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musings on men's formal wear from the creator of The Black Tie Guide
Browsing All posts tagged under »Mad Men«
Mad Men Formal, German Style (Part III)
In the third of three posts on Jet Age German formal styling, we look at an example of formal day wear. PLENARY SESSION The morning suit (also called a “Stresemann”) is executed in different variations: double-breasted or single-breasted, closing with two or three buttons. Its characteristic feature is the combination with striped trousers of dark […]
Mad Men Formal, German Style (Part II)
June 9, 2012
In the second of three posts on Jet Age German formal styling, we look at some supersonic takes on warm-weather black tie. SUMMER DINNER JACKET VARIATIONS The elegant appearance of this summery evening dress gives this formal attire many fans, especially since its details are not as demanding and uncomfortable as they once used to […]
Mad Men Formal, German Style (Part I)
June 8, 2012
It’s rare to find illustrations of vintage international formal wear in English-language libraries or web sites. Consequently, I was very excited to come across some fantastic pictures of German menswear from the jet age of the late 1950s / early ’60s, better known today as the Mad Men era. It’s interesting to see that Germany shared […]
Capes & Canes: What Would Don Draper Do?
March 25, 2012
When readers ask me if it’s okay to embellish their tuxedo with a cape, cane, top hat and/or gloves it’s immediately apparent that they have not yet grasped the true essence of black tie. This is quite understandable considering that the typical man’s wardrobe today is so casual that a formal wardrobe can appear entirely […]
Flashback: The Continental Look
January 6, 2012
A reader from Greece recently asked for help in identifying the neckwear in this vintage picture of the acclaimed bouzouki player Gianni Stamatiou aka Sporo. It is actually a variation of the continental tie that snaps together in the back rather than in front, much like a ladies choker. It’s still available from at least […]
Flashback: The Continental Tie
November 28, 2011
In America in the late 1950s the traditional boxy and bulky cuts of English suits gave way to the slimmer and more youthful Italian cut which became known as the Continental Look. To complement this new streamlined style of tuxedo, formalwear manufacturers introduced the continental tie, a wide strip of black silk or satin that […]
The Mad Men Tuxedo: Damn Right Your Dad Wore It
November 16, 2011
(Originally written for MyTuxedoCatalog.com) Much of Mad Men’s success is due to its depiction of late 1950s / early 1960s middle-class lifestyle, a period one writer described as “the last time hip was adult — suits, ties, and tuxedos were hip, and so was the Chivas-Regal-good-life advice of Playboy magazine.” The era’s unique confluence of […]
June 10, 2012
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