Tuxedo Fashion Question...

[Sergei]

Last Saturday I attended our company "winter" party... yes, what they call them now. Since I own two tuxedos (one for black tie, one for white tie with tails) I wore my traditional tuxedo, with black tie. Since it's been very cold at night, I decided to go with my matching black vest (single breasted jacket - peak lapel).

Sitting down at the dinner table, I was then summarily dressed down by my CEO that wearing a vest is verbotten w/ a tux. He heard that current fashion dictates no vest or cumberbun. Well, biting my tongue - I didn't want to respond.

Opinion? Was I wrong?

 

[Baron Kurtz]

wrong about the waistcoat, or wrong about not arguing with the dude?

bk

 

[Sergei]

Well I know, right or wrong I am not going to argue with the dude. I learned that lesson a long time ago. I was just curious about the "waist coat".

 

[shindeco]

Here, here, Baron!

Of course, you were absolutely correct, sartorially speaking (assuming it was an evening waistcoat) but he's the boss!

 

[Marc Chevalier]

Frankly speaking, your boss lacks class. No matter what he thought, it was not gentlemanly of him to have made you feel ill at ease. He's a waste of space.

 

[Sardou]

Clearly.

The tipoff is the "CEO" bit. A gentleman does not use initials not his own.

Sardou

 

[Matt Deckard]

Would he have prefered that you go wearing a t-shirt with a black tie, lapels and studded shirt silk screened on the chest?

 

[Flitcraft]

Sergei:
Your CEO sounds like a Big Fat Jerk.
Vests with a tux have a long tradition- just check out some of Alan Flusser's books and the illustrations he uses from the vintage "Apparel Arts" magazine (forerunner of "GQ").

Besides, what sort of gentleman uses his position to browbeat his employees in public?

You made the correct sartorial move with the vest and you made the correct ploitical move by not arguing with the CEO, but he's still a jerk.

 

[Sergei]

Sergei:
Your CEO sounds like a Big Fat Jerk.
Vests with a tux have a long tradition- just check out some of Alan flusser's books and the illustrations he uses from the vintage "Apparel Arts" magazine (forerunner of "GQ").

Besides, what sort of gentleman uses his position to browbeat his employees in public?

You made the correct sartorial move with the vest and you made the correct ploitical move by not arguing with the CEO, but he's still a jerk.

Agreed. I thought it was very odd to even bring it up. It does lack class and a disregard to manners. I just never heard of this new fashion. He mentioned that he was at an award event where everyone was required to wear a tux. He was one of three that was wearing a vest out of about 30 other participants. The photographer made him take it off. Regardless, it was in poor taste to even bring it up.

Thanks for the back up, gents.

 

[boomerchop]

Current fashion...

He heard that current fashion dictates no vest or cumberbun.

I think the germane statement is that the CEO thought that CURRENT fashion dictated no vest or cummerbund. I have never heard that and don't know where the CEO would have heard that. What does one wear then? Just the pleated shirt and bow tie? That would leave a plain shirt area just above the pants waist and that wouldn't look good. Jacket buttoned all the time.....? The whole incident sounds strange to me. Had there been a lengthy cocktail hour before dinner?

 

[Sergei]

I think the germane statement is that the CEO thought that CURRENT fashion dictated no vest or cummerbund. I have never heard that and don't know where the CEO would have heard that. What does one wear then? Just the pleated shirt and bow tie? That would leave a plain shirt area just above the pants waist and that wouldn't look good. Jacket buttoned all the time.....? The whole incident sounds strange to me. Had there been a lengthy cocktail hour before dinner?

Yes! Given the odd behavior, I am perplexed of this statement. I saw the picture he was referring to this morning. I am glad to see it stumped the great folks at FL. I need to check out recent pictures floating around from maybe the most recent Golden Globes, etc.

 

[Baron Kurtz]

I need to check out recent pictures floating around from maybe the most recent Golden Globes, etc.

Golden Globes a good indicator of sartorial correctness? ...

bk

 

[Sergei]

Golden Globes a good indicator of sartorial correctness? ...

bk

Well there might have been some old school gentlemen there....

BTW BK, Lafayette? I went to old P.U. in the seventies. Is Riehle Brothers Tavern still there on the 52 bypass? & Harry's in W. Lafayette?

 

[Baron Kurtz]

Well there might have been some old school gentlemen there....

BTW BK, Lafayette? I went to old P.U. in the seventies. Is Riehle Brothers Tavern still there on the 52 bypass? & Harry's in W. Lafayette?

Wouldn't know about Riehle Brothers tavern, but Harry's is still in West Lafalot. Survived yet another fire. Not many tuxedos, though ... very little style. I believe there's another FL member who spent some time in Lafalot. Small world ...

bk

 

[Robert Conway]

Sergei:
Your CEO sounds like a Big Fat Jerk.
Vests with a tux have a long tradition- just check out some of Alan flusser's books and the illustrations he uses from the vintage "Apparel Arts" magazine (forerunner of "GQ").

I think William Powell is wearing a single breasted, black tuxedo and white vest, at the end of the first Thin Man movie.

If it works for Powell, it works for me.

I think you should challenge your boss to a duel.
Shall we say pistols at dawn?

 

[Flitcraft]

I think you should challenge your boss to a duel.
Shall we say pistols at dawn?

How about shotguns across a dinner table?

 

[boomerchop]

Eeeeeewwww

How about shotguns across a dinner table?

That'd be a real mess.

 

[shindeco]

So difficult to clean the tablecloth!

I'm thinking more like the valets of yore. If they really didn't like a guest they would weaken a few stitches in the sole of one shoe with a razor blade (never cut it, just weaken it) so that a few days/weeks later, the sole of his shoe would come apart. They might also do the same with a few stitches in the seat of his trousers. The clothing was never harmed; it was always repairable, but the owner got a good dose of embarassment -- away from the instigator!

 

[Senator Jack]

And what's everyone's take on suspenders/cummerbund? Personally, I don't care for the cummberbund, so I wear suspenders with my tux. There are, of course, opposing sides. Some say you always have to wear a cummerbund, even with suspenders and others say it's one or the other, it being akin to wearing suspenders and a belt. Of course I don't give a rat's a** as to what modern fashion dictates because if I were subject to that I'd be wearing the ridiculous black necktie.

Regards,

Senator Jack

 

[shindeco]

The cummerbund was never intended to hold up the trousers; it derives from sashes worn in the British colonies (especially India). They were adopted as a cooler, more comfortable alternative to the waistcoat in tropical climes. Evening trousers should never really be worn with belts so suspenders should be worn with a cummerbund. Of course, a gentleman would never dream of removing his dinner jacket at a formal function so you would never see the suspenders anyway. If you're concerned about your braces showing when you gesticulate, white suspenders are always acceptable with evening wear.