More examples of dinner jacket styles

Just thought the few readers I have might be interested in this illustration I found browsing which demonstrates a bit of dinner jacket history. As you can see, narrow lapels and trouser openings did NOT originate in the '60s.


Interesting differences here in the cut and style of accessories used compared to the golden age of the "tuxedo." There do not appear to be flower holes on the lapels, for one thing. Red roses or carnations have almost come to be a cliche in movies. (I don't care what any florist says, the flower goes through the hole on the lapel.) All three of the men are wearing white full dress ties instead and only one has a black waistcoat! The stiff, detachable "imperial" collars are stricter looking than the soft collars that came to stay later on. I think this plus the grooming of the men place the illustration somewhere in the teens or early twenties.

Seen side by side, the lapel styles on the middle and right once again look superior... at least in my opinion.

"Why NOT the step/notch lapel?" (Why classic black tie trumps all.)

This is a discussion that comes up frequently on men's clothing forums regarding dinner jackets and I think I've come to a decent answer, based on both my preference for the classics and what I've learned from the many knowledgeable "sartorialists" on the world wide web.

The step (or notch) lapel was apparently considered acceptable back in the late 19th/early 20th century when the dinner jacket was really picking up steam as an intermediate garment between business dress and white tie. Back then, it was considered informal dinner wear -- clothing worn at the table after marinating in smog and soot all day. Because of that, step lapels could be used to differentiate it from the smoking jacket or white tie.

Later on in the '30s and '40s, black tie came to much more use in the period many think as the height of menswear excellence. Pointed (or peak) lapel and roll (or shawl) collar were prominent since it was being used more and more as a semi-formal alternative to white tie. You hardly saw any silver screen stars wearing step lapel dinner jackets in this period.

Cary Grant shows his timeless style in the picture above. Full, pointed lapels with a bit of "belly" (curve to the underside) and a classic cut that emphasises the chest and shoulders, flattering the male physique.

Sir Sean Connery shows us how a good roll collar is done. Note the proportioning: It starts narrow, gets a tad wider towards the bottom, and then gracefully tapers down to a single button (not two or three buttons).

These days, white tie is a rarity. Black tie is more common for evening events or fund raisers, but even that convention is starting to erode a bit. Much of it looks bland anyways... ill-fitting uninspired rentals and I-just-bought-this-in-case dinner suits, both with cheap looking step lapels. Oftentimes, they just resemble black business suits with some silk facings. It's not helped by the fact that many of our world's leaders or celebrities don't make that much effort anymore either.

These should be outfits suitable for socialising and having drinks in, not looking interchangeable with business attire (shown left). The more you add buttons, vents, pocket flaps, long ties, and plain shirt fronts the less it looks like something for a special occasion and closer to something worn by hitmen in a Tarantino movie. The pointed lapel and roll collar with classic details look more exciting and full of sophistication, especially in this age where black tie is the most dominant mode of "formal" attire there is, more than formal day wear and certainly much more than white tie. Hopefully the pictures and arguments presented here will convince you of it, but as always I welcome your thoughts.

Big thanks to The Black Tie Guide for being such a wonderful resource and, as always, the knowledgeable gentlemen over at the Ask Andy Forums. If there's any serious errors or omissions here, please let me know and I'll try to correct them.

Oops!

Someone rightly pointed out that the Esquire Best Dressed Real Man contest voting ended on the 31st of last month. I've updated my post below. Thanks to anyone who voted for me anyhow!

I also updated my last post for clarity and an additional detail.

-Jovan

The button down shirt... and the Esquire Best Dressed Real Man

It's been at least two months since my last post. Sorry! My camera-phone and regular camera are out at the moment (for some reason neither of them like their respective memory cards anymore) and I don't have anything that interesting to show right now anyways. All I've really bought was a couple of Brooks Brothers OCBDs in white and blue from the wonderful seller "armyhardhat" on eBay. I also tried bidding on a vintage tattersall one from another seller, but was sniped last second. Too bad, as I'd like to experience Brooks' old standards for myself.

Here's a crappy webcam shot of the white one. True to Brooks, it has a good collar roll and nice, long points. However... (cont'd below)


I keep reading the "unlined" collars from the days of old had a much gentler and softer look to them, so I kind of wish they would take out the interfacing. In fact, I know it for myself. I've seen a Brooks Brothers Black Fleece shirt in person and the collar looks a lot better. The owner of it says it has an unlined collar. (The fabric also looked heavier and softer, but that might just be an effect of the garment washing that line has.) To their credit, at least they have the sense not to use fusible. On point collars it's more acceptable, but it destroys the look of a button down which is meant to look relaxed and un-strict.

