British Menswear Formal Wear
Anytime I am reading a fic about Sherlock Holmes and I run across the word "tuxedo" it's a sign that the writer is most likely American.
The word Tuxedo originates from the USA; it refers to a man's evening dress for semiformal occasions, first used in print in 1889, named for Tuxedo Park, N.Y., then the chief "pretentious rural resort" for wealthy New Yorkers and site of a country club where it first was worn, supposedly in 1886.
It was specifically designed to be a more informal suit than the English equivalent- the white tie and tailcoat.
You will notice a few interesting things about this photo above- the white shirt is stiff with starch and fastened not with buttons but with studs. The waistcoat has lapels. The collar of the shirt is stiff and upright and the bow tie is always tied by the wearer's hand, not a pre-tied clip-on.
The tail coat is always black. The cut should not reveal the white waistcoat unless the person is in motion (unlike the bloke behind BC). The pocket square is always white and should only reveal a slim line.
Below is the standard set in the 30s; the only change these days is that the tails can be a bit shorter- knee length and the trousers don't have to have 4 pleats; two is more usual.
White tie is the most formal of British men's wear for evening functions; black tie is the next level down.
Black tie is also referred to as the Dinner Jacket. The first British dinner jacket is traditionally traced to 1865 on the then Prince of Wales, later King Edward VII (1841–1910), traditionally worn to functions after 6pm.
After World War I, the dinner jacket became more popular than white tie, especially in the US, and informal variations sprang up, like the soft, turn-down collar shirt and later the double-breasted jacket. Dinner jacket is what the Brits call it, often abbreviated to DJ. American's use Tuxedo more often.
Then of course there is the WHITE DJ, which is actually ivory or off-white. Often worn at summer events; James Bond wore one when the stories involved the tropics. The cloth used is lighter in weight, making it appropriate for summer and for outdoor events.
It was Edward Prince of Wales who also created the Smoking Jacket, ordering it from his Savile Row tailor in midnight blue. This has become a thing in modern Britain, too.
This is an Armani made to measure navy blue smoking jacket suit.
Very few British men would ever wear a cummerbund; it's more an American thing. Waistcoats are more the British approach.
Now onto Wedding Wear!
