My ebay Tuxedo screwup- help please!

[tdubs]

Before reading enough SF threads, I purchased a 1940's Brooks Bros tuxedo jacket. I thought I was really smart- it had all the proper blacktieguide features to be classic, and it was cheap!

After receiving the jacket, I started the hunt for matching pants... and found SF threads advising me to never buy separates, as I'll never match the wool colors. The posters in those threads were right. I've had no luck thus far.

Advice please! I think I have three options:

1. Resell the jacket, and start over in my hunt for a matched set.

2. Drag the jacket from formalwear store to store, hoping to find the right pants.

3. I'll be in HK in about a week. If I brought the jacket, might one of the tailors be able to match the fabric?

Thanks in advance for your advice. Yes, I now know what a fool I've been in this matter.

-TW

 

[EriQ009]

Option 1, resell and start anew. The jacket being vintage, in particular, will magnify the futility of finding trousers to match.

 

[mason]

Just resell it the tuxedo so you can move on and look for something better.

 

[tdubs]

Thanks for your advice gents. Sad to have to part with it- it's perfect! But, mismatched colors would look terrible.

 

[table21]

Ditch the jacket. There is nothing wrong with a mixed tux however the trick is to get a patterned jacket. I picket up one with a small glossy square pattern, you can't really see the squares from more than a foot away and it makes any pants I get match.

 

[bringusingoodale]

Too many tame suggestions.

Get some black watch pents made and wear as tuxedo and not give a ****.

 

[MikeDT]

Probably be OK as a tux for a Xmas or New Year formal party event. We're coming up to that season.

 

[msulinski]

Too many tame suggestions.
Get some black watch pents made and wear as tuxedo and not give a ****.

It can work the opposite way - black watch jacket with traditional black pants, but I'm not sure the reverse works.

 

[unbelragazzo]

I think a midnight blue velvet jacket with blackwatch pants looks great. Not sure if a black jacket that's clearly an orphan would work as well.

 

[Ivar]

I wouldn't throw in the towel just yet. Under the condition that the jacket does indeed fit you like a million -- and this is absolutely key, else there is little point in putting in the effort -- I would do exactly what you suggested yourself: bring the jacket to a tailor and ask him for a cloth similar in texture and shade to that of the jacket. Since we're talking about a black jacket, there's a good chance he'll have something very similar -- good enough, I would think, to trick even the most trained eye into thinking that both pieces are of the same cloth. What complicates matters is that the braid on the pants should properly be made of the same cloth as the lapel facing, but here again, your tailor could probably sort you out.

 

[msulinski]

I wouldn't throw in the towel just yet. Under the condition that the jacket does indeed fit you like a million -- and this is absolutely key, else there is little point in putting in the effort -- I would do exactly what you suggested yourself: bring the jacket to a tailor and ask him for a cloth similar in texture and shade to that of the jacket. Since we're talking about a black jacket, there's a good chance he'll have something very similar -- good enough, I would think, to trick even the most trained eye into thinking that both pieces are of the same cloth. What complicates matters is that the braid on the pants should properly be made of the same cloth as the lapel facing, but here again, your tailor could probably sort you out.

If you go with a braid on the pants as opposed to a stripe, that would probably work much better towards hiding the differences in the silk.