What hat with a tuxedo?

[JohnnyGringo]

Is it ever proper to wear any type of straw dress hat with a tuxedo? I have a Dobbs Straw Homburg and I'm needing to wear my tuxedo a few times this month-is this combination a definite no-no? I'm embarrassed to ask, but it's too warm for me to be comfortable in felt right now, and I don't want to be without a cover. Your thoughts?

 

[EVEN-STEVEN]

Look at DOUGLAS' avatar...

 

[Mike in Seattle]

Is it ever proper to wear any type of straw dress hat with a tuxedo? I have a Dobbs Straw Homburg and I'm needing to wear my tuxedo a few times this month-is this combination a definite no-no? I'm embarrassed to ask, but it's too warm for me to be comfortable in felt right now, and I don't want to be without a cover. Your thoughts?

If you (a) don't want to wear felt and (b) you don't want to go hatless, I think you've answered your own question. With a tux, you'll sometimes see a black fedora, the ocassional top hat or bowler, or no hat at all. Why not start a new fad or style by pairing formal with straw? When we see it on the Academy Awards or in magazines, we'll be sure to say "They copied Johnny Gringo!"

 

[MAB1]

Black Straw maybe?

 

[Tomasso]

Is it ever proper to wear any type of straw dress hat with a tuxedo ?

 

[DrSpeed]

The definitive answer I'd say.

 

[thunderw21]

I'll second that.

 

[J.T.Marcus]

Is it ever proper to wear any type of straw dress hat with a tuxedo? I have a Dobbs Straw Homburg and I'm needing to wear my tuxedo a few times this month-is this combination a definite no-no? I'm embarrassed to ask, but it's too warm for me to be comfortable in felt right now, and I don't want to be without a cover. Your thoughts?

I'd like to see a picture of the straw Homburg paired up with the tux. In theory, it should work fine.

 

[JohnnyGringo]

Tuxedo and Dobbs Straw Homburg

Here's me in my Tuxedo with the Dobbs Straw Homburg-unfortunately, the top of the hat can't really be seen. Nonetheless, what do you think?

 

[Jfala]

I'm digging it! That is a great hat.

 

[SPRFINO]

Straw with tux is ok provided it is summer and it is warm. My personal feeling is that it would be more appropriate paired with tux pants and a Palm Beach dinner jacket. Not sure the homburg quite works but it is a beautiful hat!

 

[Mike in Seattle]

Originally posted by DrSpeed:
The definitive answer I'd say.

Alas, the greats like Adolphe Menjou, Cary Grant, Fred Astaire, Robert Montgomery and other style icons from the 30s and 40s could get away with things that nobody else could hope to carry off now or even back in that era. Remember, too, in this day and age, hat check rooms, or even a simple hat rack, are few and far between and at most events requiring a tuxedo, you're not going to find an empty seat to keep a hat on during the event, and the table's a definite no-no.

 

[DominusTecum]

A topper is the way to go, my friend. The straw looks sharp, but I'm thinking it'd look better with a white, tropical-style dinner jacket. Otherwise, I'm afraid it'll come off kind of halfhearted.

Of course, bear in mind that today, nobody knows what is traditional and what is not, and so unless it's a corporate thing where you don't want to ruffle feathers and stick out, you can probably get away with wearing that or just about any other combination you care for. Chances are, you know more about hat pairing and tuxedos than anybody else at these events, so who's to say it's not eminently proper?

 

[Woodfluter]

I have this theory, and it may not amount to much, but here goes:

Back in Adolphe Menjou's day, there were many occasions when a gentleman would don formal wear of some sort. Dinner parties for example. Today, those occasions are comparatively rare. Unfortunately.

Thus I suspect that there were fewer "rules" that were actually observed about what kind of hat you might wear with something like a tuxedo or a tailcoat. Because it wasn't such a big deal. Not implying that Emily Post or fashion writers wouldn't have had something to say, but according to my parents, most people read that stuff just to laugh at it, unless they were seriously clueless and desperately seeking clues. So perhaps it wouldn't raise that many eyebrows to see a gent wearing a Panama hat or a boater with evening clothes.

Nowadays, it has become almost a "costume" event to wear evening clothes, and I think that rarity always leads to many rigid dos and don'ts.

I kind of agree that a white jacket would work better, but if you could find a place to stash it, I wouldn't give it much thought. Just do it and be happy.

- Bill

 

[DerMann]

Full white tie (tails): top hat
Black tie: black homburg or black fedora (no stingy brims) or trilb
Black tie ivory dinner jacket: same as above in white or ivory and a straw boater

Boaters are about as dressy as one can get with a straw hat. As Jeeves said,"Gentlemen do not where straw hats in the metrop."

Then again, Jeeves also advises against soft-fronted evening shirts...

 

[AlmostDecapitatedByMyCollar]

A topper is the way to go, my friend. The straw looks sharp, but I'm thinking it'd look better with a white, tropical-style dinner jacket. Otherwise, I'm afraid it'll come off kind of halfhearted.

Of course, bear in mind that today, nobody knows what is traditional and what is not, and so unless it's a corporate thing where you don't want to ruffle feathers and stick out, you can probably get away with wearing that or just about any other combination you care for. Chances are, you know more about hat pairing and tuxedos than anybody else at these events, so who's to say it's not eminently proper?

You should never ever wear a top hat with a tuxedo. The hat is very tall, so should combine it with the long tails of a white tie ensemble.

 

[AlmostDecapitatedByMyCollar]

Tuxedo and Dobbs Straw Homburg

Here's me in my Tuxedo with the Dobbs Straw Homburg-unfortunately, the top of the hat can't really be seen. Nonetheless, what do you think?

Why is this fellow wearing notched lapels on the FORMAL tuxedo?

 

[hatsRme]

Why is this fellow wearing notched lapels on the FORMAL tuxedo?

Because he can?

Shawl, peaked, or notched, and he picked notched. Is anything alright?!

 

[hatsRme]

You should never ever wear a top hat with a tuxedo.

What will happen?

Why has no mention of the classic tuxedo hat been made? Art Fawcett can make a period-accurate one, if you need.

 

[Frunobulax]

What will happen?

Why has no mention of the classic tuxedo hat been made? Art Fawcett can make a period-accurate one, if you need.

Does a tuxedo hat have a little bow tie on it?


Sent directly from my mind to yours.