The State of Black Tie: Your Observations

[SJTM]

In some ways, the measure of a man's happiness is the scale of his problems - the smaller the problems, the greater the happiness. The scale of my present conundrum is such that I should be marked as "ecstatic, if slightly daft".

About a year ago, when retail shops were starting to re-open with some regularity here in NYC, I stopped by the local branch of New & Lingwood, where they had a rack of items on sale, at deep discount. One of them was a fuchsia and light blue Nehru jacket, in silk jacquard, patterned in N & L's trademark Russian peacock pattern. As a gag, I tried it on. Remarkably enough, it fit, and it was such an extraordinary article of clothing, and had been marked down to a temptingly low price, that I took the plunge, and bought it, with plans to wear it to the next large black-tie benefit party to which I would be invited.

A year passes by, and I am indeed attending a large museum benefit party in about four weeks time, and all plans were that I would wear the peacock jacket to the event.

Monday, I am out for my afternoon stroll, and I drop in on New & Lingwood once again. Once again, there is a rack of sale items, in the back, and on the end of the rack is a red and black silk jacquard dinner jacket, with black velvet shawl lapels. As a lark, I try it on (noting beforehand it appears to be my size). As it turns out, it is not only my size, but fits me exactly.

Yesterday, after a morning in which I spent two hours in a dentist's chair, as he performed root canal on a particularly ornery second molar, I returned to New & Lingwood, to see if I had hallucinated that the jacket fit me exactly. As it turns out, I had not, and again the jacket was marked down to a price that made temptation more powerful than fiscal probity.

I now have one party, and two "statement" articles of clothing - my conundrum is, which statement to make.

For comparison, I've photographed both jackets in context, accessorized in virtually the same manner - a matter on which opinion is welcome, though the ultimate decision as to which jacket I will wear remains mine.

Dinner jackets - New & Lingwood
Shirt - Brooks Brothers
Tie - Seigo, NYC
Vintage cummerbund
Stud set - Deakin & Francis, London
Braces - New & Lingwood
Trousers - Ede & Ravenscroft
Shoes - Magnanni for Saks Fifth Avenue

View attachment 1673370 View attachment 1673371 View attachment 1673372 View attachment 1673373 View attachment 1673374 View attachment 1673375 View attachment 1673376 View attachment 1673377

Karma

 

[cr2596]

In some ways, the measure of a man's happiness is the scale of his problems - the smaller the problems, the greater the happiness. The scale of my present conundrum is such that I should be marked as "ecstatic, if slightly daft".

About a year ago, when retail shops were starting to re-open with some regularity here in NYC, I stopped by the local branch of New & Lingwood, where they had a rack of items on sale, at deep discount. One of them was a fuchsia and light blue Nehru jacket, in silk jacquard, patterned in N & L's trademark Russian peacock pattern. As a gag, I tried it on. Remarkably enough, it fit, and it was such an extraordinary article of clothing, and had been marked down to a temptingly low price, that I took the plunge, and bought it, with plans to wear it to the next large black-tie benefit party to which I would be invited.

A year passes by, and I am indeed attending a large museum benefit party in about four weeks time, and all plans were that I would wear the peacock jacket to the event.

Monday, I am out for my afternoon stroll, and I drop in on New & Lingwood once again. Once again, there is a rack of sale items, in the back, and on the end of the rack is a red and black silk jacquard dinner jacket, with black velvet shawl lapels. As a lark, I try it on (noting beforehand it appears to be my size). As it turns out, it is not only my size, but fits me exactly.

Yesterday, after a morning in which I spent two hours in a dentist's chair, as he performed root canal on a particularly ornery second molar, I returned to New & Lingwood, to see if I had hallucinated that the jacket fit me exactly. As it turns out, I had not, and again the jacket was marked down to a price that made temptation more powerful than fiscal probity.

I now have one party, and two "statement" articles of clothing - my conundrum is, which statement to make.

