As the Oscars season is here, there will be a whole lot more
male black tie action on the red carpets. While super-classic, peak lapel,
black dinner suits aren’t going anywhere, there are always a few trends that
creep into the most traditional dress code a man gets the change to wear. This
season, it is being predicted that it will be white tux jackets.
Not to be confused with ‘white tie’ – a totally separate,
uber-formal dress code that usually involves a tail coat and some sort of event
with the Queen – a white tux jacket is an easy way to give an evening wear a
crisp update. Originally used in the military (as a white mess jacket), this
lighter color of tux jacket was originally intended for black tie events in the
summer (or year-round in more temperate areas of the world). Perhaps the most
famous adopter is James Bond – seen on Sean Connery in Goldfinger, Sean Conner
in A View To A Kill and, most recently, Daniel Craig in Spectre.
If you want a master class in how to wear a white tux jacket
then the key takeaway is that if you’re trying something new with the black tie,
you should change one element and keep the rest as classic as possible; stick
to the traditional black grosgrain trousers, patent lace-ups (with black socks)
and a stud shirt – and for God’s sake make sure you wear a self-tied bow tie,
not a long necktie. With the white jacket, one can totally give a new look to
the mens
tuxedo suits that will surely attract.