In the Michigan Ave store, they had two on display, same exact set-up pique waistcoat proper length with pique dress shirt. One was wing collar one was laydown, that was the only difference.
Yikes though. $1600? I really wanted one. I guess I'll have to keep looking, etuxedo.com has the Hickey Freeman for less.
In the Michigan Ave store, they had two on display, same exact set-up pique waistcoat proper length with pique dress shirt. One was wing collar one was laydown, that was the only difference.
Yikes though. $1600? I really wanted one. I guess I'll have to keep looking, etuxedo.com has the Hickey Freeman for less.
I'm not a fan of silk buttons on a tail coat. Brass buttons are much more aesthetically pleasing to me. Of course, you can always change the buttons whenever you want. Additionally, in this day and age, I really don't think it is a wise investment to own a tail coat. If you ever do need to wear one in your lifetime, you can just rent one from your local tux shop. I had to learn this the hard way. If you are going to invest in formal wear, I strongly suggest buying your own tuxedo. If you already have one, then focus on buying another, different looking tuxedo jacket.
I'm not a fan of silk buttons on a tail coat. Brass buttons are much more aesthetically pleasing to me. Of course, you can always change the buttons whenever you want.
Dress coats have not taken guilt brass buttons since Beau Brummell's day. An attempt to revive it was made in the late 19th century but without success - except as servant's livery.
In the early 19th century it was considered correct for the waistcoat to show 1/2" below the coat. But at that time the dress coat could still be buttoned up. Since about the Edwardian period the correct thing has been to have the waistcoat 1/2" shorter than the cut away fronts of the dress coat.
Nb in case any one asks why I say "dress coat" instead of "tail coat" it is because there are a few different types of tail coats. Tail coat = genus, dress coat = species.
Re. the buttons of the tail coat in question: they look plastic to me
Aaron in Allentown: that's weird, in the recent thread you started about formal vests, you said you only need to wear "white-tie" about four times a year.
Are plastic buttons even acceptable? I'm well aware that most, if not all, formal-wear these days has the satin buttons, but has that been the standard, or are these plastic buttons somehow more traditional?
Re. the buttons of the tail coat in question: they look plastic to me
Aaron in Allentown: that's weird, in the recent thread you started about formal vests, you said you only need to wear "white-tie" about four times a year.
The explanation is that, in Pennsylvania, Masonic Dress consists of a black bowtie, a shirt with a laydown collar, a black vest, a tailcoat and black trousers.
Basically, it's a white tie rig, but with a black bowtie, a black vest and a shirt with a laydown collar.
I wear that to Masonic meetings three or four times a month.
I end up wearing regular black tie (i.e., a tuxedo) another two or three times a month.
I am an officer in a Scottish Rite body, and we wear white tie to that.
So, I wear tails a lot more often than I wear white tie.
Are plastic buttons even acceptable? I'm well aware that most, if not all, formal-wear these days has the satin buttons, but has that been the standard, or are these plastic buttons somehow more traditional?
On all of the old coats I own, the covered buttons have worn away or are missing. I often find someone has replaced them with odd (usually mismatching) buttons. I have never yet seen a dress coat or frock coat with anything other than fancy covered buttons. Often the patterns on the buttons are very elaborate.
Dress coats have not taken guilt brass buttons since Beau Brummell's day. An attempt to revive it was made in the late 19th century but without success - except as servant's livery.
In the early 19th century it was considered correct for the waistcoat to show 1/2" below the coat. But at that time the dress coat could still be buttoned up. Since about the Edwardian period the correct thing has been to have the waistcoat 1/2" shorter than the cut away fronts of the dress coat.
Nb in case any one asks why I say "dress coat" instead of "tail coat" it is because there are a few different types of tail coats. Tail coat = genus, dress coat = species.
On all of the old coats I own, the covered buttons have worn away or are missing. I often find someone has replaced them with odd (usually mismatching) buttons. I have never yet seen a dress coat or frock coat with anything other than fancy covered buttons. Often the patterns on the buttons are very elaborate.
I'm pretty sure that my 1937 Sandon & Co dress coat had horn buttons (alas I no longer have it to check) and my current dress coat (1950s, Edinburgh tailor) certainly does. When I was handling vintage tailcoats, etc., fairly regularly I found covered buttons to be the exception.
On all of the old coats I own, the covered buttons have worn away or are missing. I often find someone has replaced them with odd (usually mismatching) buttons. I have never yet seen a dress coat or frock coat with anything other than fancy covered buttons. Often the patterns on the buttons are very elaborate.
My evening tails, circa 1930 by Watson Pickard, Liverpool and Manchester, have horn buttons.
Adagio
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