Tailcoat is a «symbol» of male elegance, an indicator of style and an exquisite wardrobe item. The suit is suitable for a ceremonial appearance. The tailoring should be perfect, including the cut of all the details of the tailcoat, the seams, the color of the model and the way it «fits» the figure. A strict element of a man’s wardrobe item is best made to order.
History of origin
Like every piece of clothing, a tailcoat suit has its own origin story. The male attribute was invented back in the 18th century in France. Initially, the suit was sewn for cavalry officers. The outfit “won over” not only elegance, but also a sense of comfort. The back of the tailcoat looked gallant and added formality to the officer’s rank, and the shortened front part of the coat did not hinder movement while riding. Only, almost 100 years later, the outfit became popular among the upper class, and then among ordinary citizens. The costume began to be worn at banquets or ballroom events.
The urban aristocracy «touched» the fashion trend only in 1760. Initially, the tailcoat was made in one color, without pockets and with a high collar. Over the years, the costume was complemented with new elements, bright colors were introduced and constantly experimented with style. For example, at the beginning of the 19th century in France, fashionable clothes were complemented by an incredible bow tie, which almost completely covered the chin, because of the size of the accessory, the style was called «incrucible».
The very meaning of the word «tailcoat», translated from the French language, sounds like a kind of men’s costume for parties and special occasions.
In order to choose a cut, color scheme and accessories, it should be remembered that a formal suit must fully comply with the rules of clothing etiquette.
Varieties
The suit of a special cut is suitable not only for special occasions, but also for dancing. There are several types of men’s tailcoat, each of which is complemented by certain accessories and has distinctive characteristics. Varieties:
- «Classic»
Folds are considered a distinctive feature — the rear hem of the suit, you cannot sit on them, they are created for aesthetics. Important characteristics are the severity of the shoulder lines, the tailcoat jacket is sewn from 2 sides. The classic look is a black tailcoat and trousers of the same color with satin stripes, French cuffs are decorated with cufflinks, the collar is folded back. It is complemented by a white vest and a shirt with a tight bib. And, of course, the main accessory is a knitted bow tie made of natural silk, in color it should match the double-breasted vest. - «Business card»
A kind of daytime coat. It is worn for attending daytime activities. In contrast to the strict «classics», the suit is sewn with one large fold. The set includes — a jacket with one side, free sleeves and lapels pointed at the corners. The form is fitted. The color scheme includes gray and dark blue shades. Trousers and a jacket can be made in different colors, most often the bottom is lighter by a couple of tones of the top. A vest is required, it can be bright and colorful or soft and delicate. A snow-white shirt is complemented by a white, silver or gray bow tie, you can choose this accessory to match the vest. In the event that the shirt has a turn-down collar, then the tie is not worn.
Most popular models:
- «English», A classic suit made of natural wool — suitable for events held in the daytime.
- «Nobel», Evening coat, the material combines viscose, silk and wool.
- «Lord», A suit of classic tailoring, with characteristic strict lines, worn with a snow-white shirt and vest, made of lycra and wool.
Modern fashion designers and stylists have largely moved away from classical and traditional models. Now, in addition to black and dark shades, the tailcoat can be made in different colors, for example:
- cream, ideal for an evening in an informal setting;
- white tailcoat, associated with cleanliness and something new, suitable for the groom’s wedding dress;
- «saturated» gray, designed for events held in the daytime, goes well with a white shirt and a vest in a delicate cream shade.
Choosing a men’s suit will not be difficult, it is important to take into account everything, even, at first glance, minor nuances.
Where and with what to wear
The main distinguishing features of the tailcoat are considered to be formality, severity, clarity. Before putting it on, you should familiarize yourself with the generally accepted rules of etiquette for this type of suit. Scroll:
- Color… The classic color is black, shades of gray and dark blue are allowed.
- Wearing time… Light-colored tailcoat models are worn for ceremonial events held until 19.00, the classics are designed for evening celebrations.
- Shirt… In most cases, a snow-white color is chosen, a turn-down collar or a stand-up collar.
- The jacket is not fastens, the vest, on the contrary, should be buttoned up with all buttons.
