Red Carpet Black Tie: Celebrity Lessons

 

Ever since the emergence of "creative black tie" in the 1980s, celebrities can always be counted on to teach us the pitfalls of opting for eye-catching fashion over timeless style.  To be fair, though, many have learned from their mistakes while a select few have always known better than to follow the herd into sophomoric obscurity.

 

 

• Academy Awards

 
The best of 2008 included classy men who knew how to let their ladies shine.

Jason Bateman in a Dolce and Gabbana

Steve Carell in a custom Domenico Vacca

Patrick Dempsey in a narrow lapelled Versace

Sean Combs in a mixture of his Sean Jean label and Dolce & Gabana

Best & Worst: George Clooney in a shawl lapel with girlfriend in chintz curtains

Best of the Best: Forest Whitaker in another custom Domenico Vacca (and he even shows cuff!)
Worst of 2008

What were Spike Lee and Wesley Snipes thinking?

Lou Gossett Jr. didn't get the memo that the 90s are over.  Way over.

Brown suede shoes and red lapel piping?

Josh Lucas gets a head start on the morning-after look.

Viggo Mortensen in custom-made hideousness.

Phillip Seymour Hoffman: great actor, lousy dresser.

LESSONS FROM THE PAST 
.
Long tie versus bow tie: no comparison





Peter Sarsgaard:
from "dude" to gentleman
 
2006

2007





Steve Carell:
from actor to star
 
2006

2007





Jake Gyllenhaal:
from boy to man

2005

2006
Proper black tie flatters every age





It makes young
 men look mature . . .
 
2007
 
2003





. . . and mature men look stunning.
 

2003
 
2004
More blasts from the past





Some people never learn.
 (In fact, they worsen.)

2004

2005






There is a good reason that formal attire requires a cummerbund or waistcoat to cover the waist.

2003

2004





Garth Brooks put to shame by an 11-year-old
 Haley Joel Osment.

2000 

2000





Unfortunately the mod undertaker look just won't die.
 

1998

2007





Too cool for bow ties.
 
 
1998

2001 





Keep in mind: people thought this stuff was cool at the time.

1997

1997





Too cool for any ties.
 
1995

1998
And lest I be accused of automatically naysaying anything that isn't classic




Pearce Brosnan and Morgan Freeman have enough experience with the classics to know how to tastefully modify them. 

2004

2006

   

 

• Cannes Film Festival

 

2007:  Textbook  classic vs. contem-porary:  While all three men are quite handsome in their outfits the actor on the right is attired like an admin assistant and the director on the left looks like he forgot his cummer-bund at the hotel.  Mr. Pitt, meanwhile, is dressed like Hollywood royalty.



Details of Mr. Pitt's outfit as provided by canyon-news.com:

Brad Pitt wears a made-to-measure black wool peak lapel three piece tuxedo, white piquet [sic] plastron shirt, black velvet bow tie, diamond studs and cufflinks, and black leather patent [sic] shoes, all from the Tom Ford Menswear Collection, to the premiere of ‘A Mighty Heart’ at the Cannes Film Festival on May 21, 2007.



• Venice Film Festival






2007: Mr. Pitt once again shows his contemporaries how it's done.  (Note the black waistcoat peaking out from underneath the jacket - a unique touch.)
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

 

 

 

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