Tis’ the season for Tuxedos.
Invitations to awards ceremonies, fundraisers, banquets and Gatsbyesque style festive bashes often come with that most wonderful of dress codes, “Black Tie.”
Without a doubt, the dinner suit is my favourite outfit. It’s a creature of the night – dark, elegant, understated, effortlessly chic.
Within every man there is a dormant ‘Bond’ gene, sleeping amongst more sensible chromosomes, itching for adrenalin fuelled, nocturnal misbehaviour.
Put a man in a tux and that 007 gene wakes up, making him feel sexier, wealthier, possibly even dangerous.
When it comes to style, I love to challenge the rules on lounge suits and am not afraid of creating something that will turn heads.
With formal wear, I’m more of a traditionalist.
Here’s something we recently made for Tim.
Single breasted, one button, pure silk shawl lapels, straight silk jetted pockets and a horse-shoe vest, it’s an absolute classic.
A peak lapel can work just a well and you can have any colour you want, so long as it’s black, or, midnight blue, although I did see a deep purple mohair cloth that could look awesome!
I’m opinionated at the best of times so fair warning – come here asking for two buttons, notch lapels, pocket flaps, or a centre vent, and you’ll be frog marched off the premises! 🙂
Whilst most of our dinner suits are made up in wool, or wool/mohair blends (which have a wonderful sheen or ‘lustre’ to them) I have a serious soft spot for velvet.
Introducing my customer Mr Paul Dunphy, BBC Radio Leeds frontman, actor, DJ and self-confessed Bond geek.
He’s been scratching the velvet itch for some time and finally we’ve got it sorted.
Check out that glorious Scabal midnight blue cotton velvet – it has incredible depth and just screams of opulence and indulgence.
As a contrast, we’ve used a quilted black velvet for the shawl lapel and “Bond” style gauntlet cuffs (featured on the picture below) which on a technical level are not easy to pull off.
During the fittings it was only right to discuss the latest o07 extravaganza “Spectre.”
As far as Paul was concerned, it wasn’t Daniel’s finest moment, and this opinion has been echoed by some of my other customers.
Well I bloody loved it. Every G box was ticked – girls, guns, glamour, gadgets, garments – and already it’s brought a chap to my door wanting the “black herringbone suit in the funeral scene.”
As far as Mr Craig’s wardrobe went, I honestly felt some of the suits were far too tight.
Most of my customers want their suits to be fitted within an inch of their life, which is fine (particularly if they are in good shape), but go too far and it’s pulling and creasing like you’ve tried to squeeze into your old school uniform.
The highlight for me was the Double Breasted Overcoat made by Tom Ford, pictured below – gorgeous!
Less impressive, and back to tuxedo’s, was the ivory silk tux.
Horror of horrors, it had two buttons on the front and a centre vent.
It’s saving grace was the slim fit and roped shoulders, otherwise, it was in serious danger of having a whiff of the cheap hire suit about it.
I’ve always loved an ivory silk tuxedo. One of my top twenty films is Casablanca and you will find no better example than Rick’s double-breasted masterpiece.
It is possibly one of the reasons why I’ve ended up a tailor and certainly why I wore one to my college Summer Ball.
Regarded as a more informal alternative than Black Tie, it should technically only be warn on cruises, or, in the tropics.
Roehampton, London, can hardly be classed as either, and whilst many a rake might have branded me a wine waiter, “rules are made to be broken.”
There is one rule, however, that is cast in stone and that is, a Michelsberg customer is never knowingly underdressed.
So here’s looking forward to seeing you in all your finery at The Michelsberg Tailoring Customer Party on Thursday 3rd December from 6pm!