The London Lounge

I have gotten to the stage in my bespoke career that I feel ready to commission a DJ. It will be a three piece, peak lapel in a thirties style with horse shoe waist coat.

I am almost certain that I will go with midnight blue (as dark as at all possible), and have been looking at the Smith formal book, particularly the 10oz barathea (no 8829 I believe).

Do any of the members have experience with this book, or have any other recommendations for very dark midnight blue with little/no shine?

I understand that 13oz would be too warm, but I am willing to consider it

Many thanks,
BB

My dinner suit is Smith, and I am pretty sure it is the 8829, which is so dark it is almost black.

Single button, peak lapel. Made by Russell at Graham Browne.

aston wrote:My dinner suit is Smith, and I am pretty sure it is the 8829, which is so dark it is almost black.

Single button, peak lapel. Made by Russell at Graham Browne.

Thanks, it will be Russell who'll be making mine too!

BB

Dear BB,

I had mine made up as a DB with shawl collar in a midnight blue barathea, and since I am not wearing it in summer in Monte Carlo (there are other options for such occasions), I went for the 13oz version SW 8832.

The tailor took it as a challenge, and he seems equally pleased with the result as yours truly

Cheers, David

Thanks David. Did you go with midnight or black silk facings?

BB

bond_and_beyond wrote:Thanks David. Did you go with midnight or black silk facings?

BB

Dear BB,

Black. I took the barathea to a cloth shop where they sell silk facings to take this decision.
By the way, this was my model: http://www.thelondonlounge.net/forum/vi ... 162#p55190

Cheers, David

I've a tailcoat made from 8810, a wool/mohair blend. Around 9/10 oz IIRC.

Dear b_and_b,
my SB dinner suit is in midnight blue barathea and has black grossgrain peak lapels. I chose midnight blue because I thought it would look better on me than black under artificial lights. After almost 20 years, it's still my workhorse and I love it, but one thing I have to tell you in case you had something else in mind: no matter how dark it is, it does look exactly like a midnight blue dinner suit with black lapels. I chose black for my second (a DB shawl lapel) dinner suit.

I have a dinner suit in SW8810 as well. Brilliant fabric in terms of shade and how it drapes.

Thanks all. I have also had a look at the 8810 which is a mohair mix I believe. A bit too much shine for me I think, as I prefer a "dryer" look.

Did you go for vents on the SB jacket? I see the practical reasons for it on a DB, since it always remains buttoned, but a SB will normally be unbuttoned which removes some of the practical concerns of going ventless I would think. Still I am tempted by having my regular double vents also on this coat.

BB

bond_and_beyond wrote: Did you go for vents on the SB jacket? ...a SB will normally be unbuttoned which removes some of the practical concerns of going ventless I would think.

Both of my dinner suits (SB and DB) are ventless. I believe (and so did my traditional English tailors) that vents on a black tie outfit compromises its formality. I would advise that you leave the side vents for your lounge suits; if well cut, the ventless jacket (even the DB) will be comfortable while sitting.
BTW, I can´t agree when you say "a SB will normally be unbuttoned". Even with your nice low cut waistcoat that surely you will love to show off the jacket should be buttoned all (well, most) of the time.

Thanks hectorm. Food for thought indeed I think one of the reasons I have been putting off ordering a dinner suit is not having to make the call on these little details. I am sure I'll be weighing ventless versus vents against each all the way up to the basted fitting

BB

I recently commissioned a midnight blue evening dress tails and love the color

Go for a mohair/barathea wool in 13oz (390-400gm). Any heavier & it becomes warm in doors (especially when dancing or making out with chicks)

If you are worried about the shirt, vest and DB jacket will be too warm...then pick a 10oz weight for the vest and jacket...but if you can find the identical color, then go for the 13oz weight for the trouser.

In reply to ay329 - I'm with you on the different weights for trousers and coat, especially for a tailcoat. I think Evelyn Waugh even wrote that he got different tailors to make dress trousers and a dress (tail)coat, and used different cloths. If memory serves (the article was about how to look like millionaire on a budget, and written in the -30s) the trousers were suggested to be made in a heavier cloth, which makes some sense for white tie.

I don't think, however, that you'll ever match the colours in different weights. The P&B Universal cloth book is quite a good example, the 'depth' of the black increases greatly with the fabric weight - so that heavier barratheas look much more velvety than the lighter weights. I remember the 13oz cloth looked quite grey by comparison. I think about a 16oz would be my choice now - my last evening suit was 18/19oz, which is a little much for summer-time. The barrathea in the P&B book is a little more 'open' in texture than the vintage coats I have, and I wonder if anyone here has found a better cloth book for dinner/dress suits. I think the ideal should be for as 'black' a cloth as possible, but this has to be balanced against utility indoors.

"...the ideal should be for as 'black' a cloth as possible..." I agree and for me that would not be midnight blue, but black in perhaps 12 ounce weight. Midnight blue is dashing but I play in an orchestra and cannot stand out in even the slightest way. Black is always safe. I would not try to match cloth of different weight for coat and trousers. Too risky.