Dinner suit style

[CAPP0]

At risk of significant ridicule and general Loungeness, I throw myself open to the mob.

I need a new dinner suit. There, I've said it.

Questions:

- what style of (single-breasted) jacket? Collar etc.
- what style of shirt. Plain or pleated front? Wing collar or standard?

I think that'll cover it.

[ATG]

shirt ... marcella, normal collar. Jacket ... shawl lapel. It's understated elegance, innit?

Having said that, I saw a bloke in a white dinner jacket made of a sort of crochet madness. Flared trousers, huge round tipped lapels, double breasted. Takes a degree of courage to carry it off.

[CAPP0]

Excellent, thanks.

[lauda]

I'm not one of those people who believes there are absolute rules for these kind of things, but I would go:

Single breasted jacket
Peaked lapels
Normal collar on the shirt, double cuffs
A proper bow tie (I found it a total pain to figure out how to tie it, but once you've nailed the technique, it's actually quite easy to make a decent fist of it)
Whatever shoes you wear, make sure they're a shiny as possible (I normally wear patent leather shoes)

And don't be that dick who unites their tie and wears it around their neck later on in the evening. You don't look like James Bond. You look like a dick trying desperately to look like James Bond.

[toxgobbler]

CAPP0 said:

At risk of significant ridicule and general Loungeness, I throw myself open to the mob.

I need a new dinner suit. There, I've said it.

Questions:

- what style of (single-breasted) jacket? Collar etc.
- what style of shirt. Plain or pleated front? Wing collar or standard?

I think that'll cover it.

To be used frequently? or once in a blue moon, posh or just the job?

off the peg:

http://www.moss.co.uk/moss-esquire-regular-fit-bla... Run of the mill.

http://www.hackett.com/men/shop-by-product/occasio... Something a bit nicer if you wish to see and be seen.

Made to measure:

http://www.gievesandhawkes.com/tailoring/formalwea...

HTH

[Fittster]

lauda said:

Whatever shoes you wear, make sure they're a shiny as possible (I normally wear patent leather shoes)

Don't do the proper men's court shoe with the bow.

[lauda]

Fittster said:

Don't do the proper men's court shoe with the bow.

Christ, no. Surely no sane person would!

[CAPP0]

toxgobbler said:

To be used frequently? or once in a blue moon, posh or just the job?

off the peg:

http://www.moss.co.uk/moss-esquire-regular-fit-bla... Run of the mill.

http://www.hackett.com/men/shop-by-product/occasio... Something a bit nicer if you wish to see and be seen.

Made to measure:

http://www.gievesandhawkes.com/tailoring/formalwea...

HTH

Probably 2-3 times a year, that's all. Saying that, I have owned one previously, but haven't worn it for years, but things change.

Thanks for the links, I'll take a look.

[DavidJG]

Single breasted, single button jacket only. Two / three button jackets don't work for a dinner suit, always look wrong.

Marcella shirt with Piccadilly collar (wings) unless you're using a clip on tie.

As for the suit, Gieves and Hawkes are unbeatable in terms of mainstream tailors.

[maxdb]

Matalan sell some cheaper suits. I'd go for a plain shirt.

[DavidJG]

Single breasted, single button jacket only. Two / three button jackets don't work for a dinner suit, always look wrong.

Marcella shirt with Piccadilly collar (wings) unless you're using a clip on tie.

As for the suit, Gieves and Hawkes are unbeatable in terms of mainstream tailors.

[rehab71]

ATG said:

shirt ... marcella, normal collar. Jacket ... shawl lapel. It's understated elegance, innit?

Having said that, I saw a bloke in a white dinner jacket made of a sort of crochet madness. Flared trousers, huge round tipped lapels, double breasted. Takes a degree of courage to carry it off.

Was it Mat aka Chemical Chaos?

[Zingari]

Vintage all the way. It's just not the done thing turning up in a new dinner suit. Get it wrong and you look like a waiter.

[HOGEPH]

Wing collar is for white tie, according to my valet...

[Impasse]

HOGEPH said:

Wing collar is for white tie, according to my valet...

And Americans. Although they tend to combine it with a tuxedo.


Heathens.

[MrBarry123]

Please, please, please, please, please, please, please buy a shirt with a normal collar OP, as has already been sensibly suggested.

Anything else looks ridiculous and never looks good.

[Vocal Minority]

Never a cummerbund.

[CAPP0]

MrBarry123 said:

Please, please, please, please, please, please, please buy a shirt with a normal collar OP, as has already been sensibly suggested.

Anything else looks ridiculous and never looks good.

Received

[Davey S2]

Think Daniel Craig in Casino Royale

[MrBarry123]

Davey S2 said:

Think Daniel Craig in Casino Royale

Oh yes, a perfect example of how it's done.