Author Archives: Richard

Steve McQueen

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McQueen’s legendary suit worn as Thomas Crown

McQueen’s legendary suit worn in the 1960’s film The Thomas Crown Affair is a medium grey three-piece suit with a muted glen plaid check pattern. The grey suit has hints of blue. Saville Row’s Douglas Hayward created the suit with classic British tailoring. Hayward  was the “tailor to the stars” during this era that also lent his hand to a few Roger Moore suits during his Bond era,

The jacket is single-breasted two-button front with notch lapel. Long side vents and fishtail-styled cuff with one large button on the sleeve and with roped sleeve-heads and a well-suppressed waist to present a strong silhouette.

There is a straight flapped side pocket and a dove grey silk handkerchief rakishly puffed in his breast pocket, known as an “Astaire”.

The waistcoat is a five-button single breasted and has a straight bottom. The trousers have side adjuster tabs, plain front and plain bottom.

Film: The Thomas Crown Affair
Release Date: June 19, 1968
Director: Norman Jewison
Tailor: Douglas Hayward

January 1948

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MAKING NEWS AT MIDNIGHT

At first glance you Il hardly think this pleasant scene pictures formal wear news of major importance. Other than the fact that good grooming abounds here, all seems quite normal. But if were to query the dinner jacketed fellow, he'd tell you he has never been quite so comfortable in his evening wear as he is just at present. The reason?

His midnight blue peaked-lapel jacket, with grograin lapel facings, is made of tropical worsted. This is as sensible an in novation in what-to-wear as ever we did See. for here's the obvious anser to those ever-present tropical temperatures you invariably find in the night spots. Naturally’ a heavy overcoat is necessary while making the rounds from pub to pub. It-s another step in emancipating the male.

Drawing by Kart A

Style detail

  • Double breasted peak lapel jacket
  • Button one show four
  • Grosgrain lapel facing
  • Satin taped trouser
Tuxedo 1948

January 1935

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THE FAIR HAIRED BOY OF THE BEACH WALK

January 1935. This is the semi-formal evening outfit that will be worn by the best-dressed men at Palm Beach this winter. It consists of a white shawl dinner jacket with dress trousers of black or midnight blue tropical worsted. The jacket is of light-weight washable material in the single-breasted model that finally won out over the double-breasted type in the preferences of Newport and Southampton men by the end of last summer. The soft shirt is of white silk with collar attached, worn with a black rep dress tie in the popular semi-butterfly shape. The hose are sheer black silk with a deep maroon clock, and the pumps are patent leather. The maroon silk foulard handkerchief in the breast pocket here replaces the omnipresent dark red carnation. A tan camel's hair topcoat and a sennit straw hat complement this outfit on cool evenings. A wine silk cummerbund is recommended here.

Style detail

  • semi-formal evening outfit
  • white shawl dinner jacket with dress
  • trousers of black or midnight blue tropical worsted.
  • jacket single breasted button one
  • white silk with collar attached
  • black rep dress tie
  • Trousers with silk tape
January 1935

Scene: The Palm Beach 1936

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1936 , February

SCENE: THE PALM BEACH CASINO AT CANNES

February 1936. This on-the-spot sketch of Riviera resort fashions, quite aside from its obvious decorative ping, has its uses as a check-up on prevailing plage fashions, because our southern resort fashions follow those of the Riviera almost as closely and as constantly as lunch follows breakfast. The figure in the left foreground is typical of the resort dress of fashionably informed Englishmen and Frenchmen. From pork pie hat to crocodile shoes, with grey and white flannel between. Note that the double-breasted jacket has only four buttons instead of the usual six, also that it carries welt pockets and side vents. The muffler is blue silk foulard with white spots, usually worn over a light-weight polo shirt. The background figure shows the Cannes-engendered white linen beach shirt with navy blue pirate's stripes, which opens all the way down the front, worn with blue linen beach slacks and canvas espadrilles.

Style details

  • pork pie hat
  • crocodile shoes
  • grey and white flannel trousers
  • four button double breasted jacket (usual six)
  • welt pockets and side vents.
  • the muffler is blue silk foulard with white spots,
  • light-weight polo shirt.
1936 palm Beach

Paul Newman in Venice, 1963 – in color.

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Could have easily mistaken this for a dolce and gabbana ad today.

Paul Newman in Venice during a trip on a water taxi with St Mark Square in the background Wearing a tuxedo.

Promoting 1963's "Hud" at the Venice Film Festival, the actor exhibited an effortless masculinity that had Italians swooning.

 

The 24th annual Venice International Film Festival was held from 24 August to 7 September 1963

 

 

Style Detail

The three-buttoning waistcoat with silk lapel. (notice the shape of the lapel)

Jacket has silk peak-lapel button one

Black Tie Jacket

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The most formal model of dinner jacket is the single-breasted model. The typical black tie jacket is single-breasted with one button only, with jetted (besom) pockets and is of black or midnight blue; made usually of wool–mohair or a wool, also silk, are seen. Traditional for the dinner jacket are wool barathea or superfine Super150s.

“Double breasted models are less common”

Dinner jackets were commonly ventless before the First World War, but today come ventless, with side vents, or with centre vents. The ventless style is considered more formal. The lapels (traditionally pointed and shawl) are usually faced with silk or grosgrain or a satin weave. A notched lapel is not always considered to be appropriate for a dinner jacket. The peaked lapel and shawl collar are more authentic and correct.

The buttons should be covered in similarly coloured material to the main part of the jacket, which would ideally be either self-faced or covered with the same material as the lapels. Higher-end single-breasted jackets, tend to be fastened with a link front closure which is similar to a cufflink.

“Simpler is more sophisticated”