A member of Ask Andy says: "I recently talked to Tom Davis (runs the MTM shirt service at 346 madison) about it. He said the ownership of hte [sic] company feels an unlined OCBD looks sloppy and cant understand how anyone would want it like that. They will be lined for the forseeable future. Luckily, you can still get them unlined if you order them MTM."

Guess that's the reason why. It kind of annoys me that they'd feel that way, as the "sloppy" look of the button down is what made Brooks Brothers famous! It makes little sense to change something that was fine the way it was, now or more than a century ago.

The button-down shirt, also known as "The Original Polo Button-Down," was originally introduced to the States in 1896 by Brooks Brothers. It has somewhat enigmatic origins. From the Brooks Brothers website: "John Brooks, grandson of the founder, made fashion history by introducing the button-down polo collar shirt. His design inspiration came after attending an English polo match where he observed the players' shirts secured with buttons to keep them from flapping in the wind. The shirt became an instant success and soon one of the best-selling Brooks Brothers items." Another source, I can't remember which, claims the collars were actually pinned down. Another story, which I have not seen substantiated anywhere else but by Charles Tyrwhitt, claims that a certain Colonel Pinkerton-Portly suggested adding a button when polo players kept complaining of the same ailment. Some members of clothing forums claim they have never seen pictures of polo players from around that time with their collars buttoned or pinned. Maybe we'll never know for sure.

All I know is that right now, the brands to go to for that old-world button down are Brooks Brothers Black Fleece (ironic that they need a "fashionable" deviation to show them how to make a proper button down collar) and Mercer's. The latter is pretty highly thought of by the "trads" at Ask Andy About Clothes. I believe Land's End has one that is unlined and costs as much as lunch, with a slimmer fit also available. Let me know if there's any others I'm overlooking.

UPDATE: I did overlook something. Many Polo Ralph Lauren OCBDs have no lining either, but the collars can be a bit short. There's also the polo player logo embroidered on the chest -- where a pocket should be according to some purists. (However, keep in mind that even Brooks Brothers didn't sell theirs with a pocket without charging extra until a few decades ago. This is a well-documented fact from people like Bruce Boyer and others who've shopped there for longer than I've been alive.) I saw some recently in person and found the fabric decently heavy and with a soft feel already; they're probably garment washed. In any case, give them a look if you don't mind a pony galloping across your left pectoral.

Take care and have a good rest of the week.
-Jovan

Sorry for the delay

I know it's been a long time since my last post. I apologise for that. I can't really get pictures for the feature I wanted to do just yet, but it will happen eventually. Real life including school, two plays, and work sort of interferes with my playtime!

I've entered the Esquire Best Dressed Real Man contest. I don't really expect to win but I can try, can't I? Best of luck to everyone else who has entered and will enter before the deadline.

First double breasted suit.

What do you think? Ideally, I'd have a white shirt with that collar instead. This one's from a few years back and is a bit snug on my neck. I also had no idea how BRIGHT the pink was from the website photos. Ah well.

Alterations needed: Sleeves let out, waistband expanded (which is why it's pulling a bit), turn-ups/cuffs taken out. I know it's considered blasphemy by some to have plain bottoms with pleats, but I think any combination of plain/plain, plain/turn-up, pleat/plain, pleat/turn-up can look perfectly acceptable. The alterations may be a bit, but I paid a grand total of $5.36 anyway.

I love thrift stores.

I will probably be wearing it with braces, since there are buttons for it in the trouser waistband. My trendy young friends don't have to know -- it'll be buttoned most of the time. If you know them and are reading this blog, shhh!

Side update... After about a month of being a huge, flirtatious tease (backordered another week, and another, and ANOTHER) Brooks Brothers finally emailed to say they're sold out of the button down collar with french cuff shirt. Darn. I guess that money is better spent on a point collar shirt anyway. I think I have a few too many button downs.

Or food. It would be nice to eat better. -_-

Think loose armholes should be more comfortable? Think again! Next up I'll be showing the merits of snugger, better hooked armholes with comparison photos. If there's one secret you should know about jacket fit, it's this. Don't miss it.

Yet another loafers with suits debate...

... on a clothing forum. Yawn. Hasn't Mr. Grant taught us anything?


Just look at those sleek black loafers and try to tell me anyone (besides shoe enthusiasts) would balk at it.