What good is a beautiful tuxedo without equally elegant outerwear?
Last night, heading to the Valentine’s Day Massacre Party at Michael Andrews.
Dan: midnight navy/black double-breasted peak lapel cashmere overcoat, by MAB
Towni: midnight navy double-breasted 3/4 length midnight navy officer’s coat, by Rag & Bone
Wes: black single-breasted wool notch lapel chesterfield, vintage
-TSBmen
4 Comments Add a comment
Slippers as outdoorwear is “fashion forward” (AKA borderline) at the best of times, but with black-tie?! Looks like he’s suffering from dementia and forgot to put his shoes on.
Actually, Prince Albert slippers were traditionally worn with black tie, so the only real “rule-breaking” move here is their pattern and colour which could be considered black-tie creative.
He looks like he doesn’t wear socks though, which is a bit odd since it’s cold enough for a coat!
Velvet Slippers were traditionally only really acceptable if it was *your* party in *your* house. This has changed in the last few years, mostly because of Tom Ford – but, I would still consider it to be a rule-break. Opera pumps are always acceptable, but are also essentially indoor-only items.
When it comes to Black Tie, you are kind of allowed to make ONE obvious deviation without officially moving into ‘Creative Black Tie’ territory (this means no silly matching bow-tie & cummerbund sets, please). But I would suggest that velvet slippers and, for example, a red bow-tie puts you in the creative zone.
That doesn’t include really minor details – thesedays nobody really expects sock-suspenders or even necessarily over-the-calf – but no socks is definitely a deviation too far for semi-formal.
Cummberbunds only became acceptable at all black tie events during the 1950s – before then, a waistcoat was considered essential.
I think im more interested in Towni’s shoes