The London Lounge

Hello everyone,

I'm a first time poster, but long-time appreciator of the sartorial arts.

I have been wearing plain, black dinner jackets in different cuts for years, but I am mind-numbingly bored of them.

I am now wanting to venture into something a little bit different and want to have my tailor make a beautiful velvet jacket in either burgundy, dark green or midnight blue.

I would love to see some pictures of some nice ones if you know where to find them or have some yourself to aid me in my process of making my decision on cut and colour.

Any advice, critique and especially photos would be tremendously appreciated.

Many thanks,
A

There is a photo floating around of the Duke of Windsor in what I think is a velvet green double breasted jacket of that sort, I will see if I can find it.

Welcome to the LL

You could do a simple DB smoker in a bordeaux as below. I would like to step into that illustration and look at the shotguns.



Or you could go with a DB shawl as per Windsor’s green cord version. I am waiting to find the right color cord to do this coat but have yet to find the right shade of green.



As regards velvets, Scabal has the best ones I have seen. The bottle green, dark green and bordeaux are all stunning. I would prefer greens or reds to a midnight blue.

M Alden

Turnbull and Asser have some lovely ones (look on their site; they have a single breasted and fantastic double breasted models). You can get these rebranded (and I assume much more cheaply) ex-hire or M.T.M. at places like Buckleigh's. I particularly love frog fastenings and piping in paler patterned silk, and I am fairly sure you can do interesting things like facing the lapels and cuffs with the lining (think paisley). I have a picture of this somewhere, which I could put up if you want when I find it...

Seeing as this will never leave your home, you can keep it simple, or go wild with it. Remember to get black velvet slippers!

...you will need a velvet smoking cap from Lock's, with a tassel, either plain or embroidered (preferably) in the same velvet as the coat (For the latter, I would vote for the frogging in a paler colour):

http://www.lockhatters.co.uk/Smoking_Ca ... z-c32.aspx

When I win the lottery...

Frog in Suit

I confess to having had one made a couple of months ago, as the dress code for a house party was 'smoking jackets'. Technically, this was incorrect as I was always brought up to believe that the smoking jacket is only worn in one's own house. It originated when gentlemen retired to the smoking room after dinner and changed into a smoking jacket so as not to have their dinner clothes reeking of cigar smoke.

I approached Henry Poole but sadly the cost was prohibitive (over £2,000). I looked at T &A and they had a wide range including, of all things, vibrant orange. However, I ended up at New and Lingwood who did an excellent job on a MTM in a short timescale. It is bottle green and was much admired. I felt very comfortable wearing it .


Chelsea

Chelsea,
You are very lucky.

I was shown a smoking jacket in progress at Meyer & Mortimer. I think it was bottle green. What really impressed me was the fact that the frogging was made strand by strand from a lighter-coloured silk of two different thicknesses. A true work of art. I did not ask about the price...

Frog in Suit