Sartorial heros

[Jovan the Un1337]

I've been a fan of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s three button suits and slender dark ties since I first learned about him in elementary school.



Cary Grant is an obvious one, but for me it's partly because he disproves a lot of rules that sartorialists have gotten so cuddly with now... and makes it look damn good.

No button down collars with double breasteds... really? Button down collars are too casual to be paired with French cuffs... uh-huh.



No loafers with dinner suits! Oh really? Here he substitutes them for the opera pump.

[Trey]

Jovan:

Excellent points. Queries -

Would you, or others, wear a button down with a double breasted suit, even if you more "formalize" the button down shirt with French cuffs?

Would you have button downs made with French cuffs?

Would you wear loafers with a tuxedo?

I suspect Cary Grant pulled these off so elegantly because he was Cary Grant. I often throw caution to the wind when dressing because I feel I have more or less mastered the basic fundamentals of dressing well. Perhaps I lack the courage to try to pull off a button down shirt with a double breasted suit or having French cuffs on my button down shirts. Maybe it is that I just don't think these combinations look right together - at least on me, for as much as I hate to admit, I am not Cary Grant and cannot pull of this combination. I fear that if I tried, others would think I do not know what I am doing and I would feel less confident in my clothes.

When I travel and pack my tuxedo, to minimize packing, I often only wear or pack a black pair of Gucci loafers, which I wear with my tuxedo. I would not do this at home, where I have the luxury of wearing my pumps or patent leather shoes. I feel comfortable on the road though in black tie wearing black Gucci loafers.

Happy thoughts,

Trey

[Jovan the Un1337]

I don't think you have to be Cary Grant to pull it off. I've worn things that are slightly outside the norm (as if dressing well in a suit wasn't already over here) or against the rules and no one has really said anything negative about it. I think the key is confidence.

I have a double breasted suit and have worn a button down -- without double cuffs -- with it...