The State of Black Tie: Your Observations

[Big A]

Going back to the ivory dinner jacket discussion... any idea where to find a decent OTR option? Looks like I will need one for July, Covid permitting. I don't have time to get one made.

 

[The Chai]

Going back to the ivory dinner jacket discussion... any idea where to find a decent OTR option? Looks like I will need one for July, Covid permitting. I don't have time to get one made.

Off the top of my head Mason and sons...but costly...close to bespoke pricing

 

[Andy57]

Going back to the ivory dinner jacket discussion... any idea where to find a decent OTR option? Looks like I will need one for July, Covid permitting. I don't have time to get one made.

Depends where you are. If you are in the UK, maybe, maybe Ede & Ravenscroft or Gieves & Hawkes. In the US (or the Europe, too, for that matter) you could try Suit Supply.

 

[Andy57]

Formal Friday #6. I'm all out of dinner jackets. Well, that I wear regularly, anyway.

The red bow tie is not, of course, canonical, but f&ck it.

 

[Contango]

Great tradition for you and your wife to keep up during lockdown @Andy57 !

 

[The Chai]

If I wanted to wear a single breasted shawl as a three piece any recommendations for the style of waistcoat? I want something with lapels but cant decide what style ie SB, DB, squared off or shawl?

 

[lordsuperb]

If I wanted to wear a single breasted shawl as a three piece any recommendations for the style of waistcoat? I want something with lapels but cant decide what style ie SB, DB, squared off or shawl?

Shawl lapels = cummerbund

Peak lapels = vest

 

[The Chai]

Shawl lapels = cummerbund

Peak lapels = vest

Yeah I know but I have some spare shantung silk from the facings and thought I might get a waistcoat made rather than a cummerbund

 

[Faux Brummell]

Not necessarily.

Shawl lapels = cummerbund

Peak lapels = vest

 

[The Chai]

Not necessarily.
View attachment 1388094

Yeah that was my template for a three piece

 

[JJ Katz]

If I wanted to wear a single breasted shawl as a three piece any recommendations for the style of waistcoat? I want something with lapels but cant decide what style ie SB, DB, squared off or shawl?

I dunno... shawl+shawl seems too much of a good thing. I would think DB would be a bit of a solecism with a shawl DJ. The Cary Grant picture there looks like no lapel SB waistcoat, if I had to guess.

 

[Andy57]

If I wanted to wear a single breasted shawl as a three piece any recommendations for the style of waistcoat? I want something with lapels but cant decide what style ie SB, DB, squared off or shawl?

I'd recommend single-breasted, u-shaped, no lapels. I have a midnight blue shawl collared jacket with which I do wear a waistcoat. But, to @lordsuperb's point, more than half the time I wear a cummerbund, instead.

 

[brax]

I've found that lapels go well with DBs while no lapels go well with SBs. In fact, I don't think that I've ever deviated from this rule.

 

[Andy57]

When it doubt, go full Casablanca:

This is formal Friday #7, and I only have six dinner jackets that I wear regularly. So, we're on repeat from here on out.

 

[JJ Katz]

... I only have six dinner jackets that I wear regularly.

Legend! ?