Morning Dress: Formal Day Wear

Many people visit this site seeking to assemble a classic tuxedo for their wedding only to discover that such attire is inappropriate for occasions prior to 6 p.m. This comes as a disappointing shock to North American fiancé(e)s who have been conditioned to believe that no wedding is truly formal unless the groomsmen are clad in tuxedos. I sympathize with these visitors as I was once a groom who shared this belief.

However, just as my research of black-tie custom has fostered a newfound respect for the dinner jacket, my exploration of daytime formal wear has allowed me to overcome the misconception that the tuxedo is irreplaceable. It is now easy to see why the genteel tradition of formal day wear remains commonplace in Britain and I have no doubt that other like-minded readers will develop the same appreciation after receiving a similar education.

As with evening wear, morning dress (as formal day wear is traditionally called) deserves an engaging review of its history and etiquette. However, I will leave that task to others because as of 2010 I have already dedicated five years to the Guide and still have not finished my coverage of the core topic of evening dress. To this end, I recommend that readers visit the London Lounge forum for an excellent overview of morning dress and a thorough review of its classic components. Equally thorough is the article on Formal Wedding Daywear at The Cutter and Tailor forum. Readers may also wish to peruse the illustrations and dress charts found in the Vintage Wedding section as these details from the classic era of men’s clothing remain the benchmarks of proper formal wear.

Defining Morning Dress

The following definition represents a general consensus among the authors of such authoritative guides as The Suit: A Machiavellian Approach to Men’s Style, Emily Post's Etiquette (2004 edition), A Well-Dressed Gentleman’s Pocket Guide, Debrett's New Guide to Etiquette and Modern Manners (2001 edition), Men’s Style: The Thinking Man’s Guide to Dress and The Indispensible Guide to Classic Men's Clothing. The information in italics represents further important sartorial details required for a truly classic execution of morning dress.

Formal Day Wear

Worn by grooms and groomsmen and guests at church weddings, to smart horse races such as Royal Ascot, Buckingham Palace ceremonies, Royal Garden Parties and other Royal events and, occasionally, to remembrance services and funerals.

cutaway ("morning coat" in UK)	color: • black wool is most formal • oxford gray is also acceptable single-breasted curved cutaway front with tails that fall behind the knees peaked lapels one button no hip pockets, welt breast pocket four closely-set sleeve buttons
trousers	black-striped gray wool trousers cut for suspender; high enough rise for waistband to be covered by short waistcoat one pleat no cuffs
waistcoat	dove-gray or buff (creamy yellow) single-breasted or double-breasted patterned waistcoats must be tasteful and are best reserved for young weddings
shirt	wing collar shirt is considered acceptable only under the following specific conditions - and even then some authorities still consider it "quite inappropriate" for weddings: • collar must be the high, stiff, detachable variety • must be worn with self-tie ascot (also known as a "dress cravat" in UK) • can only be worn with black coat • white fabric turndown collar shirt is preferred: • stiff detachable collar • white or pale color fabric • French cuffs in either white or shirt color
neckwear	four-in-hand with turndown collar, self-tie ascot with wing collar black, silver or gray patterns such as houndstooth or Macclesfield are preferred for grooms or groomsmen; other patterns and colors are allowed for guests of weddings or other occasions
footwear	well-polished black lace-ups
accessories	(see Vintage Weddings page) single flower such as rose or carnation for wedding boutonnieres; avoid greenery
outerwear	top hat in black silk or less distinguished gray felt with black band grey suede gloves are traditional with a grey coat, yellow chamois with a black one (see Vintage Weddings page)

Morning Suit

Suitable only for races and summer weddings and unknown outside of the UK, the morning suit differs from the above outfit only in that the cutaway, trousers and waistcoat are constructed from the same mid-gray material. Note that this term is often used as a synonym for "morning dress" but this is incorrect as only a jacket and trouser of matching fabric can be considered a "suit".

Semi-Formal Day Wear

Traditionally worn by guests to weddings, baptisms and other significant social occasions but now virtually extinct.

stroller (aka director's coat)	suit-like jacket in black or dark gray wool single- or double-breasted peaked lapels besom pockets
trousers	black and white stripes (as per formal day trousers) or plaid or checked patterns all other details as per formal day dress
waistcoat	as per formal day dress
shirt	as per formal turndown collar shirt attached collar can also be acceptable
neckwear	as per formal four-in-hand ties
footwear	as per formal day dress
accessories	as per formal day dress (see also Vintage Weddings page)
outerwear	black or midnight blue homburg or bowler other details as per formal day dress (see also Vintage Weddings page)

The Prince of Wales in a black cutaway ("morning coat" in UK), the most formal style of morning dress

Cutaway shown with a wing collar shirt and ascot which Debrett's considers inappropriate for weddings.

Buff colored double-breasted formal day waistcoat from classic English haberdashers Pakeman Catto & Carter.

Detachable collar formal day shirt with soft collar.

Striped formal day trousers.

Examples of black, gray and silver patterned four-in-hands that the English refer to as "wedding ties".

A formal day top hat can be black silk or gray felt, the latter being less traditional and less formal.

The "morning suit" is a less formal version of traditional morning dress.

The stroller is worn for semi-formal day occasions with generally the same accoutrements as the cutaway.

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