The State of Black Tie: Your Observations

[maxalex]



Well, no, it's a fair question.

My wife and I will be ringing in the new year at the Top Of The Mark at the Mark Hopkins hotel in San Francisco. It's a fun evening, but even at this black-tie dress code event I have seen a couple of people in jeans. I have never understood that.

Well, no, it's a fair question.

My wife and I will be ringing in the new year at the Top Of The Mark at the Mark Hopkins hotel in San Francisco. It's a fun evening, but even at this black-tie dress code event I have seen a couple of people in jeans. I have never understood that.

 

[Bounder]

Anyone going to wear black tie for NYE?

Certainly. We've been hosting a black-tie NYE dinner party for more than twenty years. In recent years, some of our crowd have groaned a bit about putting on a dinner jacket, but standards must be maintained!

I have heard things like this before and it always puzzles me. I don't find a DJ any more uncomfortable than any other jacket. In fact, I don't find them uncomfortable at all. What's more, the great thing about a black tie invitation is that I don't have to think about what to wear.

 

[Andy57]

I have heard things like this before and it always puzzles me. I don't find a DJ any more uncomfortable than any other jacket. In fact, I don't find them uncomfortable at all.

I entirely agree. Friday evening and Saturday (NYE) evening:

 

[upr_crust]

x-post from WAYWRN - dinner at the Leopard at des Artistes, then views from our soon-to-be-completely renovated apartment.

 

[Bounder]

I have heard things like this before and it always puzzles me. I don't find a DJ any more uncomfortable than any other jacket. In fact, I don't find them uncomfortable at all.

I entirely agree. Friday evening and Saturday (NYE) evening:

Interesting. Is there a story behind the chain?

 

[Andy57]

Interesting. Is there a story behind the chain?

There is nothing special about the chain, which is an Edwardian (1905, if I recall) silver watch chain. I bought it as it looked pretty robust and my regular chain was almost worn through. It is attached to my J.W. Benson 1933 Half-hunter silver pocket watch that my parents gave to me for my 21st birthday many years ago. So, to me at least, it is the watch that is special. I like to wear it when I wear a waistcoat. When I'm wearing a cummerbund or a double-breasted dinner jacket, I wear a Nomos Tetra on a black cordovan strap.

 

[greger]

Andy57,

The watch chain attached to the vest. Do your vest have a vertical hole for the watch chain? Or, do you use one of the horizontal button holes?

 

[Andy57]

Andy57,

The watch chain attached to the vest. Do your vest have a vertical hole for the watch chain? Or, do you use one of the horizontal button holes?

I only have one waistcoat with a dedicated watch chain hole and that is part of a brown tweed suit that Steed made for me. My formal waistcoat does not and so I use one of the regular horizontal buttonholes.

 

[greger]

That was a quick reply.
Got one pocket watch that needs a crystal and probably some other work, like to get done. A couple of battery pocket watches (Dad had a stroke and interest is gone with them). Then there is another one with a chain. Maybe someday I'll start using them. When done well it is a great presentation. A charming look. Better than ordinary, at least, some of the time.

 

[brax]

Andy57 looks great. He's not trying too hard and is letting his dinner suits do the work they are supposed to be doing. Bravo.

 

[palk]

I didn't watch the Golden Globe Awards, but I had a look through this slideshow from NY Times today, and put together a tally of the details of the men's clothing. Nothing particularly surprising from my perspective: single-breasted jackets with flapped pockets (

) are still the most popular; proper waist coverings and shoes are rare.

Jacket Details:

• Style:
  • SB Single button: 7
  • SB Two button: 8
  • DB 6x2: 1
• Color:
  • Solid Black/Midnight Blue: 9
  • non-solid Black: 1
  • non-Black: 6
• Lapel shape:
  • Notched: 5
  • Shawl: 2
  • Peaked: 9
• Pockets:
  • Flappped: 11
  • Jetted: 3
  • Unknown: 2

Waist covering:

• Low-cut waistcoat: 2
• High-cut waistcoat: 1
• Cummerbund: 1
• No waist covering: 5
• Unknown: 7

Tie:

• Self-tie black silk bow tie: 11
• Pre-tied black silk bow tie: 2
• non-black bow tie: 1
• long tie: 1
• no tie: 1

Shirt details:

• Collar:
  • Turndown collar: 13
  • Wing collar: 1
  • Button-down: 1
• Placket: (dubious; lighting makes it difficult to discern)
  • Studs: 6
  • Fly: 7
  • Buttons: 2
  • Unknown: 1

Shoes:

• black patent plain-toe oxfords: 1
• black patent captoe oxfords: 5
• black patent plain-toe derbies: 4
• black calf plain-toe oxfords: 1
• black calf captoe oxfords: 2
• black suede captoe oxfords: 1
• black patterned loafers: 1
• Sneakers: 1

 

[am55]

• Collar:
  • Turndown collar: 13
  • Wing collar: 1
  • Button-down: 1

Edit: thanks @Roycru for bringing up Debrett's in the other thread:
Quote: https://www.debretts.com/expertise/etiquette/dress-codes/black-tie/

 

[outofthyme]

chisel or round toe for oxfords, and why? could be patent or calf, although i always wondered why you would choose oxfords in patent when dress pumps exist...

 

[Andy57]

chisel or round toe for oxfords, and why? could be patent or calf, although i always wondered why you would choose oxfords in patent when dress pumps exist...

Patent Oxfords, in my limited experience, are pretty conservative in shape, so round(er) toe, and not chiseled. Same for patent derbies. As for those over pumps, I would imagine a personal preference.

 

[AlexE]



chisel or round toe for oxfords, and why? could be patent or calf, although i always wondered why you would choose oxfords in patent when dress pumps exist...

First question: Never seen patent oxford with chiselled toe as RTW (of course it might still exist and there is MTO/Bespoke, but at least it is not omnipresent). If you do not want patentyou could be a bit more adventurous (polished C&J Alex with a chiselled toe worked in one of the recent Bond movies).

Second question: Because some people just dislike dress pumps (e.g me, myself and I)