RED CARPET BLACK TIE
| Ever since the emergence of "creative black tie" in the
'80s, celebrities can always be counted on to teach the
pitfalls of opting for eye-catching fashion over timeless
style. To be fair, many have learned from their
mistakes while a select few have always known better than to
follow the herd into sophomoric obscurity. Observe and
learn. |
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2010 ACADEMY AWARDS
| The Guide is thrilled
to note that this year's ceremony was an embarrassment of
black-tie riches. One-button jackets, peaked lapels,
low-cut waistcoats, self-tied bow ties and even stylish pocket squares
all abounded
on the red carpet. Equally inspiring was the
near-complete absence of wimpy wing collars. It would
appear that Hollywood has finally gotten the memo! |
"BEST DRESSED" NOMINEES
|
Narrowing down the field to just five
contenders was a tough job this year. Matt Damon,
Robin Thicke, Colin Firth, Geoffrey Fletcher, Ryan Reynolds,
Matthew Broderick, Steve Martin, Alec Baldwin and Gerard Butler all looked
wonderful but the selected nominees' attention to detail set
them apart them as truly exceptional.
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Bradley Cooper (in Tom Ford) beats out co-presenter Gerard Butler by
properly covering his waist.
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Past "Best Dressed" winner Forest
Whitaker shows how to dress up a four-in-hand.
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Couturier cum director Tom Ford combines classic touches (love the boutonniere)
with a modern, trim cut. |
Stanley Tucci radiates Old World elegance.
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Chris Pine looks every inch the starship
captain in Ralph Lauren Purple Label.
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AND THE WINNER IS . . . |
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Tom Ford takes top honors not just for his
outfit but also for his classically inspired influence on so
many other celebrities.
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SPECIAL ACHIEVEMENT
The ceremony's producers not only
repeated the White Tie elegance of last year's opening
number but also upped the ante by cladding the orchestra in
classic white dinner jackets.
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"WORST DRESSED" NOMINEES
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The remarkably high sartorial standards show by this
year's attendees meant that the following misfits stand out like pack
mules at the Kentucky Derby. |
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Joachim Back nails down the sloppy butler
look with mismatched tailcoat & tie, exposed shirt waist and
undone cuffs.
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Judd Nelson backstage in an oversized
suit, untucked & unbuttoned shirt finished and a knee-length wallet chain. |
Jon Cryer was the dullest of the funeral
director contingent that included Robin Williams and Jesse
James.
|
This might have worked if the bow tie was
not pre-fab. And the waist was covered. And the
shoes were ... oh never mind. |
One journalist described Quentin
Tarantino's appearance as that of an unmade bed. 'Nuff said. |
AND THE LOSER IS . . . |
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The homeless guy.
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PREVIOUS ACADEMY AWARDS
Check out the highlights and lowlights of
past Oscar ceremonies
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PRESIDENT OBAMA
|
The American sartorial
community was dismayed with the decidedly
un-presidential formal attire worn by President Obama to his
inaugural ball. European counterparts were
astonished by his blatant gaffes.
Despite his renowned eloquence and
elegance Obama's general tastes in evening
wear demonstrate a substantial ignorance of, or indifference
to, the convention's timeless principles. The Guide
earnestly hopes that the president’s formal style will
eventually rise to the impeccable standards of his
informal fashions so that his countrymen may be inspired to
strive for the optimum instead of settling for the ordinary. |
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WHITE-TIE WASHOUTS
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2006 Gridiron Club Dinner: Everything is
wrong, right down to the missing waistcoat. |
2008 Alfred Smith Dinner: The guy wearing
the clown-sized tailcoat, pre-tied bow tie and improper
shirt is a senator. The guy dressed in an impeccably
stylish statesman-like dinner suit is a blog writer.
At least Obama found his waistcoat. |
Close-up
of the ridiculously sized tailcoat and the informal shirt
with everyday buttons and collar. |
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BLACK-TIE BLUNDERS
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President as Waiter
President-elect Obama not long before the inauguration
wearing a common notch lapel and four-in-hand tie. |
President as Prom Date
The sartorially infamous inaugural tuxedo is basically a
glorified black suit due to the notched lapels, center vent, flap
pockets, redundant second button and exposed waistband The
white bow tie is an absolute faux pas, inexcusable for the
holder of the highest office in the United States of
America. |
President as Gangster
Not long
after the inauguration Obama's formal style drops yet
another notch. |
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STEPPING UP
Hosting his first black-tie dinner at the
White House in February 2009, the President finally begins
to look like a President. Just by opting for a proper
bow tie Obama makes his pedestrian inaugural tuxedo appear
almost respectable. Dare we hope for an equivalent
jacket upgrade?
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The President takes a step backwards at the White House
Correspondents' Association Dinner in May 2009 . . . |
Then returns to good form the next month at the Radio and
Television Reporters Dinner |
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BRAD
PITT
|
Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie radiate the
magic of the celebrity power couple of yesteryear.
They have been dubbed "Hollywood royalty," a title
they clearly live up to every time they step onto the red
carpet.
2007 Cannes Film Festival
This photo from the premiere of
A Mighty Heart is a textbook
example of classic
vs. contemporary black tie.
While all three
men are quite handsome in their
respective outfits,
the actor on the right is attired like a
personal assistant and the director on the left looks
like he forgot his cummerbund at the hotel. Mr. Pitt,
meanwhile, is dressed in a manner
deserving of a quintessential Hollywood superstar.
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THE JONAS BROTHERS
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MORE LESSONS
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