For comparison, I've photographed both jackets in context, accessorized in virtually the same manner - a matter on which opinion is welcome, though the ultimate decision as to which jacket I will wear remains mine.

Dinner jackets - New & Lingwood
Shirt - Brooks Brothers
Tie - Seigo, NYC
Vintage cummerbund
Stud set - Deakin & Francis, London
Braces - New & Lingwood
Trousers - Ede & Ravenscroft
Shoes - Magnanni for Saks Fifth Avenue

View attachment 1673370 View attachment 1673371 View attachment 1673372 View attachment 1673373 View attachment 1673374 View attachment 1673375 View attachment 1673376 View attachment 1673377

Man, that’s tough. Flip a coin and find a second party.

 

[Eli Curt]

In some ways, the measure of a man's happiness is the scale of his problems - the smaller the problems, the greater the happiness. The scale of my present conundrum is such that I should be marked as "ecstatic, if slightly daft".

About a year ago, when retail shops were starting to re-open with some regularity here in NYC, I stopped by the local branch of New & Lingwood, where they had a rack of items on sale, at deep discount. One of them was a fuchsia and light blue Nehru jacket, in silk jacquard, patterned in N & L's trademark Russian peacock pattern. As a gag, I tried it on. Remarkably enough, it fit, and it was such an extraordinary article of clothing, and had been marked down to a temptingly low price, that I took the plunge, and bought it, with plans to wear it to the next large black-tie benefit party to which I would be invited.

A year passes by, and I am indeed attending a large museum benefit party in about four weeks time, and all plans were that I would wear the peacock jacket to the event.

Monday, I am out for my afternoon stroll, and I drop in on New & Lingwood once again. Once again, there is a rack of sale items, in the back, and on the end of the rack is a red and black silk jacquard dinner jacket, with black velvet shawl lapels. As a lark, I try it on (noting beforehand it appears to be my size). As it turns out, it is not only my size, but fits me exactly.

Yesterday, after a morning in which I spent two hours in a dentist's chair, as he performed root canal on a particularly ornery second molar, I returned to New & Lingwood, to see if I had hallucinated that the jacket fit me exactly. As it turns out, I had not, and again the jacket was marked down to a price that made temptation more powerful than fiscal probity.

I now have one party, and two "statement" articles of clothing - my conundrum is, which statement to make.

For comparison, I've photographed both jackets in context, accessorized in virtually the same manner - a matter on which opinion is welcome, though the ultimate decision as to which jacket I will wear remains mine.

Dinner jackets - New & Lingwood
Shirt - Brooks Brothers
Tie - Seigo, NYC
Vintage cummerbund
Stud set - Deakin & Francis, London
Braces - New & Lingwood
Trousers - Ede & Ravenscroft
Shoes - Magnanni for Saks Fifth Avenue

View attachment 1673370 View attachment 1673371 View attachment 1673372 View attachment 1673373 View attachment 1673374 View attachment 1673375 View attachment 1673376 View attachment 1673377

The dark red one looks excellent. But the pink & blue flamingo jacket is so much more unique and sure to attract more attention. Do with that what you will.

Were I you, I'd don the flamingo piece. Very interesting.

 

[Cause Moe]

A peacock is not a flamingo.

 

[Eli Curt]

A peacock is not a flamingo.

A. good point
B. there must be some irony in a peacock on this jacket

It was a long day and I completely snafu'd. My point remains, I think.

 

[The Chai]

Anyone in the Black Tie forum ever played with the idea of getting a set of tails made...which is something I am seriously contemplating doing.

 

[Zerase]

Anyone in the Black Tie forum ever played with the idea of getting a set of tails made...which is something I am seriously contemplating doing.

I have three sets of white tie, one for a fraternity where all the orders and medals made it impossible to use it for anything but that. I also have an 80+ years old that is hot as hell and impossible to wear in the warmer months so I got a third one for spring/summer wear ?.

