• Home
• /
• Lifestyle
• /
• Fashion

Standing out in a sea of black

Pawan and Ashish of Knights and Lords on how to bend the rules a bit when it comes to the celebratory black tailored suit

In a lifetime, a person will usually attend an array of celebratory events, ranging from weddings to balls, and gala dinners to award ceremonies. People usually struggle to get that pristine look with a black tailored suit that looks different from the stereotypical one used in the service industry. To give it that different look, there are plentiful ways, of which one would be the 'Black Tie' dress code. Contrary to its literal meaning, a black-tie event attire means one is required to wear a dinner jacket - more commonly known today as a classic tuxedo and considered a very formal attire for gentlemen.
There are a few elementary details that a dinner jacket or a classic tuxedo has and one that folks should always abide by. Traditionally worn for events after 6pm, a classic tuxedo is always made of a plain solid black fabric with a shawl lapel made in black, shiny, satin fabric, one satin fabric-covered button in the front and no more than three fabric buttons on the sleeve. The trousers are typically worn without belt loops now and with a 1-2 cm satin strip running along the outer side seam.
Traditionally, this outfit was paired with a black satin cummerbund and a white pleated tuxedo shirt made with a wing tip collar to be worn with a black bow-tie and double French cuffs for black cufflinks. The entire ensemble is then topped off with black studs on the shirt and black shiny patent leather shoes such as oxfords, brogues or whole cuts.
Over time, people have chosen to widen their scope of dressing for events in a black suit that go beyond the quintessential classic tuxedo or dinner jacket. This can, at times, showcase individuality in a room full of people who would otherwise be dressed perfectly alike.
The challenge, however, is to make the black tailored suit quite prominently distinctive, so that it is suitable for formal occasions, without looking like a typically worn or regular black suit.
We recently took on one such commission for the celebrated award-winning singer Jay Sean of Down, Do you Remember and I Just Wanna Dance With You fame. He had asked for a deep black bird's eye fabric, double-breasted bespoke suit to be worn with a white custom bespoke shirt and a burgundy custom tie. The double breasted bespoke suit already has quite a presence and, apart from being very purposeful for the formal gala events he frequently attends, it also sets him apart from others who would typically attend the same events in a classic tux.
The sharp peak lapel of the double-breasted suit gave quite an elevated feel to his celebrity persona, ensuring the emphasis would be on the upper part of his body as he interacted with the other guests. The bird's eye detail on the fabric gave it a subtle textured sheen, which ultimately gave the suit more depth and character than the plain solid black fabric typically used for suits. The thought behind the burgundy tie pairing was to lend a subtle contrast as he walked the red carpet.
Also, since it is a double-breasted suit, he could wear it quite distinctly, pairing with different options for ties (or even bow ties), depending on the social setting of the event, ultimately making his bespoke suit a very versatile one. Overall, the image he'd be showcasing would be of a man with a very mature sartorial understanding.
It is always important to first learn the traditional etiquette and rules of dressing. These rules are not meant to be broken - however, with a keen understanding, one can certainly bend them a little by fine-tuning them to add a more distinctive outlook and set one firmly on the path to sartorial elegance.
(Pawan and Ashish are bespoke tailors at Knights & Lords, a bespoke tailoring house in Dubai. They are inspired by the alchemy of craftsmanship and bespoke tradition aimed at re-designing the wearer's inner architecture. They have learnt the traditional craft of bespoke tailoring from Savile Row, London - which is considered to be the spiritual home of bespoke tailors even today. Visit www.knightsandlords.ae and www.instagram.com/knightsandlords or email them at bespoke@knightsandlords.com.)
wknd@khaleejtimes.com