The Dinner Jacket, you beautiful invention
Ah, the dinner jacket – the sartorial sigh of relief between the stuffy tailcoat and the sad bathrobe. Its history is a delightful dance between practicality, rebellion, and the ever-present need to impress the ladies (or, dare we say,gentlemen) without seeming like you're trying too hard.
Act I: The Tailcoat's Rebellious Offspring (1850s-1860s)
In the Victorian era, formality reigned supreme. Gentlemen choked down their roast pheasant while sporting tailcoats that wouldn't look out of place on a penguin. Enter the "lounge jacket," a shorter, comfier number born from the need to chase pheasants (or perhaps pints) without looking like a penguin encumbered by a piano. This innovation, much like the invention of sliced bread, was a revelation. But where to wear it? Aha! Enter the smoking jacket, a velvet haven for post-dinner cigars and slightly scandalous conversations. Think of it as the original man cave attire.
Act II: Enter Edward, the Trendsetting Prince (1865)
Then came Edward VII, the future king of England, who possessed a fashion sense as bold as his appetite. Legend has it he commissioned a tailless blue silk dinner jacket for a casual estate gathering. It was like showing up to a croquet match in jeans – utterly unheard of! But Edward, bless his trendsetting heart, rocked it. The look, like a catchy tune, began to spread.
Act III: The Tux Goes Transatlantic (1880s)
Across the pond, American socialite James Potter caught wind of the trend while hobnobbing with Edward. He brought the tailless wonder back to the States, paired it with a matching black pant, christening it the "tuxedo" after Tuxedo Park, his New York stomping ground. The name stuck, much to the amusement of stuffy British gentlemen who probably envisioned a dinner jacket made entirely of Monopoly money.
Photo cred: ranker.com
Act IV: The Tuxedo's Evolution: From Black Tie to Bowtie Blunders (1900s-Present)
The 20th century saw the tuxedo solidify its place as black-tie attire. Double-breasted jackets had their moment, as did white jackets for the truly daring (or perhaps those attending poolside soirees). One of the most iconic dinner jacket looks made its debut in the 1942 film, Casablanca.
Today, the dinner jacket remains a symbol of sophistication, even if the definition of "sophistication" has loosened up a bit (thank goodness, no more stiff collars). So, the next time you slip into your dinner jacket, remember – you're not just following fashion, you're part of a long lineage of gentlemen who dared to ditch the penguin suit and embrace a touch of rebellion (and maybe a whiff of cigar smoke).
Dinner Jacket (Bards): Holland & Sherry fabric
