Formal Dress Forum

[Mr Comedy]

More of a business dress one this one - is pinstripe an ambomination or not?

[hr]

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

[exnihilo]

Not. End of.

[Eliot Wilson]

Even if I knew what an 'ambomination' was. Behave yourself, Mr Comedy. Pinstripe is what made this country great.

[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."

[Mr Comedy]

Hmm. I think that it makes you look like a used car salesman.

[hr]

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

[exnihilo]

It depends on the suit - if it's a good fabric the UCS look can be avoided.

[Tweedle-Dum]

I always though of the UCS as having some kind of moleskin red jacket going on, and preferably italian (the gentleman, not the suit).

[hr]

Tetragrammaton is a four letter word.

[exnihilo]

I tend to associate that with GSHs rather than UCSs, they're more the shiny, Italian, pinstriped, double breasted horrors.

[theyahyahyahs]

With my thoughts now turning to graduation, is it permissible to wear White Tie for the ceremony and after?

[exnihilo]

Define white tie...

It's acceptable wear academic dress, indeed it's obligatory, but that's not the same thing as white tie.

[Lid]

White Tie would be acceptable for the grad ball, perhaps, Dr Joss?

Despite it's removal from the academic dress code, I'll still wear morning wear with my white bow tie for graduation, should my studies be allowed to continue for just over a year more.

[hr]

We are not drunks, we are multi-millionaires

[RJ Covino]

Quoting Lid from 08:15, 23rd Feb 2007
Despite it's removal from the academic dress code, I'll still wear morning wear with my white bow tie for graduation

I know that Eliot's fond of this, but I've long felt that the gown acts as a mitigating factor in these matters. The Younger Hall being what it is, you're far better with a decent dark suit of a light material than going for overly stuffy formality which'll result in you sweating profusely. The example of Dickon Prior on his graduation day should serve as a caution in this regard. So very sweaty...

If you're going to go over the top, by all means do; but I say you're much better off tracking down a hood stabilizer as that, at least, would have a marked benefit in that you won't come off looking disheveled in your photos.

[exnihilo]

I've worn morning dress with a gown and I'm not impressed with the result, as Dr Covino points out it's overly warm, and I think quite untidy looking, and excessive. A dark suit is better.

As for the ball, by all means wear white tie to that.

[Kizzy]

What's a hood stabilizer? Obviously something to stabilize a hood, but how?

[RJ Covino]

Quoting Kizzy from 13:50, 23rd Feb 2007
What's a hood stabilizer? Obviously something to stabilize a hood, but how?

It is something to attach your hood to in order to save you having to fix it to a button on your shirt, causing it to ride up etc. The boffins reported that Prince William wore one, and his photos all came out rather nice, barring the strange appearance of Santa in most of the shots and Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz's footwear (not connected, natch, as the ruby slippers were on the Principal's wife).

[Imago]

It is something to attach your hood to in order to save you having to fix it to a button on your shirt

aka a brassiere and a safety pin - although one concedes that PW's arrangments may have differed slightly...

I sewed a little thread loop in the middle of the front band of my hood in order for this to be effected with the maximum discretion, but suppose this might be less appropriate if one is hiring.

[Dickie]

If I ever get round to graduating, I wonder if the University will go the same way as the UDS where formal ='s no jeans.

[hr]

http://facebook.com/p.php?id=37106107&l=217e435e0a

[JCH]

Quoting Kizzy from 13:50, 23rd Feb 2007
What's a hood stabilizer? Obviously something to stabilize a hood, but how?

They are a small wire formed into a special loop shape (which is difficult to describe) that is sewn into the end of the neckband. The protruding end fits over the button. These were really only intended for those wearing hoods over a cassock (and surplice.)

Almond's of Cambridge made them until the early 1950's but they've now vanished from use - in my mind they're more trouble than they're worth, they offer no stability at all and encourage the neckband to be drawn and fixed halfway down the chest, rather that at the neck.

[JCH]

Quoting Kizzy from 13:50, 23rd Feb 2007
What's a hood stabilizer? Obviously something to stabilize a hood, but how?

A. G. Almond of Cambridge used to make hood suspenders in the 1950's were small specially-shaped loops of metal that were stitched to the reverse of the neckband and fastened to the topmost button (of a cassock, typically.)

They've virtually extinct now and I've always thought them to be more trouble than they're worth: they offer hardly any stability and encourage the wearer to draw and fix the neckband halfway down the chest which makes the hood slip all too easily.

[Mr Comedy]

Quoting Dickie from 14:44, 25th Feb 2007
If I ever get round to graduating, I wonder if the University will go the same way as the UDS where formal ='s no jeans.

If you ever get round to graduating, I may die of surprise. It's like Kenny McDonald graduating - these things just don't happen to the best of my knowledge.
Anyone who thinks that jeans are formal ought to be shot.

[hr]

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

[Imago]

A. G. Almond of Cambridge used to make hood suspenders in the 1950's were small specially-shaped loops of metal that were stitched to the reverse of the neckband and fastened to the topmost button.

I've always thought them to be more trouble than they're worth: they encourage the wearer to draw and fix the neckband halfway down the chest which makes the hood slip all too easily.

Some other university hoods do lead one to the conjecture that ours, being the oldest, was perhaps the least well designed. Said little loop, whether of metal or home-made stitchery, does tend to encourage the hood to slip off first one shoulder and then the other – but the alternative is to allow it to ride up and choke you and still have it merrily adjusting itself to a jaunty and asymmetrical angle. A middle point to the neckband, as developed by Other Institutions, might seem to be the answer.