Planetarion Forums - The Technicalities of Formal-wear

SYMM · 10 Jun 2005, 13:22

Ok, I'm expecting yahwe to be the most help, but anyone else is welcome to contribute.
I went and hired myself a tuxedo for the ball I'm attending next week, and when trying it on once home, was slightly confused by all the buttons.

Firstly, the cummerbund. It has a loop on the back that looks like it should go over a button. The trousers-button is off-centre, so it looks weird if I use that, but there is also a button inside the trousers, on the left pocket that is central, but could just be a spare button?

Secondly, the jacket. It has one button-hole on the left-side, but two buttons on the right, one inside and one outside the jacket, at the same place. Which one should be used, and which way should it go through the button-hole? (outside-->in, or inside--->out?)

Thirdly, shirt cuffs. There are so many buttons and holes that I'm just very confused. I don't have any cuff-links, but could get some if this would make things easier? At the end of the cuff (where normal shirt buttons are) there is a hole on each section, and one of the holes has a button at either end. Higher up the wrist is a smaller button on one section, and a button-hole on the other side. (I assume that bit just buttons normally, and is there to allow for the rolling up of sleeves or something?)

Think that's everything for now...

s|k · 10 Jun 2005, 13:24

I don't know a thing about tuxedos, except that cufflinks are sexy in my opinion.

Tomkat · 10 Jun 2005, 15:32

Quote:

Originally Posted by SYMM

Firstly, the cummerbund. It has a loop on the back that looks like it should go over a button. The trousers-button is off-centre, so it looks weird if I use that, but there is also a button inside the trousers, on the left pocket that is central, but could just be a spare button?

I've never worn a cummerbund, so I can't help there, sorry

Quote:

Originally Posted by SYMM

Secondly, the jacket. It has one button-hole on the left-side, but two buttons on the right, one inside and one outside the jacket, at the same place. Which one should be used, and which way should it go through the button-hole? (outside-->in, or inside--->out?)

The outside button goes through the button-hole.

I imagine the inside one is just a spare. The dinner jacket would look odd if the inside button went through the hole.

Quote:

Originally Posted by SYMM

Thirdly, shirt cuffs. There are so many buttons and holes that I'm just very confused. I don't have any cuff-links, but could get some if this would make things easier? At the end of the cuff (where normal shirt buttons are) there is a hole on each section, and one of the holes has a button at either end. Higher up the wrist is a smaller button on one section, and a button-hole on the other side. (I assume that bit just buttons normally, and is there to allow for the rolling up of sleeves or something?)

Fold the cuff ends back so that there are 4 holes altogether at the end of each sleeve (so on one side, 2 holes in line, and on the other side, the other 2 holes). Otherwise you'd find the sleeves are way too long for your arm. It should become apparent what to do when you put the thing on.

A cufflink goes through these four holes, holding your sleeves together, with the design on the outside and the clip on the inside of your arm.

I'm sure Yahwe can explain this better than I have (and enlighten us about the cummerbund).

Proteus · 10 Jun 2005, 15:45

Only fat people wear cummerbunds.

MrL_JaKiri · 10 Jun 2005, 16:06

Quote:

Originally Posted by Proteus

Only fat people wear cummerbunds.

As most cummerbunds are a one-fit-all kind of deal, I suspect the opposite is true.

Yahwe · 10 Jun 2005, 16:58

Quote:

Originally Posted by SYMM

Ok, I'm expecting yahwe to be the most help, but anyone else is welcome to contribute.
I went and hired myself a tuxedo

no you didn't

you hired a dinner jacket and remembered which country gave birth to you.

Quote:

Originally Posted by SYMM

Firstly, the cummerbund. It has a loop on the back that looks like it should go over a button. The trousers-button is off-centre, so it looks weird if I use that, but there is also a button inside the trousers, on the left pocket that is central, but could just be a spare button?

cumberbunds are silk belts that join at the small of your back.
my cumberbund has a shall hoop that comes out of the very middle (towards the body) this lets it be slipped onto a fly button on the trousers. its not essential, but it stops the cumberbund 'ridding up' because there should never be any shirt visible below the cumberbund.

the button by the pocket sounds like a spare

be aware there might also be buttons inside the waistband for braces to button on to.

Quote:

Originally Posted by SYMM

Secondly, the jacket. It has one button-hole on the left-side, but two buttons on the right, one inside and one outside the jacket, at the same place. Which one should be used, and which way should it go through the button-hole? (outside-->in, or inside--->out?)

i need to know if its single breasted or double breasted jacket.
single breasted button much like a shirt does. with a double one side of the jacket (depends on the cut as to which) will go behind the other side and button onto an inside button, the remaining side then crosses over to button externally.

Quote:

Originally Posted by SYMM

Thirdly, shirt cuffs. There are so many buttons and holes that I'm just very confused. I don't have any cuff-links, but could get some if this would make things easier? At the end of the cuff (where normal shirt buttons are) there is a hole on each section,

you need cufflinks.
just spread the cuff out and fold back. cufflinks go on the outside of the arm.

do not wear 'bar cufflinks' these are tasteless and clunky. get cufflinks where the bottom is the same as the top these are called 'chain cufflinks'

unsurprisingly gentlemen do move their arms.

Quote:

Originally Posted by SYMM

and one of the holes has a button at either end.

this is just a style thing. the shirt tailor decided to put them there

frankly i don't like them. but others might.

Quote:

Originally Posted by SYMM

Higher up the wrist is a smaller button on one section, and a button-hole on the other side. (I assume that bit just buttons normally, and is there to allow for the rolling up of sleeves or something?)

yep.

SYMM · 10 Jun 2005, 17:02

It's single-breasted, so I just ignore the button that's on the inside?

Yahwe · 10 Jun 2005, 17:07

yep

SYMM · 10 Jun 2005, 17:15

Thank you Yahwe, you're wonderful

MrL_JaKiri · 10 Jun 2005, 17:59

I bought a new dinner suit the other day.

Nothing to do with the topic at hand (except tangentially), just a little one sentence anecdote.

To enliven this post, have a fact: "tangent" is from the latin "tangere", "to touch".

Appocomaster · 10 Jun 2005, 18:28

so why do we call the sine of an angle divided by the cosine of the same angle the tangent of it? (especially as their gradients are always orthagonal...)

Apothos · 10 Jun 2005, 18:37

"The word "tangent" also has an important related meaning as a line or plane which touches a given curve or solid at a single point."

???

Tactitus · 10 Jun 2005, 18:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by Appocomaster

so why do we call the sine of an angle divided by the cosine of the same angle the tangent of it? (especially as their gradients are always orthagonal...)

The trigonometric and geometric usages of tangent are related.

JammyJim · 10 Jun 2005, 20:28

i dont have a dinner jacket
:-((

Appocomaster · 10 Jun 2005, 20:49

I've worn a cummerbund. They're actually not too bad (I had to wear it when I went with my gf to this X0th anniversary of her local amateur dramatics group she was part of, I was one of like 3 guys out of 30 wearing one). You sort of get used to it, though I don't see the point. I'd prefer a kilt and a Sgian Dubh, with a sporran. At least I could stab irritating people then. I don't have the hips to really bring it off though *apparently*