The State of Black Tie: Your Observations

[Caustic Man]

Almost certainly not. I suspect his man or woman can tie him a practically perfect knot.

I don't doubt that he can tie a bow-tie. But this is a pre-tied one. Look closely. No one can tie a knot like that because it's not a knot. Besides, the lack of tail ends is a dead giveaway.

 

[Caustic Man]

By the by, isn't it interesting that someone like Harry is given the benefit of the (very large) doubt on this? As if it's more likely that British Royals have some access to perfection that no one else does rather than being susceptible to buying cheap ties. Says something very interesting about our perception of the royal family v. all others.

 

[covskin]

I notice he is wearing a 'rheumatism' bracelet, something he could have got from the classifieds of the Daily Express. I have come around to the plain shirt lately but balance things by now wearing a cummerbund.

 

[txm22]

Is anyone familiar with J. Crew's Ludlow line of shoes? I'm thinking about getting these: https://www.jcrew.com/p/mens_category/shoes/oxfords/ludlow-balmoral-tuxedo-shoes/F8337 as a formal shoe. At 40% off with free shipping and easy returns, I think I might just pull the trigger, but figured I'd check here first.

 

[Peter1]

I was happy to see him rock a velvet jacket. Difficult to overlook the missing cummerbund though - he could at least button the jacket.

That was my first thought, but I passed on a cummerbund for Cannes this year. (That sounds more glamorous that it actually was -- my wife and I were guests of one of the festival sponsors, along with thousands of other people...)

FWIW, I don't own a tux, but for the Han Solo premiere and afterparty I went with a col chale (shawl) and a narrow black tie rather than a noeud papillon. My morbid reasoning: I could buy the tie and use it at a funeral, but I also didn't want a cummerbund, and the tie would make that OK.

Donald Glover's light slate blue tux was incredible. I don't know if he chose it but it was the winner.

The actual red carpet experience: If you're not a celeb or model/influencer, you shuffle forward, your designated photog stops you for a few snaps, then handlers shove you up the steps to make room for the stars/producers/money men/oligarchs' girlfriends...but it was cool anyway.

 

[palk]

Donald Glover's light slate blue tux was incredible. I don't know if he chose it but it was the winner.

Winner... of a 70's costume contest. Pardon me for being rude, but there's nothing 'tux' at all about his kit except perhaps the shirt.

 

[Caustic Man]

Is anyone familiar with J. Crew's Ludlow line of shoes? I'm thinking about getting these: https://www.jcrew.com/p/mens_category/shoes/oxfords/ludlow-balmoral-tuxedo-shoes/F8337 as a formal shoe. At 40% off with free shipping and easy returns, I think I might just pull the trigger, but figured I'd check here first.

They should have grosgrain laces, like these from Suit Supply.

 

[Peter1]

Winner... of a 70's costume contest. Pardon me for being rude, but there's nothing 'tux' at all about his kit except perhaps the shirt.

The definition of "tux" at Cannes is pretty loose, but it is the dress code. It was a warm spring evening, everyone was happy (probably because they were at a Star Wars premiers and not some South Korean art film!) and loose. Traditional black tie wasn't really the way to go. He was arm in arm with an actor in a wookie suit and stormtroopers. Plus, it fit with his character in the film.

 

[Faux Brummell]

Light blue can be gorgeous when done right. I feel that Mr. Glover’s attempt missed the mark.

 

[Krish the Fish]

Speaking of laces, I just ordered a set of satin ribbon laces for my Yohei Fukuda Lakes (plain toe oxford) that are getting delivered tomorrow. My fiancée has made one request for our wedding re: my attire: that I do not wear my EG pumps, and I figured that was tacit approval to order a pair of Fukudas that I had been eyeing. I figured satin ribbon laces would be the best way to dress up a calf oxford (albeit polished to a deep mirror shine) and make it appear more black tie appropriate for our black tie wedding next month.

 

[Caustic Man]

Just curious, any particular reason for disallowing the pumps?

 

[Peter1]

Light blue can be gorgeous when done right. I feel that Mr. Glover’s attempt missed the mark.

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I agree -- those are much better. But in the circumstances, Glover's "tux" worked for me -- it was a fun event and serious was not the order of the day. Now, Spike Lee's getup...

 

[Caustic Man]

I think at a certain point we just need to accept that movie stars are something entirely different than they were even thirty years ago. The culture is different. Thus, the clothes are different. I'm sure this can be frustrating when so many of us are all kitted out and ready to go, and yet we have far fewer and less public occasions for formal wear. "I could have done it so much better!" Perhaps true but it's a different world. I don't usually care for it but the stars of the galaxy make use of their clothes in ways that are useful for them.

 

[Peter1]

I think at a certain point we just need to accept that movie stars are something entirely different than they were even thirty years ago. The culture is different. Thus, the clothes are different. I'm sure this can be frustrating when so many of us are all kitted out and ready to go, and yet we have far fewer and less public occasions for formal wear. "I could have done it so much better!" Perhaps true but it's a different world. I don't usually care for it but the stars of the galaxy make use of their clothes in ways that are useful for them.

I agree. It's about social media impressions.

 

[Krish the Fish]

Just curious, any particular reason for disallowing the pumps?

She just doesn’t like how they look, reminds her too much of ballet experiences as a child I think. I was given a wide berth as to what we could do with the dress code (hence the black tie dress code for an evening wedding) but she had the one request for me I was happy to agree to