When a tailcoat is considered necessary and where to wear it:
- to the wedding;
- to receive a well-known prize;
- going to the theater, opera or ballet;
- formal evening ceremony;
- ceremonial dinner;
- official audience;
- for equestrian competitions;
- for a ballroom dance performance.
The rest of the time, wearing a classic tailcoat is considered inappropriate.
You should definitely know what to wear with a tailcoat and what mandatory elements should be present in a man’s image. Important «nuances» that must be taken into account:
- Manishka… An important detail of the male look for the evening. What is it — a chest insert made of thick fabric. It is executed in the form of air shuttlecocks and must be starched before going out. Serves for greater solemnity and elegance of the outfit. Sewn to or fastened to your shirt.
- Bow-tie… Material — natural silk. The choice of accessory depends on the dress code specified in the invitation. For example, «white tie» — white «bow tie», «black tie» — black, or matching the color to the vest. Ties in various colors are allowed for informal events.
- Vest… According to etiquette, it should be snow-white.
- Pants… Should not be standard cut. They are also distinguished by originality — high waist, suspenders, stripes made of shiny satin on the sides. Their narrowness emphasizes the sophistication of the outfit.
- Shoes and socks… Black patent leather shoes. The model of men’s shoes — «Oxford» with lace-ups, in exceptional cases, loafers, goes well with a tailcoat. The color of the socks is exclusively black.
Accessories are an equally important addition to the classic men’s wardrobe. The list is huge and includes:
- For the elegance and completeness of the men’s evening dress, the image should be complemented with white handkerchief… It should be folded into a triangle and placed in the left breast pocket, pointed at the top. No less sophisticated addition will be — a flower boutonniere or breast orders, in this case, the presence of a scarf will be superfluous.
- Watches… An interesting option would be an antique pocket watch on a chain. Wristwatches should be avoided as they will look out of place.
- Cufflinks on the cuffs. They should be as discreet as possible, but at the same time, elegant and neat.
- In cool weather, the tailcoat can be supplemented with a long, strict coat or a black raincoat, snow-white gloves and a scarf. The length of the outer garment should completely cover the back folds of the tailcoat. A black top hat will look harmonious as a headdress.
- Cane… An optional element, but its presence, makes the image extraordinary and allows you to stand out “from the crowd”.
«Completion» and correctly selected accessories will help to make the image elegant, strict, official, making it the owner of a unique and special «in the eyes» of society.
When to wear it is not recommended
Tailcoat is an ideal outfit for special occasions, it looks exquisite. Nevertheless, there are cases when you should abandon the traditional tailcoat «classics»:
- During the daytime, wearing a tailcoat is considered unacceptable. The only exception is the case — the person did not have time to change after the evening event.
- Informal setting. Wearing a tailcoat will look out of place, the classics will clearly not fit. You can make a choice in favor of models from the «Business Card» classification — bright vests, jackets, light trousers and accessories, or wear a tuxedo.
- Tailcoat accentuates and makes noticeable figure flaws — stoop, crooked posture, asymmetry of body parts. In the presence of such shortcomings, the tuxedo suit should be replaced with an ordinary tuxedo, or put on a corrective corset for the back.
- It is important to remember that service personnel wear a suit with a black, red, green or purple vest. That is why you should not wear a tailcoat with elements of non-classical colors.
In other cases, a tailcoat is an ideal element of a man’s wardrobe. Despite the fact that it looks traditional, it can be made special and individual if you take into account the list of rules and supplement it with unique accessories.
Fashionable Images
Tailcoat is already an indicator of style and elegance. Combining all the mandatory and additional points, as well as etiquette, you can easily create a unique male image that no one can compete in irresistibility.
Here are some spectacular photo options for men’s looks in a tailcoat:
As you can see, a man in any tailcoat, regardless of the cut, color of fabric and accessories, looks especially attractive.
The presence of a tailcoat in a man’s wardrobe is an important point, the choice of which should be approached with special attention. This type of costume is the most popular in Western countries. In Russia, such an outfit is a rarity and is worn only in exceptional cases. Putting on a tailcoat makes a man flawless, his gait immediately changes, his head turns and a regal look appears. It is simply not possible to remain unnoticed in the traditional «classics». For a perfect look, it is important to remember about 3 permanent elements — a white shirt and vest, a black jacket and high-waisted classic trousers.
