SMOKE Fashion...
Timeless Tuxedos
Photographs by Gilles Berger
Produced and styled by Deborah Ritter Berger
According to the history books, conventional evening attire was altered after the turn of the century by millionaires living in Tuxedo Park, NY who desired less formal attire for small dinners than the standard white tie and tails. The "tuxedo" refers to semiformal evening wear: a short dinner jacket with silk collar, cummerbund or waistcoat black bow-tie, and soft white shirt. In the 1920's, the double-breasted tuxedo emerged, making the cummerbund and waistcoat, unnecessary.
Today, the rules for dressing up are increasingly flexible, but some remain timeless: always pair a cummerbund with a bow tie and, if you choose a wing collar dress shirt, also pair it with a bow tie. A straight tie has become acceptable with a tuxedo, but choose one with shine.
Elegant and unique is how you should feel in your tuxedo... and the most sophisticated touch this season is the simple addition of silver or gold at the neck.
For thr remainder of this article, see the Winter 97/98 issue of SMOKE Magazine - available at a tobacconist near you.
