The tuxedo as men’s style barometer
I don’t watch award shows like the Golden Globes to find out who won or hear the jokes. I watch for the tuxedos. Award shows are one of the few remaining chances to see men’s formal wear on display and I relish the opportunity. And not just for the tailoring (or lack thereof). I think the tuxedos men wear not only say a lot about the current state of men’s style, they express our changing feelings around masculinity.
Before I get to all that, as the basis of my argument, I should state clearly what makes a classic tuxedo: elegance and simplicity. In action, that means a tuxedo is not workwear; in other words it isn’t a business suit or a sport jacket. And so its features are necessarily different from the regular suit. As such, a tuxedo should have a peak lapel or shawl collar not a notch, which is used on most business suits. For the sake of simplicity and elegance a tuxedo should not have flaps on its pockets. There should be no vents in the back of the jacket because you are not supposed to be doing anything active (vents were invented for “sport” jackets to make horseback riding easier). A tuxedo is always worn with a bow tie, which has been long associated with formality. And a tuxedo should always include either a vest or a cummerbund (if the jacket is not double breasted).
Thankfully, I saw a lot of variations on the classic tuxedo at the 73rd Golden Globes, a lot more than I’ve seen in recent years. In one sense, I’m not surprised. More and more men are paying attention to their clothes and dressing well. There’s also far more knowledge and appreciation for the rules of dress than in the recent past. So perhaps the evening’s clothes indicate that we are returning to classic style. I certainly hope so because there are many, many forces working against classic menswear, especially the formal kind. Our society is very casual with the business suit now assuming the role of formal wear for many people. Thus the tuxedo could get pushed out of circulation, as was white tie by black tie itself. Plus, our views of masculinity are changing (more on that later) and so fashion is encroaching into the world of men’s style. And that means change for change’s sake. Fashion demands something new and different every season not in an effort to improve but because it sells. The tuxedo is the antithesis of fashion. It is spectacularly stagnant. Perfectly predictable. Elegantly immobile. If you think that classic black tie is boring, you are missing the point.
However, not all was perfect at the Golden Globes. The three concerns I had were neckwear, layering and fit, all of which speak to larger issues around menswear and masculinity.
Replacing the bow tie with a long neck tie is unfortunate mostly because you end up looking like you’re at a funeral. But I understand the reason: bow ties are seen as too fussy and since most men don’t wear ties of any kind even the neck tie is “fancy.” However, the problem with a long tie is similar, I think, to not wearing a tie at all: you are removing the specialness of the event. The clue to everyone that these award shows really matter is dress. If men eventually show up clothed as they would for any other occasion, will it feel special any more?
Traditionally, the cummerbund or vest served a very important sartorial purpose: to cover the otherwise unfortunate area around the waistband. Unfortunate because there are often unsightly bulges and folds. Now, not only are men not wearing cummerbunds or vests, their pants have such low rises they sit on the hips instead of the waist. These changes are all a result of trying to break from the past. High-waisted pants are seen as old-fashioned and have been replaced by the jean cut. Cummerbunds and vests suffered a near fatal blow in the 80s when designers experimented with tacky colours and patterns. So now that waistbands aren’t covered and pants sit so low, our eyes are drawn to the waist every time the jacket opens up, revealing that triangle of white shirt. Thus, two key purposes of the tuxedo are lost: to create a streamlined, elegant line down the body and to focus attention on the face.
And lastly, there were a number of tuxedos that fit poorly, usually much too small and tight. This is part of a trend that started some years ago as designers tried to distance themselves from the huge suits of the 90s. They were also playing on the current obsession with the young, chiselled frame. I was very happy to see, however, that this trend is on the wane because it is perhaps the greatest failing in attempting to “redesign” the tuxedo. If a tuxedo (or any suit, for that matter) is well-fitted, and that means fitted well to the individual, it will look neither boxy nor tight. Instead, attention will be drawn to the man in the tuxedo because he looks comfortable and confident, instead of pinched and shrink wrapped.
There was one moment during the Golden Globes when I forgot about all of this for a moment and simply thought, “Wow, Michael Keaton looks great.” Upon closer inspection I realized it was because his tuxedo was not only classic in styling, it fit well (although the jacket was a tad short). Sure, part of what got my attention was the double breasted look, which negates needing a cummerbund or vest, by the way. But mostly, he simply looked elegant and at ease.
Where does gender and masculinity come into all of this? In a desperate attempt to level the playing field, a number of men were asked “Who are you wearing?” While this may seem egalitarian, I’d like to see the conversation move in the opposite direction. Men’s style should not take cues from women’s fashion. Classic men’s style, as opposed to fashion, is about the individual. When a man is wearing a tuxedo, he should be wearing himself, not a brand.
But if I’m going to talk classic men’s style, the tuxedo and gender, I need to deal with the proverbial elephant. This elegance and simplicity I keep going on about dates from a time when men were not supposed to overshadow women. The tuxedo was supposed to play a supporting role to the woman on the man’s arm. People were supposed to pay attention to her and her dress, not the man. And that of course was rooted in the idea that flamboyance is feminine, whereas to be masculine is to be understated. But that’s not the world we live in any more. Men are ok with getting attention – especially movie stars. Not to mention what happens when two men show up together, as a couple? How can they both fall into the background? And so designers attempt to “reinvent” the tuxedo with new cuts, colours and accessories.
And they fail. The changes don’t last or achieve any level of elegance. I think it’s because when it comes to formality and special occasions in the West, we have still to find something as elegant as the tuxedo. And yet, like I’ve argued, it is a living relic of another time. We either need to make a fundamental shift to our thinking about formality or come up with a new style that is more in line with our gender beliefs.
Until then, I vote we strive for classic elegance.
2 Comments
London Mabel
January 14, 2016 at 2:05 am
Pedro Mendes
January 14, 2016 at 10:17 am
I thought the move (in the west) towards simplicity was started by Beau Brummel; and though he definitely believed a well dressed man shouldn’t be noticed, I don’t think it was about female companions was it? I actually think this influence has been really unfortunate. Though I think there can be pleasure taken in good tailoring/fabrics/workmanship, overall the scope of men’s clothing is ridiculously narrow, and men can’t wear more interesting or exciting colors and fabrics without being seen as feminine. And feminine = bad.
And now that influence is spreading to other cultures, in re business attire and such, where traditional clothing is often still bright and colorful and eye-catching.
(I also find the notion that a man’s dress should be plain so that the woman is noticed kind of turns her into an accessory.)
Yes, Mr. Brummel did indeed pioneer the move towards simplicity in dress, but the backlash against flamboyance was connected to a redefinition of masculinity. In the previous era, wigs, makeup and high heels on men were symbols of wealth and the aristocratic life – what men aspired to. With the industrial revolution, the wealthy wanted to appear more “down to earth” and so abandoned the finery (and were much inspired by country clothes). That’s when the idleness and flamboyance of the previous era became associated with femininity, an association that lasts until today.
The concept that a tuxedo’s simplicity allows the woman to shine is obviously connected to this same thinking.