Why the cummerbund hate?

[Veremund]

I don't understand all the cummerbund hate I see around. This forum and mags such as GQ and Esquire are filled with guys saying they'd never get one, wear one, tolerate one, like one, etc. They're the easiest thing in the world to wear, one size fits all, they make your tummy less noticable by covering it in black, hide the sloppy mess of the shirt coming untucked, and eradicate the heinous Bermuda triangle. What's not to like?

 

[TheFoo]

No idea.

I hate seeing celebrities' shirts peak out from underneath their jackets because they refuse to wear them. I wear one, and my dinner jacket is double-breasted so it's technically not necessary. It just looks a lot neater when I sit down and unbutton my jacket.

 

[unbelragazzo]

I have no cummerbund hate. I like them. Given that most rtw tuxes do not come with a vest, and finding a matching waistcoat is quite difficult, a cummerbund is the best way to go for a lot of guys. The whole only in summer thing doesn't really apply anymore, if it ever did.

 

[Veremund]

Foo, is it standard / common for DB wearers to unbutton when sitting?

And whenever I see anyone flashing some Bermuda triangle, be he celebrity or mere mortal, I always think it looks like he left his fly undone and his smalls are showing through.

 

[TheFoo]

I think you're supposed to stay buttoned up. But my take on that is: whatever.

 

[blackbowtie]

This is probably just me, but my impression is that a cummerbund looks very good if you have a trim waist. But if you're a bit on the portly side, a waistcoat is probably more forgiving. But I'm probably imagining all this.

But there are a few of my friends who wear black tie who think of cummerbunds as a bit fuddy-duddy (though I'm not quite sure why). And I suppose the cummerbundless current Bond doesn't help.

 

[Veremund]

Fair enough.
I was just wondering because I haven't got one, but in the photos I've seen of celebs wearing them while seated, the jackets are still buttoned. I guess just being buttoned across a wider area helps prevent unsightly fabric bulging, perhaps? But as for me, my tummy would definitely tax the single fastened button on my SB jackets were I not to undo it. I'm not exactly wasting away.

I think you're supposed to stay buttoned up. But my take on that is: whatever.

 

[Veremund]

Yeah, that's the thing, most guys would agree with you. But it is a truth generally acknowledged that black is slimming, even more so in dim evening lighting. I'm just surprised more guys don't make the connection that swathing their middles in black would make minimise their bellies and draw attention to their chests. The one time my cummerbund was missing, I tied a black silk scarf around my middle and it worked a charm.

This is probably just me, but my impression is that a cummerbund looks very good if you have a trim waist. But if you're a bit on the portly side, a waistcoat is probably more forgiving. But I'm probably imagining all this. .

 

[HughJ]

I think seeing so many colourful matching-vested ushers has led to my preference of cummerbunds.

 

[blackbowtie]



Yeah, that's the thing, most guys would agree with you. But it is a truth generally acknowledged that black is slimming, even more so in dim evening lighting. I'm just surprised more guys don't make the connection that swathing their middles in black would make minimise their bellies and draw attention to their chests. The one time my cummerbund was missing, I tied a black silk scarf around my middle and it worked a charm.

Speaking of tying a scarf around the waist, I'm thinking of experimenting with wearing a sash around my waist instead of a waistcoat/cummerbund to a black tie do this Saturday. It might not be the best idea - I'm concerned that the sash might unravel and fall off amidst vigorous dancing - but I think it would be a cool way to spice things up a little bit with a nod to the past.

 

[Veremund]

I don't think anyone will notice it's not a cummerbund, provided it's plain black.

 

[GBR]



I think you're supposed to stay buttoned up. But my take on that is: whatever.

How right, preference is an important and overriding consideration.

 

[AmericanGent]

The anti-cummerbund movement is just a passing fancy. Like many things in life, fashion will sway between extremes; due to badly designed and badly worn crumb-catchers people have reacted by shunning them all together. (The colored, "match your bridesmaid's dress" numbers really didn't help.)

I think that this forum can function as a stabilizing force- recommending against the frequent moves of fashion and holding to time-tested principles of men's style.

The cummerbund is a piece of functional clothing that evolved into a staple of classic formal wear. I wear a waistcoat, but I also have a cummerbund and I will use it when it suits me.

(I also wear one with my military Dinner Dress uniform, but that is not out of choice.)

Just my thoughts!

 

[dopey]

My current DJ is a DB, so I don't wear a cummerbund anymore, but up until about three years ago, I wore a white cummerbund that I have had since 1986. Unlike Foo, I generally don't unbutton my coat, so I don't think I need one. Frequently, though, I do take it off altogether to give to my wife to wear since she is usually cold at these functions. A cummerbund wouldn't go far enough to help me in that situation and I am certainly not going to wear a vest, so I simply do without.

I like cummerbunds, though, and would gladly wear one if I got a new SB DJ, especially one that was shawl lapel. What I always wanted was to try wearing a real waist wrap - the wrap from which the modern cummerbund is derived - which I thought might look cool, but I never got very far chasing that.

 

[archibaldleach]

I actually prefer a cummerbund to a vest and definitely don't understand the anti-cummerbund position. Of course, I also wear a shawl collar tuxedo jacket so this may color my perception a little (I think vests, if they are going to be worn at all, look much better with a peak lapel jacket).