraisers at our house each year. We also host a dinner jacket only wine dinner where we supply the food and live music and each couple brings their favorite wine to share. We invite all our friends with deep cellars. Most wine collectors have bottles they are holding for a "special occasion". Our attempt is to create that special occasion where you bring out and share your best wine. Highlights of last years dinner was a 1921 Sauternes served with foie gras and a 1961 Petrus with beef. The provider of that bottle (which sells at auction for over $1,000) was modest enough to not mention that, although it caused quite a stir among the afficionados when we saw what was being decanted. Seriously, if your travels bring you to the mid-atlantic region, stop on by. Our house is a c. 1913 house and is a former B&B so we have 5 extras bedrooms and 5 extra baths for guests. All of whom stay for free, as long as they bring good wine and provoke interesting discourse. Otherwise, there is a Holiday Inn down the street, lol.

I'll bring the Thunderbird and the Philly Blunts.

I'll bring the Thunderbird and the Philly Blunts.

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And we can pour the Thunderbird in the Riedel Mad Dog glasses, specifically designed to get all the aromas and for the beverage to hit your palate on just the right area.

But of course