I didn't thing tuxedos came in for evening wear until about the 1920s.
They look wrong to me for 1890s.
Sylrog
On Oct 17, 2007, at 8:44 AM, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
I think Miss Manners has covered the evolution of tails and the
tuxedo--try one of her earlier etiquette books.? Tuxedos were
definitely "informal" when first developed, so your characters should
probably be wearing tails.? I think the white tie and tails had been
codified by then, to include the starched front shirt and white pique
waistcoat, but I could be wrong.
Ann Wass
-----Original Message-----
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Sent: Wed, 17 Oct 2007 10:32 am
Subject: [h-cost] Tux, tails and vests
My students are designing a production of "Dracula" (1897) and are
required
to do research and designs for the costumes. There has been a lot of
discussion of vest colors and appropriate coats for various occasions.
I
learned
(Esquire Book of Men's Clothing, mostly) that the rule of thumb is
white tie
and vest with tails, black tie and vest with tux. A man in black tie
and tails
would be a servant ie butler or waiter. So my students have found a
lot of
research contrary to what my assumption was. I have seen pictures of
white
vest and black tie with tails, white vest and white tie with tuxedos,
black
vest and tie with tails on gentlemen who would never be mistaken for
servants
and all other permutations. The research they have found is
secondary,
meaning drawings from the period rather than actual photographs.
Have I been
wrong
all these years? Also, it was my understanding that tuxedos were not
considered proper in the presence of ladies. Tails were required for
those
occasions, although I do understand that this convention gradually
faded away.
Can
someone elucidate me?
Cheryl Odom
College of Santa Fe
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