One question we get asked a lot by customers at Favourbrook concerns black tie, namely should one wear a single-breasted dinner jacket or a double-breasted dinner jacket. Now there is a simple and correct answer to this question but where people get confused we think is in the alternatives to the classic DJ.
RUST VELVET COTTON |
BLACK HAMPTON BARATHEA |
MIDNIGHT AUDLEY SILK |
Ultimately, if one is going to go down the traditional route of black tie, that is, a black dinner jacket aka tuxedo jacket, then the only option is single-breasted. That's not to say the double-breasted variant doesn't exist - indeed, take a stroll down Savile Row and you'll certainly find more than one establishment who can cater to a double-breasted predilection, but in our view, the single-breasted original is proper, correct, and generally speaking more flattering to most figures.
The risk with a double-breasted style is that it wraps too closely to the figure, making one look as if one has been shrink wrapped into it. The single-breasted style is certainly more forgiving, and almost always a one button affair - sleek, svelte, flattering as we mentioned, unencumbered by superficialities apart from those silk lapels.
Where the confusion arises is in the alternatives to classic black tie, which can indeed incorporate double-breasted jacket styles, as evidenced by Daniel Craig's appearance at the No Time To Die premiere a few weeks ago wearing a double-breasted fuschia pink velvet dinner jacket. Nevertheless, most dinner jackets, including velvet ones, will be single-breasted so if you are in any doubt as to which style to opt for then single-breasted will most certainly be the one for you.
BURGUNDY VELVET COTTON |
NAVY VELVET COTTON |
Now if you do indeed want to circumvent the traditional tenets of black tie and wear something akin to Mr Craig, then you open up a world of double-breasted creations, including in some cases smoking jackets, which given their slightly less formal attitude, look very fetching in double-breasted formation at the appropriate events. Again, one has to be very careful about the fit of a double-breasted dinner jacket, especially if one occasionally falls victim to bouts of decadence! The longer cut of the smoking jacket is perfect for a double-breasted construction and looks very elegant.
If you're required to attend a black tie function and are unsure as to your options, don't hesitate to get in touch with our team, who will be more than delighted to guide you through your choices and offer tailor-made advice.
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