White tie is practically dead. myabe a white tie version of the tuxedo is where we are going.
As an aside, Mr. Corvato is the only man with a good tails pattern in NYC. Apparently all the tailors borrow it from him. It will amuse Trad nation to know that it's the BB pattern as conceived by him and other knowing tailors when he was involved in the Brooks MTM and Custom department during the company's golden years of the 60s through the 80s.
In Japan, daytime formal is always worn for official events with the Imperial family. Occasionally, you will see pictures of these events in the newspaper. I've seen several memorable examples. Shame on me for not scanning them.
As an aside, I have never seen a picture of Koizumi that he was not impeccably dressed. The man really knows how to wear it, no matter how he's dressed. If only more of his countrymen folowed his example.
FNB, that is quite an interesting fact.
I have a connection to the bespoke tailor to the brother of the crown prince (the one whose wife just gave birth to the first male heir to the throne in over 40 years). I have not moved on it yet, but it might be worth commissioning a few special suits when I have the budget.
We need a report on Ginza Tailor.
Or this place in Kobe: http://www.oshitate.com/home.htm
Have you seen the article in Men's Vogue (http://www.mensvogue.com/clothing/threads/articles/2006/10/16/ginza_tailor) about the tailors to the yakuza? They seemed skilled at fashioning hidden pockets for cigarettes, lighters, and bribe money, but the suits look incredibly boxy.
Ginza is about twenty minutes from my apartment. I'm there every weekend.
Alter over on SF lives in Kobe. He might be game for a visit to that tailor. I love the pic of the old coat hanger with the old style writing that was read from right to left.
Last edited by Patrick Bateman (2006-12-11 17:37:51)
That is really cool, thanks for the info!
In addition to flamboyant idle rich - I wonder if Suzuki has some underworld clients as well...
Article from today's NY Sun on black tie:
http://www.nysun.com/article/45691
I didn't know about the "Missing Link" in Chelsea. Also the author claims that vests "should" be made from the same material as the suit. He commands one to eschew the cummerbund and cautions against Brooks' attempt to sell you one if you buy their DJ and trouser. I didn't have that exprience when I went to Brooks for mine.
Last edited by Horace (2006-12-28 23:31:42)
I know this is my personal hobby horse, but if you receive a social invitation that says: Formal attire: It means a dark suit. This is what it means. I swear. i am an old man now but this is what it meant in the 1960s. Black tie said black tie, white tie said white tie. Formal meant a dark suit. I know books have said something else, but I swear, I swear this is true. please, please stop doing this. I will shoot myself, actually I have already shot myself. These are my dying words: Formal on a social invitation means just a dark suit.
I think there's confusion in terminology between evening dress and formal dress. It seems they are frequently used interchangeably.
I agree that there is confusion. To quote Steve McQueen at the end of the movie: The Sand Pebbles: "What happened? What the Hell Happened?"
Has anyone ever received an invitation that read: 'business suit'?
I just bought these formal shoes from Brooks on sale:
http://www.brooksbrothers.com/IWCatProductPage.process?Merchant_Id=1&Section_Id=494&Product_Id=997344&Parent_Id=305
a slightly squarer toe than I'm used to, but can't beat the price if you're satisfied with them. Also a squarer (is that a word?) bow than I normally would care for.
Last edited by Horace (2007-05-19 21:39:35)
That looks like a nice pair of pumps; most pumps actually, I've found to have too round a toe.
As for Japanese formalwear, I've always found the women's rather Victorian-like gowns interesting. They're particularly incongruous even in Japan where (some) people wear kimonos on a daily basis.
I wonder if these things can be stretched reasonably. They're slightly too narrow across the front of the foot, on top. I suppose I could order something from an American maker, like an AE Ritz, but they're far less elegant. These happen to be Churchs.
At the same time, to stretch a shoe like this might be to throw it out of line. I have this horrible pet peeve, bordering on the repulsive, of seeing women who wear those horribly skinny boots with the somewhat "squared yet pointed" toe. Anyway, very few can pull it off. Normally, the boot will appear to be stretched beyond anything tasteful.