Do you own a Tux?

[Midnight Blue]

He'll be wearing the tux for the first time on the cruise, and since that's technically all "indoors" (IMO), I'll hold back on the hat until our fraternity's banquet and spring it on him then.

Good choice. A homburg would look utterly ridiculous on a cruise.

 

[Shaul-Ike Cohen]

MOP capped studs would be a faux pas with black tie. Studs for black tie evening wear should be silver toned with a black top (matching the tie).

What do the others think (or know, historically)? Personally, I like lighter studs better usually, even in semi-formal evening dress; I don't always like the black dots all over. Has a country-&-western touch sometimes.

 

[Midnight Blue]

What do the others think (or know, historically)? Personally, I like lighter studs better usually, even in semi-formal evening dress; I don't always like the black dots all over. Has a country-&-western touch sometimes.

Mother of pearl jewelry has always been very popular with black tie. Check out www.blacktieguide.com/Vintage/Etiquette.htm

 

[Feraud]

Here is a set I have.
I am looking for something a shade lighter.

I love this box.

 

[Midnight Blue]

Ah, good old Swank. My avatar - and the identical icon for my black tie site - comes from one of their 1930s ads.

 

[Edward]

He'll be wearing the tux for the first time on the cruise, and since that's technically all "indoors" (IMO), I'll hold back on the hat until our fraternity's banquet and spring it on him then. Bwhahahahahaha!

Ah, yes - no need for the hat then. Good idea, break him in in stages!

Or maybe I should ask him his opinion.

Dear me, no - he might get ideas above his station.

Mother of pearl jewelry has always been very popular with black tie. Check out www.blacktieguide.com/Vintage/Etiquette.htm

I may stand corrected.... I was under the distinct impression the stud colour should follow the tie.... Have I possibly confused this with the idea that black studs should never be worn with white tie? (a subtly different rule).

 

[Haversack]

I was extrordinarily lucky when I was last in London two years ago. I found a vintage peak-lapel, double-breasted dinner jacket and trousers that fit like a glove. Being a 48L, this was especially surprising. The only alteration my stateside alterations tailor thought necessary was to shorten the sleeves slightly. Fully canvased, heavy enough to drape well, and with high, fish-tailed trousers, it is the most comfortable suit of clothes I have ever worn. I suspect it was made in the 1930s. What I have found out since then has reinforced this thought.

After having worn it several times in the past couple of years, I finally took the time and care to check for a tailor's mark. I found it sewn into the bottom of the right-hand interior pocket. A small printed label, (blue on white), stating "Austin Reed of Regent Street" Written in black ink underneath were a series of numbers and letters and a name comprised of the honourific, an initial and the family name of one of the peerage. A bit judicious web-searching has identified an individual as a possible original owner. The clincher will be to find a photograph. 6' 4" was not a common height for someone born towards the end of the 19th C.

Haversack.

 

[Edward]

Interesting! A year or two ago, I was looking for bits at a vintage stall in Camden Market here in London,* and the old boy who runs it showed me a beautiful set of tails that he had for sale which had belonged to a comedian who was an early star on the BBC, if memory serves. Can't recall the name, alas, but big in the West End, then later went into TV. Alas he was also a much smaller man than myself... I love those srots of stories and connection to vintage clothes and accessories, though. I regularly wear a couple of pairs of cufflinks that belonged to my paternal grandfather (who died when I was five, but he'd have been incredibly proud to see me wearing them now, and working here in London) - they're somehow more special for that connection.



*Unfortunately, that stall is no longer in the market as that was the area that burned down a few months back.

 

[Tomasso]

Have I possibly confused this with the idea that black studs should never be worn with white tie? (a subtly different rule).

Yes, I think you have. Black Tie rules have never been as stringent as those for White Tie.

 

[anon`]

Yes! I can finally post an affirmative response to this thread. So happy.

About three months ago, for no particular reason that I can recall now, I got it in my head that I needed a dinner jacket. Not wanted, mind you, but needed. But that presented a special problem, since I've become a bit of an elitist about buying modern clothing since discovering that I've shrunk enough to fit into a vintage 42 jacket (or even smaller, with the right tailoring, as I've recently learnt!), and couldn't really bring myself to seek out a modern dinner jacket.

So I went a-Googling.

What I found was little short of amazing. In what appears to be a little shop in one of those speciality stip-mall type things (think antique mall), I found--as you can probably guess--a dinner jacket. Complete with trousers. And waistcoat!

