Please help me with formalwear for my wedding...

[floatinjoe]

You are looking incredibly sharp. I am waiting for my morning dress to arrive from the tailor. I received word yesterday that there is a good chance I'll have it on Monday. Chester Jefferies charged my credit card today, so I'm assuming that means the gloves are being shipped. Hopefully they will be here soon.

I have my shoes, ascot, and topper. I need to locate a double chain for the pocketwatch. I'd love to find a cane, but it isn't easy to find a nice one. I might have to get an okay one and look for a nice one down the road.

Not to hyjack yours, I'll start my own thread once it is assembled.

Mike

 

[Charlie Huang]

Like I said, fold down collar with a wedding pattern necktie is the way to go.

As for a cane, the correct one (for a day cane) is a malacca with a silver or silver-gilt top and an (ideally) horn ferrule. EBay has them cropping up regularly (search 'silver cane'). An ebony could do for that Victorian look but they are really meant for evening wear.

 

[floatinjoe]

Charlie,

I would have figured that a "day cane" would have a gold or gold-gilt top, not silver. I've done my fair share of searching on ebay and didn't come across that many. I'll have to look some more this weekend.

In regards to the Victorian look, would the malacca be correct as well as the ebony?

On a different, but related note, Cravat/Ascot Pins:
What is the purpose of the long pin? What would prevent someone from using a standard tie tack on their ascot? Does the long pin need to be inserted a certain way?

Part of the question is based on this: My father had given my mother pearl earrings while they were engaged. She wore them on their wedding. Years later, she lost one and he had it turned into a tie tack. They gave it to me for my wedding. I am planning on having the tack's post removed and made into a stick pin, but I don't know if I'll be able to get it done in time. I will probably use this pearl in whatever form it is in on that day. I am mainly looking for longterm usage.

Mike

 

[Charlie Huang]

No, silver is perfectly correct as is gold. In fact, I've seen more with silver or silver-gilt than gold. And they are equally correct for Victorianisation.

As for the Ascot pin, it helps fix the Ascot in postion. The tie tack does similar but can move about which is undesirable. The Ascot panels are placed one over the other then the pin inserted through both (to fix them in place) then directly inserted into the shirt's placket (to fix the Ascot onto the shirt) then the end capped off.

 

[boushi_mania]

Yes, the waistcoat seems a bit big at the bottom. I would have it taken in and all the creases ironed out. As to length, it is more or less okay. I would also move some of the left (your left) buttons to be symetrical with the right ones. The pattern looks very much like what Pakeman Catto & Carter sell save the hem of your's is curved slightly.

Duly noted. I'll be headed up to the tailor's sometime this week, so as to be able to send along my clothes before I arrive in the U.S. (I trust the postal service a bit more than the airlines when it comes to transporting important items.) They should be able to get the remaining issues worked out.

As for your idea of photo ops, a better ensemble would be to wear a frock coat (with a frockovercoat on top of that most ideal) coupled with very high (no less that 2 1/2") wing/imperial collar, black waistcoat with white slips, Ascot tie and silver-topped malacca cane and galosh top button boots. I doubt any diplomat or investiture attendee today would wear that...

Maybe in the future, when I am also wealthy enough to collect all of those things. The only item on the list I currently have is the black waistcoat with white slip. (I have a cane with a metal handle, but it's cherry—or possibly something else—and the handle is shaped like a tricorne hat.)

Topper: I assume you have one (since you;re going all out). Pics I need to see.

Mine is the one I bought from metropd. Pictures can be seen here and here. I have yet to actually wear it, but it's in decent enough condition. Here's hoping it fits. lol

 

[Charlie Huang]

Well, that cane will do.

As for the topper, it is a good one. Of course, fit is key as you don't have opportunities to have it reconformed. I would follow my advice and polish it with water (you should know my blog on toppers by now I hope).

 

[Charlie Huang]

After seeing the photos, one must approve! :eusa_clap

I shall now induct you in the Commission post haste!

 

[boushi_mania]

And with the wedding out of the way, on to the next quest...

After seeing the photos, one must approve! :eusa_clap

I was pleasantly surprised that things went as well as they did -- even the rented morning coats managed to look halfway decent with the wedding ties and pocket squares I gave to the groomsmen.

Anyway, as you can tell by my avatar, the pictures from the photographer are in. I'll probably post a few up this evening to give a taste of the event.

In the meantime, I have a question looking to the future of my morning dress ensemble. In order to get more use out of what I have, I've been trying to put together a semi-formal version that I can wear to graduations and the like. I already have a double-breasted black suit jacket I'm not particularly fond of, along with a bowler and a white-slipped black waistcoat, so I suppose I've already got everything I need to work in a pinch. On the other hand I'm also looking to buy some less formal slacks, to give the outfit a less rigid affect. With that in mind, I recently ran across a couple pairs of trousers that were on sale at the local discount suit store:

As you can see, one is houndstooth and one is Prince of Wales / Glen Urquhart check. The material has a bit of a nap to it, which makes me think it's flannel, but I'm no expert on cloth. I'd need to actually bring my waistcoats in and check on the rise, but I think it's high enough. But, most importanly, both pairs are on sale right now for the (relatively) bargain price of 8000 yen. If I am to get one of them, I need to move quickly.

My question is, which (if either) is better for what I'm after? Or should I look for something else?

 

[Charlie Huang]

Your priority would be the houndstooth.

You would need to put brace buttons on but that's about it (unless you want to remove the belt loops as well but the waistcoat would cover them either way). You can wear it with your morning coat. For the PoW check, you cannot but it still is appropriate for what you are essentially assembling for: black lounge or the so-called stroller.

 

[boushi_mania]

Your priority would be the houndstooth.

You would need to put brace buttons on but that's about it (unless you want to remove the belt loops as well but the waistcoat would cover them either way). You can wear it with your morning coat. For the PoW check, you cannot but it still is appropriate for what you are essentially assembling for: black lounge or the so-called stroller.

Exactly the kind of advice I was looking for. That said, I'm not really intending to wear these trousers with the morning coat, so I think it's probably safe to go with the POW if that's what suits me better. I'd like to have both, eventually, but I'll content myself with one pair for now. The next step is to bring my waistcoats into the store and try them on to see how they look...

 

[Charlie Huang]

The grey gloves I got off CJ:

It is not chamois but dark grey suede capeskin. I have a feeling they have completely ran out of grey chamois...

 

[Charlie Huang]

As a side note, Brigg recently valued my cane at £600-700. I bought it for £32. RESULT!

 

[Pry]

When I get married it's gonna be my excuse to splurge on a sweet tux.
Probably copy something similar to this.
http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl...&ndsp=34&ved=1t:429,r:3,s:52&biw=1680&bih=868

Conservative cute really, but a good classic tuxedo is all you need to inspire you never to put on too much weight to wear it again.

 

[Pry]

Make that cut.. not cute... Where, oh where is the edit button?