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musings on men's formal wear from the creator of The Black Tie Guide
Of Fly Fronts and French Cuffs
I bought my first fly-front shirt recently and the process was definitely not as simple as I had thought it would be. Here’s what I learned . . . Lesson Number One: Understated Shouldn’t Mean Plain. The least expensive fly-front I found in my search at Harry Rosen was a basic BOSS model without a bib. I […]
Posted in: Miscellanea
Gatsby-Esque
May 1, 2013
Well, the long-delayed release of Baz Luhrmann’s The Great Gatsby is almost here and Brooks Brothers is taking full advantage of the film’s lush portrayal of Jazz Age glamour. The latest “lookbook” from the esteemed haberdashers explains: From the designs of double-Academy Award-winning designer Catherine Martin, Brooks Brothers produced all the men’s costumes in Baz Luhrmann’s film adaptation […]
Up Close: The Opera Hat
April 23, 2013
For those who are curious as to exactly how an opera hat folds and expands, reader Hans Servando has compiled a series of video demos on YouTube. One can just imagine the chorus of popping sounds that must have filled Victorian opera houses at the conclusion of each performance!
Posted in: Formalwear History
Black Tie vs. Tuxedo: The Great Divide
April 15, 2013
The recent season finale of The New Normal was very astute in its understanding of black tie in today’s world. At the wedding of the two lead characters, the affluent and urbane grooms wore turndown collars with self-tie bow ties and well-fitting tuxedos. Meanwhile, a small-town simpleton guest wore a undersized wing collar and pre-tied […]
Posted in: Classic Black Tie, Popular Culture
Walking the Oscars Red Carpet: Insider Report
April 12, 2013
When Tom recently contacted me from England for advice on his outfit for a “once in a lifetime black-tie occasion” I was naturally intrigued. Turns out he wasn’t kidding: his friend in the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences had invited him to the recent Academy Awards ceremony. Tom kindly agreed to provide us […]
Posted in: Red Carpet Black Tie
Reader Role Models: Natty in New York
April 10, 2013
Joe from New York used The Black Tie Guide to assemble a black-tie outfit for his wedding and was so pleased with the results he wrote to share them with me. I think he did such a great job that I asked if I could share them with my readers. The midnight-blue three-piece tuxedo and […]
Posted in: Reader Role Models
Ambassadors of Black Tie
April 8, 2013
I often receive e-mail from readers filled with gratitude for The Black Tie Guide’s role in introducing them to the timeless pleasure of conventional black tie. I like to point out to them that I am equally grateful for the role they are now playing as black-tie ambassadors to the world at large. While the […]
Posted in: Miscellanea
May 3, 2013
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