The State of Black Tie: Your Observations

[The Chai]

Interesting article on fabric choices for black tie on Permanent Style the other day: https://www.permanentstyle.com/2020/09/the-guide-to-cloth-for-black-tie-or-tuxedo.html

I'm curious to hear what peoples opinions on the articles recommendation to target at 400g fabric for black tie...

I stopped reading when he said he did not like mohair...

P.s. Re 400 gram weight...I have 450 gram midnight pure wool barathea...my advice if not wearing regular Black tie...don't...stick to light or midweight mohair mix imo

My 71/29 wool mohair barathea mix from bateman odgen drapes and feels like iron if that helps

 

[Mark from Plano]

Right now I'm currently thinking of using Smith Woollens 71/29 wool-mohair mix at 310g... I read somwhere (either this thread or the unfunded liabilities one) that it a frequent Steed and Poole recommendation...But I'll def have a look at the Dormeuil books.

I think this is the one (in Midnight Blue) that I picked out for Edwin to make up for my new dinner suit.

 

[Concordia]

Interesting article on fabric choices for black tie on Permanent Style the other day: https://www.permanentstyle.com/2020/09/the-guide-to-cloth-for-black-tie-or-tuxedo.html

I'm curious to hear what peoples opinions on the articles recommendation to target at 400g fabric for black tie...

I'm not crazy about Simon's advice-- he is better when sharing his "isn't this cool" experiences. But this is a pretty simple topic.

More or less on the nose, I think. Simple is good, and what looks interesting as a novelty doesn't always hold up very well. One cutter I had a long time ago (who still makes trousers for me) said the by-the-book solution is barathea. 10oz or 12oz. Obviously, you can do more or less. But you'll never regret either of those two options.

My father's was tropical weight, largely because it would be used in New York where formal events were ridiculously overheated. Still, it didn't come out too often so it didn't need to be perfectly suited for durability.

I do have a light (9oz?) Smith's mohair blend DB, that I had made in HK. If I were to get another suit at the moment, it would be to fill a gap at summer-weight SB. Not sure about mohair. If LL came out with a black mohair blend, I'd be in. Still, the high-twist section of Finmeresco is remarkably civilized.

The other somewhat unusual thing I'd consider is woollen flannel, perhaps to be worn with black suede shoes. Maybe a good use for a shawl collar, although I prefer the narrow Sinatra shawls with a knuckle near the bottom, and not the cheese-platter variety that you sometimes see.

And black, always, unless we're talking about summer DJ. I appear often enough on a stage that I have no desire to have a distinctive color.

 

[classicalthunde]

I think this is the one (in Midnight Blue) that I picked out for Edwin to make up for my new dinner suit.

And black, always, unless we're talking about summer DJ. I appear often enough on a stage that I have no desire to have a distinctive color.

I think I've been underestimating how dark an actual midnight blue actually is...the Smith Woollens midnight swatch I have (7811) is virtually indistinguishable from black, even when directly compared in daylight to its black counterpart (7812)

 

[The Chai]

I'm not crazy about Simon's advice-- he is better when sharing his "isn't this cool" experiences. But this is a pretty simple topic.

More or less on the nose, I think. Simple is good, and what looks interesting as a novelty doesn't always hold up very well. One cutter I had a long time ago (who still makes trousers for me) said the by-the-book solution is barathea. 10oz or 12oz. Obviously, you can do more or less. But you'll never regret either of those two options.

My father's was tropical weight, largely because it would be used in New York where formal events were ridiculously overheated. Still, it didn't come out too often so it didn't need to be perfectly suited for durability.

I do have a light (9oz?) Smith's mohair blend DB, that I had made in HK. If I were to get another suit at the moment, it would be to fill a gap at summer-weight SB. Not sure about mohair. If LL came out with a black mohair blend, I'd be in. Still, the high-twist section of Finmeresco is remarkably civilized.

The other somewhat unusual thing I'd consider is woollen flannel, perhaps to be worn with black suede shoes. Maybe a good use for a shawl collar, although I prefer the narrow Sinatra shawls with a knuckle near the bottom, and not the cheese-platter variety that you sometimes see.

And black, always, unless we're talking about summer DJ. I appear often enough on a stage that I have no desire to have a distinctive color.

I have seen a few flannel dinner jackets from the 40s and 50s. They look sick but I probably wouldn’t get one unless I have an event to go to in siberia...

what do you mean knuckle down cheese platter?

also most midnights are virtually indistinguishable from black

 

[The Chai]

@Concordia do you mean the cream
Vs the black re knuckle and cheese platter

 

[Concordia]

Something along the lines of #2 would work there.

 

[The Chai]

Something along the lines of #2 would work there.

Wouldn’t the second one (black) be cheese platter?

 

[Concordia]

Oh, right. 2 pics per jacket? Yes-- the black one would serve that function.

 

[The Chai]

Oh, right. 2 pics per jacket? Yes-- the black one would serve that function.

So you prefer the white (knuckle at the end)? Personally I prefer a cross between them both like in these pictures

 

[Concordia]

If you go DB, you have different options. Rick's is a good compromise on all of this, which has the advantage of showing shirt but not requiring a cummerbund.

For SB, though, I definitely prefer narrower-- just not too acute an angle down at the bottom.

 

[Andy57]

More vacuous Instagram brand-whoring. I decided to go back to basics this Friday. This is what I would wear if I were attending an event and the dress code specified "black tie", with the exception of a NYE gala.

 

[Encathol Epistemia]

I visited John Di Pietro yesterday for various purposes, but the most important was to take delivery of the dinner jacket that I had commissioned in February, but given the peculiar conditions of this year and being as the tailor is an eighty five year old cancer survivor who doesn't live in the Fox News Cinematic universe, was delayed. While there, Mr. Di Pietro pointed a tuxedo that he had recently finished to me and shortly thereafter the client, whom Mr. Di Pietro described as the, "CEO of the YMCA," happened to come in to take it. It was made to wear to his daughter's wedding.

The pocket square is made of the lining of the jacket. The client looked quite nice in it.

I guess that my dinner jacket is 'black tie' after a fashion, although navy blue isn't a traditional color for that sort of occasion. (Interestingly, while looking at it as it lay on the counter, the other client asked if it was blue or black)

It's not a... subtle garment. There are midnight blue trousers trimmed in the same velvet as the lapel and cuffs that go with it. I also have a tuxedo shirt, cummerbund, velvet bowtie and satin finish homburg to wear with it, but I'm bereft of occasions at the moment. (I regret the white glare; I'm not a great photographer and didn't notice it when I first took the picture)

 

[Andy57]

Both jackets look great. The velvet facings on your jacket are an interesting and distinctive variation. Awesome lapels, too!

 

[ebusch]

I originally posted this in the wedding attire thread, but I'm re-posting here for additional visibility.

I'm trying to track down a pair of opera pumps in black calf for my wedding next year, but so far haven't had much luck finding them. Brooks Brothers no longer has my size in stock, and everywhere else I've seen only has them in patent. Do any other US-based retailers offer them as a RTW option?

I'm aware of custom orders from the UK:
Shipton: https://www.shipton.com/leather-pumps.html
Broadland: https://www.broadlandslippers.co.uk/slippers/mens-patent-leather-evening-pumps/

Any preference between the two, or are any better options I should check?