Late Victorian (1880s, '90s)
Yuppie Years
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Epilogue: Formality's Future (A View from 2011)
There is no question that just as the rise of the tuxedo as
standard evening wear pushed the tailcoat into relative obscurity
following World War II, the
suit's increasing acceptance at formal events
will eventually consign the tuxedo to only
the most ceremonious of occasions. What’s harder
to predict is how long this process will take and whether
or not the
black-tie
dress code will survive it.
A major factor in the speed of the tuxedo’s demise will be
the rate of formality’s demise in general.
America’s (and Britain’s) post-war promotion of individualism and
egalitarianism, while a blow to the rigid hierarchy of old,
initially operated on the principle that a rising tide lifts all
ships.
However, the unprecedented recent tendency of young adults to
live in a state of protracted adolescence and of “grassroots” voters
to equate education and experience with elitism has reversed the
tide. Equality is now being sought in the form of
the lowest common denominator and juvenile values such as instant
gratification, sexual immaturity and egocentrism are highly evident
in the success of vapid and vulgar reality television, the
popularity of superficial and vitriolic political discourse and the
acceptance of casual mores and lack of deference at the most august
of institutions.
This is hardly the ideal milieu for traditions centered on
maturity and refinement.
A more specific – and uniquely modern – factor in the
tuxedo’s life expectancy is its sartorial relevancy. Although
the dinner suit's popularity
in America has waxed and waned since
first being challenged by the regular suit
back in the forties, there has always remained a clear
distinction between the two. Today, however, prom dates and young
fiancés faced with the option of renting a suit-like tuxedo or
buying an actual black suit would have
little reason for choosing the former.
Not only would they receive better value for their money from
the more versatile regular suit but they would also benefit from a
superior product considering that rental tuxedos are becoming
increasingly worn out as dwindling suppliers produce less stock.
Therefore, should contemporary tuxedo trends continue, the
conventional dinner suit will most likely become limited to an
affluent minority who can afford its purchase price and appreciate
its uniqueness.
As for the black-tie dress code, whether or not it survives
the tuxedo’s demise will depend on the willingness of trendsetters
to be limited by the code’s fundamentals.
Reinterpreting the code
as a black suit, white
formal shirt and black
formal tie, for example, would
respect enough of its principles to keep it relevant but only as
long as men agreed to honor the new definition.
If men increasingly decide to opt for
individualism over uniformity instead then the dress code will cease
to have a purpose. Formal dressing – clothing that
maintains a “form” or tradition – will have given way to simply
dressing up.
Having said all that, history has proven that the tuxedo is
remarkably resilient. Despite the impact of world wars,
economic downturns and anti-establishment counterculture the dinner
jacket is celebrating the 125th anniversary of its arrival in
America this year amidst some some encouraging developments.
English readers of the Guide report that Britain is experiencing a
renewed interest in traditional black tie as typically happens
during recessions. In America, a recent
GQ formalwear spread featured numerous styles that channeled
the classic refinement of Dean Martin and James Bond. And,
perhaps most surprisingly, worldwide traffic for The Black Tie Guide
has grown to over 40,000 visitors per month. It would appear
that even in the twenty first century the resplendent
black-and-white elegance of the Victorian dining suit remains
without equal.
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Two very different possibilities for the future of formal
wear.
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