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musings on men's formal wear from the creator of The Black Tie Guide
Browsing All Posts filed under »Formalwear History«
Gatsby-Esque
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!
Up Close: Studs and Links
March 20, 2013
A recent discussion by blog readers about the correctness of silver evening jewelry prompted me to add a history of formal studs and cufflinks to The Black Tie Guide. Some interesting findings from my research: Shirt studs originated in response to the the invention of stiff-front shirts which were too heavily starched to be buttoned. […]
Flashback: 1920s Etiquette
February 14, 2013
I came across this wonderful cartoon on the Cutter and Tailor forum. The person who posted it informs me that it came from a 1924 issue of Vanity Fair and that the caption was “Dinner jacket is SEMIformal.” Ah for the days when a full black-tie kit was the formal equivalent of slumming it.
Return of the Downton DJ
January 9, 2013
The third season of Downton Abbey premiered on PBS last Sunday with a record audience of nearly eight million viewers. While there was much talk about changing times at the dawn of the 1920s it was evident that life at Downton is still firmly rooted in the past. Two amusing examples are the negative reactions […]
50 Years of Bond Tuxedos
January 3, 2013
While writing recently about the James Bond design exhibit and the unorthodox notched lapels featured in Goldfinger I started wondering about Bond tuxedos as a whole. Curious to see how they evolved over time I rented the entire series on DVD and have produced a timeline that highlights key developments. For those who are interested […]
Bond’s Goldfinger Notched Lapel
December 30, 2012
Inspired by an exhibit I attended with my 17-year-old nephew that showcased the design of the James Bond films, I recently rented Goldfinger to show him what the original Bond was all about. Many notched-lapel dinner jacket apologists point to the appearance of the model in this 1964 movie as a validation of its legitimacy […]
An Edwardian Mess Jacket
August 17, 2012
Just when I thought I had pinpointed the origin of the civilian mess jacket to about 1930 I stumbled across a period reference dating back to the turn of the century. The following passage is from The Blue Book of Etiquette for Men, copyright 1904: There is need of a costume for evening dress in […]
A New Morning Dress Primer
August 16, 2012
Dressing improperly for formal daytime affairs is now twice as inexcusable thanks to this week’s launch of The Morning Dress Guide by the editor of The Gentleman’s Gazette. Like the Andrews and Pygott: The Morning Dress Guide that premiered last year, the new generously illustrated blog delves into the finer points of morning dress but […]
1907 Formal Wear IV: U.S. Army
August 10, 2012
We conclude our trip back in time to Edwardian America courtesy of The Blue Book of Men’s Tailoring with a summary of dress uniforms for the U.S. Army. It seems somewhat remarkable that military uniforms were once manufactured not by a single authorized supplier but by any tailor who wished to provide the service to […]
May 1, 2013
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