The State of Black Tie: Your Observations

[ImTheGroom]

Hi guys,

Didn't feel like starting a new thread for such a low-impact question, so I thought this thread would be the best fit.

I'm currently undecided between the cufflinks and studs sets pictured below for my wedding ensemble. In fact, I am more undecided between material choice (Onyx or MOP) and metal color (Silver or Gold plated).

Care to help me choose or at least tell me if they're some unknown-to-me rules that could lead my decision?

Gold plated with MOP:


Gold plated with Onyx:


Silver with Onyx:


Silver with MOP:


For the record, tuxedo will be black with wide peak lapels, and shirt will be light ivory instead of pure, crisp white (fiancee's demand, not my idea, unfortunately but hey, gotta please the lady!).

Thanks guys and all the best!

Congratulations on the wedding (though I think I said that in the Wedding thread, didn't I?) I would choose either of the middle pairs, because of the fixed back, rather than the heavy toggle hardware. I would also go with black, rather than MoP, with the ivory shirt, as the MoP will show the yellowness of the shirt. Double sided are ideal, but you can't always find those. However, one does not HAVE to match your cuff links to your studs, so if you come across a nice, very plain, pair of double sided links, in the same colour family as your studs, then you can certainly wear them.

I prefer silver in general, but I think in your case, silver is best, again because gold might pick up the yellow in the ivory shirt, and draw attention to it. So third from the top (Onyx/Silver with fixed back) has my vote.

 

[rob]

Strange, I would go witht the opposite. I would pick the first one first and then the fourth one second. I think the mother of pearl with the gold is more elegant. I wish all of the choices had a fixed back with the mother of pearl or onyx..

Rob

 

[ShawnBC]

ImTheGroom, thanks for the detailed input! And thank again for your congratulations, even though you've already extended them to me in the Wedding Attire thread!

 

[ShawnBC]

Thanks rob for the input!

 

[sugarbutch]

ShawnBC, I like the silver/MOP, but prefer the style of the silver/onyx links.

 

[Grammaton Cleric]

Anna Wintour mandates white tie for men at the Met gala:

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/24/fashion/at-the-met-gala-a-strict-dress-code.html?ref=fashion

 

[poorsod]



Anna Wintour mandates white tie for men at the Met gala:

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/24/fashion/at-the-met-gala-a-strict-dress-code.html?ref=fashion

Most admirable. Should we start the white tie train wreck thread now or wait?

 

[ImTheGroom]

Anna Wintour mandates white tie for men at the Met gala:

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/24/fashion/at-the-met-gala-a-strict-dress-code.html?ref=fashion

HUZZAH! Except for the ignorant comment about it being hard to do wthout looking kitsch... 1. you're at a White Tie event, so you won't look out of place, and 2. just do it right, and you'll look great. Yeesh.

 

[marcodalondra]

Cross posted from my blog:
I have just photographed this today whilst visiting Gianni Volpe at his Sartoria for a first basted fitting on my two new suits:
Midnight blue DB dinner jacket (part of a suit) with grosgrain lapels, being made ready for a client fitting

 

[archibaldleach]

Congrats on the wedding, @ShawnBC. Count me as another vote for the silver with onyx cufflinks. I've always felt that onyx works better with black tie and mother of pearl works better with white tie (this is not a rule, just my personal feeling). I also find silver / white gold / platinum to be more elegant than gold in most cases. I also agree with @ImTheGroom about silver being less likely to call attention to the ivory vs. white shirt.

 

[Gianni Cerutti]



Hi guys, Didn't feel like starting a new thread for such a low-impact question, so I thought this thread would be the best fit. I'm currently undecided between the cufflinks and studs sets pictured below for my wedding ensemble. In fact, I am more undecided between material choice (Onyx or MOP) and metal color (Silver or Gold plated). Care to help me choose or at least tell me if they're some unknown-to-me rules that could lead my decision? Gold plated with MOP: Gold plated with Onyx: Silver with Onyx: Silver with MOP: For the record, tuxedo will be black with wide peak lapels, and shirt will be light ivory instead of pure, crisp white (fiancee's demand, not my idea, unfortunately but hey, gotta please the lady!). Thanks guys and all the best!

For me the most beautiful in the picture are the first. In fact I would choose those!

 

[Monty L]

I have a potentially blasphemous question regarding an idea I've been kicking around since seeing an interesting Berluti tuxedo at Harrod's around the holidays.

Assuming one tends to have more formal obligations in the warmer months, as well as a girlfriend who loves to dance, could they wear a tuxedo made of cotton without looking like a complete jackanape in a black tie setting?

I was thinking of traditional details and fit:

1 button, shawl lapel, no vents, grosgrain facings, jetted pockets on jacket etc. in black or the darkest possible midnight blue.

For comfort, a super light tuxedo (hence the cotton) that is otherwise perfectly understated seems appealing. Assuming this is viable, I may see about using E&R to make up my request before leaving the UK as I've had favorable results on a DB suit with their personal tailoring and their pattern works well on me.

 

[ImTheGroom]

I have a potentially blasphemous question regarding an idea I've been kicking around since seeing an interesting Berluti tuxedo at Harrod's around the holidays.

Assuming one tends to have more formal obligations in the warmer months, as well as a girlfriend who loves to dance, could they wear a tuxedo made of cotton without looking like a complete jackanape in a black tie setting?

I was thinking of traditional details and fit:

1 button, shawl lapel, no vents, grosgrain facings, jetted pockets on jacket etc. in black or the darkest possible midnight blue.

For comfort, a super light tuxedo (hence the cotton) that is otherwise perfectly understated seems appealing. Assuming this is viable, I may see about using E&R to make up my request before leaving the UK as I've had favorable results on a DB suit with their personal tailoring and their pattern works well on me.

I think this depends, almost entirely, on keeping it from wrinkling, and on making sure the fabric in no way resembles chinos in look, feel, or texture. I'm certain that the majority of responses will be that cotton is absolutely unacceptable.

 

[LeviMay]

I agree that 100% cotton might not be ideal, but what about a blend? Will from ASW had a couple cotton suits with something like 5 or 10% cashmere made up a while back, which might be just the ticket.

 

[Monty L]

^ Definitely a clever solution to an important concern. In hindsight, I don't know why I was so quick to rule out something like a very light wool in the first place, but a cotton and cashmere blend sounds interesting. I completely agree about not wanting any hint of cheap chinos or a mass of unsightly wrinkles to obscure what I'm going for. Will need to do some homework on the suggestion you made. Thanks a lot