Just received this Bonobos catalogue and... I can't get on board with this at all. Sneakers? T-shirt? Jeans? Open collar? All fine things when one is not wearing a dinner jacket. Pairing clothing items far above that in formality only diminishes their presence and looks out of place. As I recall, this sort of trend first surfaced in the 1980s (trying to find the source, update when I do), with the youth injecting formalwear elements like wing collar shirts into outfits they had no place in -- such as jeans and sneakers. It didn't really stay, obviously.
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| Something as good looking as a tuxedo should be reserved for just a few occasions. That's the entire point. |
While I admire Bonobos' stated mission to provide better fitting and comfortable trousers without looking frumpy, they should leave formalwear advice to the experts and stop trying to appeal to fashion magazine sensibilities. They're probably just trying to get people to buy it by
claiming it can be worn for non-special occasions. On the plus side, their dinner jackets seem to work decently okay for women (and by extension trans men), although the sizes are limited to a mere 36S-46L.
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| Does Bonobos have a future in unisex, masculine style formalwear? |
Do you have any other ideas for women's tuxedos? My bust is more like 32", the 36S would be way too big.
ReplyDeleteFor what it's worth, I get the feeling it was taken in using the classic binder clip trick. I've attempted fitting petite women like her in a men's 36 and they swam in it!
DeleteI don't claim to be an expert on womenswear, but...
Dessy Group (same company as After Six) has sold one for a few years, it's quite feminine in the jacket shape. Don't know why it's listed under men's: https://dessy.com/mens/tuxedos
This came up in a search, but I don't care for the high button stance or two buttons and belt loops: https://www.littleblacktux.com
Also came up, I like that they added bust darts to the waistcoats though they button too high to be traditional: https://www.hertuxedo.com
If you're willing to spend a bit and don't mind a more masculine look, I've been told that Black Lapel does made-to-measure for women: https://blacklapel.com
A good tailor/seamstress will be your best friend whichever option you choose, and Black Lapel will credit up to $75 back to you for alterations if going that route. I hope this helps!
Ahh, the standard "klass klown" cliché of sneakers with a tux. And young indie rebels will defiantly show their individuality by aping something in a magazine. Oh, well, we did it in the mid-60s, and my Dad said it wasn't exactly cutting edge when he was in high school...class of 1929.
ReplyDeleteNCJack
Wow. Goes back even farther than I thought. I guess every generation has tried to make the dinner jacket "cool" that way... and failed, because it already is.
DeleteDad said it was black & white spectators rather than sneakers, same idea.
DeleteNCJack
A little better by being a dress shoe, but still not good. That's still as bad as Prince William wearing black brogues with his dinner jacket. He should have known better, he's a royal for Christ's sake!
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