Formal Dress Forum

[Guest]

Quoting Anon. from 17:08, 18th Jun 2006
[What do you mean by "sloping lapels"? Don't all lapels slope?

Indeed they do. But some have a steeper slope than others, and it was to these that I was alluding; clumsily, admittedly.

If a morning coat is thought of as a cut-away coat (I think they are called cutaways on the continent?), then some appear to be three button cut away and others two.

A standard waistcoat parallels the cut of the former and not the latter.

Oh, and the lack of evening waistcoat off-the-peg is a lamentable state of affairs.

[J.C.H.]

Quoting Anon. from 17:30, 21st Jun 2006
I think I get you - you're referring to where the two sides of the jacket meet in the middle - around mid-sternum or lower-ribs?

It's called the 'gorge'.

[exnihilo]

Quoting Jason Dunn from 22:44, 21st Jun 2006Finally, and then I really will shut up and stop twaddling on, this picture illustrates, in my opinion, the very neatest three-peice cut.
http://www.mysuitshop.com/images/shop/10871.jpg

You jest, surely? Neatest if you're Peewee Herman, perhaps.

[Bryn]

Well I found what I was looking for in Picadilly arcade... a shop called Favourbrook. It's very nice, but it was very expensive.

[Anon.]

Quoting Jason Dunn from 22:44, 21st Jun 2006
The picture below shows a fairly low-cut waistcoat which closely matches the cut of the coat:
http://blacktiephilly.com/greycutaway.shtml

That looks terrible. Far too low. Can you imagine wearing a waistcoat like that with an ordinary long tie?

[Tweedle-Dum]

I'm looking for a nice smart/casual Jacket for wearing mostly in the summer, and will be in Glasgow tomorrow. Where's the best place to look?

Also, I don't want to spend more than £100, preferably less.

[hr]

Tetragrammaton is a four letter word.

[Mr Comedy]

Quick one chaps.

I have a rather spiffy new pair of shoes, although the bottom of them seems to be vanishing rather quickly. Some wag has suggested that I get my new shoes resoled - how would one go about this?
What are the advantages?
Does this ruin how the shoes look?

Your thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

[hr]

"I am in no way interested in immortality, but only in the taste of tea. " -Lu Tung

[Madge]

If you are goingto dicsuss formal dresses then PLEASE discuss this site.

http://www.ohcouture.co.uk

[Lid]

Briefly, with shoes: Although I've never had any shoes resoled myself, my father has, and a good cobbler can do wonders. There's quite a few cobblers around my town, I suppose only word of mouth can pass on a reputation though.

The shoes that have been re-soled came back looking just as ever they did before, thus the advantage is it saves buying a new pair of shoes, being far cheaper.

I should get my formal shoes re-soled at some point, I fear a nasty fall onto the rocks is in order during a winter pier walk if I don't get my cobbler to put something a bit more grippy than just leather on the sole!

With regards the site... ermm. Fantastic. Only 11 months to go until it launches, I guess? Also do note that formal dress hints at the dresswear of both sexes. Although, dresses are rarely discussed, oweing to the fact that most posters here are male, we wouldn't want to come across pervy now, would we! Maybe if we are going to discuss formal dresses, suggest a topic for us to discuss. Maybe the ladies that must read this will come out of the woodwork.


Edited to correct appauling [sic?] grammar
[hr]

We are not drunks, we are multi-millionaires

[exnihilo]

There was a brief foray into female dress some thousands of posts back and, as I recall, it was the female posters who asked to move it back onto male dress.

[exnihilo]

I wonder if it would be wholly out of place to extend this formal dress discussion to what might broadly be termed gentleman's accessories?

I should like to know people's position on cigarette cases, specifically ones with built in lighters (of an antique nature). Thoughts?

[Mr Comedy]

I've always been of the opinion that a nice silver one with a built in lighter can look rather stylish, although there is a tendency for such devices to make you look like a twat with an outsized lighter.
My personal preference would be for a slimline cigarette case, and a matching lighter, preferably in leather with gold trim. That'd be nice. Not that I smoke of course, but such accoutrements might make the whole thing worthwhile.

[hr]

"I am in no way interested in immortality, but only in the taste of tea. " -Lu Tung

[exnihilo]

That is almost entirely my thinking. Of course, when I do smoke, I smoke old fashioned, filterless cigarettes, so I want an old case that's the right size for Senior Service and their ilk. I think the lighter and case combo would be better, but does lead to thieving gypos making off with one's lighter (which seems to keep happening).

[Jason Dunn]

Quoting exnihilo from 23:58, 4th Jul 2006
That is almost entirely my thinking. Of course, when I do smoke, I smoke old fashioned, filterless cigarettes, so I want an old case that's the right size for Senior Service and their ilk. I think the lighter and case combo would be better, but does lead to thieving gypos making off with one's lighter (which seems to keep happening).

Have you considered a Vesta case full of matches? I believe such is the proper attachement to the double-Albert watch chain. Indeed any type of sturdy chain should make "theiving gypos" reconsider their intention to pilfer from you.

[exnihilo]

I have both a vesta case and a gambler's pencil adorning the end of my watch chains, the end without the watch, that is.

[Al]

It's not just the "thieving gypos" you have to watch. The new Earl of Lonsdale has been known to pilfer the odd lighter in his time.

[exnihilo]

I was using the term in its broadest sense, if the Earl nicked my lighter I should consider him to be a thieving gypo as well. Interestingly, though, the biggest culprit over the years was Nick Bibby, but he never seems to have a lighter either, so someone must then steal them from him. I begin to wonder if there's some sort of national lighter shortage...

[Anon.]

Should lighter-stealers be renamed "thieving Zippos"?

[exnihilo]

It was only a matter of time, I suppose.

[Eliot Wilson]

Quoting exnihilo from 10:32, 6th Jul 2006
I was using the term in its broadest sense, if the Earl nicked my lighter I should consider him to be a thieving gypo as well. Interestingly, though, the biggest culprit over the years was Nick Bibby, but he never seems to have a lighter either, so someone must then steal them from him. I begin to wonder if there's some sort of national lighter shortage...

It's entirely possible that Mr Bibby was peddling them to person or persons unknown for Guinness money.

[hr]

Bill and Ted beat the Grim Reaper at Twister

Bill: "You played very well, Death, especially with your totally heavy Death robes."

Death: "Don't patronise me."