 

[Thin White Duke]

Unless and until I’m awarded a Nobel Prize (or I’m invited to the Queen’s Garden Party or the Royal Enclosure at Ascot for morning tails) I don’t see it in my future!

 

[Sreezy36]

Anyone in the Black Tie forum ever played with the idea of getting a set of tails made...which is something I am seriously contemplating doing.

Besides replacing my standard current dinner jacket with a bespoke one and adding a tropical weather odd dinner jacket I doubt I’ll add a formal evening nor a formal day rig any time soon. However, I am very open to an evening formal rig if my social life expands and I start attending white tie events regularly/annually.

 

[Lensmaster]

Anyone in the Black Tie forum ever played with the idea of getting a set of tails made...which is something I am seriously contemplating doing.

I would not go to the expense of having one made, but after years of looking I found vintage tails and matching pants on Ebay and bought that. That money was worth the annual NYE party I wear it to, and my someday dream trip to an Austrian formal ball.

 

[Andy57]

In some ways, the measure of a man's happiness is the scale of his problems - the smaller the problems, the greater the happiness. The scale of my present conundrum is such that I should be marked as "ecstatic, if slightly daft".

About a year ago, when retail shops were starting to re-open with some regularity here in NYC, I stopped by the local branch of New & Lingwood, where they had a rack of items on sale, at deep discount. One of them was a fuchsia and light blue Nehru jacket, in silk jacquard, patterned in N & L's trademark Russian peacock pattern. As a gag, I tried it on. Remarkably enough, it fit, and it was such an extraordinary article of clothing, and had been marked down to a temptingly low price, that I took the plunge, and bought it, with plans to wear it to the next large black-tie benefit party to which I would be invited.

A year passes by, and I am indeed attending a large museum benefit party in about four weeks time, and all plans were that I would wear the peacock jacket to the event.

Monday, I am out for my afternoon stroll, and I drop in on New & Lingwood once again. Once again, there is a rack of sale items, in the back, and on the end of the rack is a red and black silk jacquard dinner jacket, with black velvet shawl lapels. As a lark, I try it on (noting beforehand it appears to be my size). As it turns out, it is not only my size, but fits me exactly.

Yesterday, after a morning in which I spent two hours in a dentist's chair, as he performed root canal on a particularly ornery second molar, I returned to New & Lingwood, to see if I had hallucinated that the jacket fit me exactly. As it turns out, I had not, and again the jacket was marked down to a price that made temptation more powerful than fiscal probity.

I now have one party, and two "statement" articles of clothing - my conundrum is, which statement to make.

For comparison, I've photographed both jackets in context, accessorized in virtually the same manner - a matter on which opinion is welcome, though the ultimate decision as to which jacket I will wear remains mine.

Dinner jackets - New & Lingwood
Shirt - Brooks Brothers
Tie - Seigo, NYC
Vintage cummerbund
Stud set - Deakin & Francis, London
Braces - New & Lingwood
Trousers - Ede & Ravenscroft
Shoes - Magnanni for Saks Fifth Avenue

View attachment 1673370 View attachment 1673371 View attachment 1673372 View attachment 1673373 View attachment 1673374 View attachment 1673375 View attachment 1673376 View attachment 1673377

What a fabulous problem to have! I'd wear the burgundy one to the public event and save the fuchsia one for a more intimate dinner out, say. Or, I might not, depending on my whim. You can't go wrong, my friend!

Or, just send me the one you don't want! Problem solved! Seriously, those are two awesome dinner jackets!

 

[Andy57]

A private dinner at Darioush in the Napa Valley seemed like a good enough reason to wear a dinner jacket. Not that I actually need a reason, of course.

 

[Leiker]

A private dinner at Darioush in the Napa Valley seemed like a good enough reason to wear a dinner jacket. Not that I actually need a reason, of course.
View attachment 1675881
View attachment 1675882
View attachment 1675883

You both look fantastic

 

[Andy57]

You both look fantastic

Thank you!

 

[Faux Brummell]

Daniel Craig at the No Time To Die premiere: