How to wear white tie?

[Degendorff]

Is it "allowed" to show about 1-2 inches of vest under the tailcoat, does it have to show or shouldn't it or should the vest end with the tailcoat, and why?
I ask this question, because I see so big discrepancies between the respective wearers of white tie.

Bernhard Roetzel quotes Fred Astaire: "The waistcoat (of the Prince of Wales) did not show below the dress-coat front. I liked that." So it had to be some kind of a novelty at that time to not show some vest.
In my eyes the most satisfying result is when the waistcoat ends with the front of the tailcoat as seen on this Knize tailcoat:

But what is considered to be right?

Thank you in advance

Degendorff

[Huzir]

If you have not already read it, you may wish to have a look at Etutee's wonderful post on white tie:

http://thelondonlounge.net/gl/forum/vie ... php?t=5526

[chelsea]

There is one rule: the white waistcoat should never show below the tailcoat. Simple.

[masterfred]

A simple "why" is that the white sticking out below the expanse of black tailcoat simply ruins the visual transition to the black trouser.

[Degendorff]

My intuition is the same, but I wondered, if there is a fixed rule, because so many people show some vest. Roetzel's quote perplexed me even more. Plus: some salespeople wanted to tell me that the waistcoat must show about an inch.

Maybe the problem are RTW waist- and tailcoats. The waistcoat is too long or the tail's front too short - and to make matters worse the salespeople made a rule of it...?

[Topper]

"No more" than an inch or inline is what I preach.

There is no exact rule.... and the reason why you hear many different stories is most probably quite simple. It varied over time as fashion changed. Some years in line, some years below.

Subsequently this also allows a quasi "mix and match" for those gentlemen not having bespoke made to order outfits so a "near" fit is easier to sell.

Its often worth stepping back and thinking "the past" is not a single event, and hence there is no set rule though a common theme would be inline, or "no more" that an inch - too much or less either way would look odd.

Pip-pip

[RWS]

I prefer not to see any white below the tailcoat, for the reason Masterfred mentioned. Though best might be for the bottom of the fronts of waistcoat and tailcoat to meet exactly, it would be better (I think) for the tailcoat to extend below the waistcoat than the reverse.

[DeusEx]

Isn't white tie only worn at state banquets ?