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Defining Classic Black
Tie
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Classic Black-Tie Trousers
Formal trousers are made of the same fabric as the jacket. While plain-front trousers are more common today, pleated styles remain the dressiest option.
The waistband is meant to be covered either by
a cummerbund, waistcoat or closed double-breasted jacket. The
trousers must therefore be cut for suspenders (braces in the
A trimmed waistband is a recent invention designed to act a cummerbund surrogate but it is no substitute for the real thing. As Allan Flusser explains in Style and the Man, “Formal dress is ultimately about good form, and sometimes quick fixes that compromise such form need to be recognized as such and be avoided.”
The side seams of formal trousers are also covered, a vestige of the suit’s military past. This is done by trimming the seams with a single band of facing that is either satin or grosgrain to match the jacket’s lapels. In the past braid was also used for this purpose but today the term is often used generically to refer to the more common silk stripe.
Side pockets are usually cut on the trouser’s side seam because vertical pockets are dressier and easier to access, particularly when wearing a cummerbund or waistcoat.
Finally, trouser legs are always plain as cuffs are too casual (they originated as a mudguard) and would interfere with the side braid. |
![]() These Jos. A. Banks trousers epitomize formality with their pleats, satin stripe and vertical side pockets. Fumagalli trousers with bona fide braid. |
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CONTACT COMPARATIVE ENGLISH TERMINOLOGY Hover over most images for picture credits (Firefox users may need to check picture properties). Copyright © 2010. Peter Marshall. All rights reserved. |
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