Morning Suit - advice sought please

[Concordia]

I would think that nailing the accessories will put you ahead of most. A really good shirt, with classic waistcoat and not-cheesy tie (plus excellent shoes) will extinguish most of the red lights that alert people to your having rented. And because a shirt with white collar can be worn on other occasions, the only dedicated expensive purchase would be waistcoat and tie. Then, if you are a difficult fit, the trousers.

[davidhuh]

Excellent advice, Concordia!

Cheers, David

[bond_and_beyond]

Hi all,

I am in the process of commissioning a morning coat for my own wedding.

I am looking for a good black cloth in the 12 - 14 oz range. I understand that traditionally the cloth must be in a very narrow herringbone. My tailor also, as someone in this thread noted Doug Hayward agreed with, that the standard "featherweave" herringbone used for morning coats makes it look like a "rental".

Therefore I am humbly asking for some advice and tips for good, traditional cloth to choose here. A plain weave? A very large herringbone like that DoW wore to his own wedding? Or an even more narrow herringbone?

Suggestion of type of cloth, and even more specific bunches, would be most appreciated.

BandB

[couch]

No help on cloth sources, I fear, but let me offer congratulations on your upcoming marriage. May you and yours have a long and flourishing life together!

[davidhuh]

Hi all,

I am in the process of commissioning a morning coat for my own wedding.

I am looking for a good black cloth in the 12 - 14 oz range. I understand that traditionally the cloth must be in a very narrow herringbone. My tailor also, as someone in this thread noted Doug Hayward agreed with, that the standard "featherweave" herringbone used for morning coats makes it look like a "rental".

Therefore I am humbly asking for some advice and tips for good, traditional cloth to choose here. A plain weave? A very large herringbone like that DoW wore to his own wedding? Or an even more narrow herringbone?

Suggestion of type of cloth, and even more specific bunches, would be most appreciated.

BandB

Dear BandB,

suggest that you look into Smith Wooten's formal wear bunch. Personally, I would stay away from black and go grey.

Cheers, David

[Concordia]

You mean Oxford grey to substitute for black with striped trousers, or mid-grey pick & pick? King Charles wore something of the former to his own wedding, and the latter to everyone else's.

[davidhuh]

You mean Oxford grey to substitute for black with striped trousers, or mid-grey pick & pick? King Charles wore something of the former to his own wedding, and the latter to everyone else's.

Dear Concordia,

both options work. King Charles' mid-grey is great in my eyes, formally correct but distinctive. Oxford grey to substitute black is a more cautious approach.

Cheers, David

[Concordia]

I believe the real issue is how formal one wishes to be. The medium grey is suitable for the Royal Enclosure and a summer wedding, although I've read people trashing the King for dressing down at someone else's occasion. If you are surrendering the Japanese Empire, black with striped trousers is definitely the thing.

[Bwooster]

For what its worth - The King’s more formal morning wear set up (the one he wore for his wedding to the Queen) features a black tailcoat with a plain - not herringbone - weave and black silk piping. I think it looks very good especially when he wears a shirt with a light coloured body (always with a white collar, however).

[Noble Savage]

For what its worth - The King’s more formal morning wear set up (the one he wore for his wedding to the Queen) features a black tailcoat with a plain - not herringbone - weave and black silk piping. I think it looks very good especially when he wears a shirt with a light coloured body (always with a white collar, however).

If I recall, NJS was of the opinion — expressed in his books — that having a silk piping would make one's morning coat slightly less formal than one without.

[Concordia]

Well, that certainly solves a first-world problem.

[Noble Savage]

Or perhaps his distinction had to do with being in a celebratory v. sombre mood.

[Bwooster]

KC wears his black silk piped jacket with a matching black silk piped waistcoat for funerals so think fair to say do whatever you prefer re: piping.

[Anikolov1]

I hope I will be able to share pictures from my fitting in a few months, but I decided to go ahead with a morning suit from Steven Hitchcock. I went for a black featherweave cloth for the coat, striped cashmere trousers (wool not cashmere) and a light blue linen double breasted waistcoat.

I didn’t go for piping on the morning coat as I wanted something more conservative and so far I have never regretted going conservative rather than flamboyant.

Funnily, I remember the old a suitable wardrobe blog by Will saying how you order clothes when you don’t need them to have them when you do need them. That was the best motivation for having a morning coat.

[Anikolov1]

Here’s pictures from the fitting today. Steven was so excited and proud of his work, it was very heartwarming to see. It’s the first garment which has taken 4 fittings to make up but that’s perfectly alright as I had no rush when ordering it.

https://flic.kr/p/2rWtPfj

https://flic.kr/p/2rWtjwb

https://flic.kr/p/2rWt12e

https://flic.kr/p/2rWnpJL

I hope you enjoy it. Cloths were actually very standard books, I didn’t choose special LL or Fox cloth for this one.