Introduction: History's Relevance

Fashion fades, style is forever.

Yves St. Laurent

It is impossible for black tie to be fully appreciated or properly executed without being familiar with its history.  Until a man understands evening wear’s original intention and aesthetic logic, he is likely doomed to a formal wardrobe that fails to meet its most fundamental objectives.  Young men in particular tend to presume that simply having worn a suit intrinsically qualifies them to assemble a proper formal ensemble but this is as naive as believing that writing a high school essay qualifies someone to author a novel.

A familiarity with the dinner jacket’s background is particularly important for men who wish to improvise on black tie's century-old traditions because only an educated dresser can discern between fleeting fads and timeless style.  While there once was a time when any good tailor or salesman could have provided this crucial guidance, in today’s ill-informed marketplace the responsibility for a proper sartorial instruction rests almost exclusively with the consumer himself.

The following pages provide just such an education, conveniently condensed to the most relevant details and generously embellished with period illustrations.  You may be surprised to find that unlike its somber apparel, evening wear’s history is a colorful one encompassing war and prosperity, hippies and aristocrats, ballrooms and discotheques. So pour yourself a relaxing cocktail, slip on your vintage smoking jacket and sit back in your favorite armchair as we begin our black-tie story with a tale of rakish dandies and maverick princes . . .