The jacket met pretty much every expectation I had of a dinner jacket: a single-breasted, one button affair with peak lapels faced in grosgrain and true besom pockets. The trousers were fairly standard: stripe to match lapels, no belt loops and brace buttons sewn to the outside of the waistband. Best of all, I think, was the waistcoat: black grosgrain to match lapels, with a three-button closure and the "traditional modern" V-cut. With pockets for a watch!

Best of the best of all, however, was the dinner jacket's provenance: S/N 2795, by the Essex Company Custom Tailoring of Utica, NY. It was completed on 25 September, 1940 for one Mr K Frisbee. Not quite sure who he was, but I imagine he looked an awful like like me, frame-wise, since the only bit of tailoring this dinner jacket may possibly need (aside from the repair of one small moth hole ) is a little shortening of the hem.

Now, I just need the rest of the kit and an excuse to wear it out. Colour me happy!

 

[Feraud]

One small moth hole is no big deal. No one will notice it unless you point it out.
Let's see some pics!

 

[anon`]

One small moth hole is no big deal. No one will notice it unless you point it out.
Let's see some pics!

It was (happily, emphasis "was") about 3-4mm, just on the inside of the crease on the front of the left thigh. I didn't even notice it until I tried the trousers on and sat down. Of course, at this point it became quite obvious and needed to be dealt with--to say nothing of my worries that it might decide one day to start fraying.
However, after one week with my tailor it has been beautifully patched into oblivion for the princely sum of $5.

Edit: Ok, I can't get good photos with the resources available to me. You'd think I was photographing a grey suit

However, the seller still had some photos on their site, so I've nabbed a couple, plus two detail shots of my own:

The jacket & waistcoat on one of those body-things. Sincerest apologies for the colour of it!

Trousers:

Waistcoat; same disclaimer as before!

And two detail photos that I managed to get. The first is the patched-up moth hole, and the second is, of course, the label. I'll just link them for the sake of brevity:
Moth hole.
Label.

 

[Midnight Blue]

Beautiful!

 

[Feraud]

Thought this might be of interest.
Midnight blue.

Those spots are from the camera and not the jacket.

 

[WH1]

Waistcoat; same disclaimer as before!

I really like this waistcoat, I think they look much nicer than the cumberbund.
I have a Brooks Brothers peak lapel single breasted, recently purchased second hand in new condition. I haven't had the occaision to wear it yet.
I also have a vintage shawl collar cream colored jacket from the 50's.

For studs and links I use a set from my Marine Corps Evening Mess Dress uniform, although I am looking for a nice vintage set.

 

[OldSkoolFrat]

Yes.

 

[Josephine]

Waistcoat; same disclaimer as before!

That waistcoat is to die for.

 

[WilliamLious]

Currently but slowly growing

I am a bit new to wearing suits or even dinner suits but I have been doing so for nearly half a year.

I currently own

1. a peaked (black) evening tailcoat,
2. a peaked black morning suit,
3. a peaked black "tuxedo" dinner suit,
4. a shawled black dinner suit,
5. a black shawled red dinner jacket, and
6. a self-faced ivory dinner jacket.

That is ignoring, naturally, the other suits. Several of these items I inherited from my father: These are items 1, 3, and 4. The rest I bought.

The shawled black dinner suit (winter), and the ivory dinner jacket (summer), sees action every fortnight for a small family dinner. The peaked black sees action any time that I go to see live theatre. The responses vary from humoured expressions to comments of appreciation. The stiff collar shirts can be a bit of a ba***rd to dress. The first few times was a little nerve racking .

The rest has not seen any sort of action. I started wearing these dinner suits as a by-product of my research on etiquette and a desire to improve my dress sense. I now tend to wear a suit as the norm. I will of course be extending my collection and I hope to one day to either buy a set of measured dinner suits or tailor them (unlikely but a current research project).

 

[freebird]

I didn't have one until about 2 weeks ago. I went to a garage sale and picked one up for three dollars. It needs a good cleaning, but other than that it's alright. Now to find somewhere to wear it lol The collar is trimmed in a black satin like material as is the waste band of the trousers and a stripe up the sides of the pant legs. Forgive the blurry pics.I have no clue as to the era this was but guess probably the 70's or 80's, so not vintage, but not new either. If anyone has a better idea of when this would've been in style, let me know.

 

[Charlie Noodles]

I like the tux' but it'd be a stretch for me to even own a suit. Where would I wear it?