How far below the front of a (buttoned) tailcoat should the bottom of the white waistcoat extend? I’ve seen images depicting the waistcoat not extending below the topcoat at all, to more-commonly, maybe an inch, to one image where there’s four or five inches of waistcoat exposed below the topcoat.
I consulted a fancy tailor site that shows photos of men wearing waistcoats that are several inches longer than the topcoat, but the written directions clearly say
Waistcoat: White piqué, single-breasted with a shawl collar, ending above the tailcoat’s front points for clean lines.
And just for emphasis a little further down
A tailcoat demands custom formal wear or made-to-measure tailoring. The waistcoat and shirt must not extend below the tailcoat’s front, and the tails should align with the knees. A proper fit enhances posture and elegance.
I also saw the photos of the 1-inch hem, and it looks pretty stylish to me. IMHO, if you’re having it custom-made, cut the waistcoat and tailcoat exactly the same, but if you’re renting for an occasion, a 1-inch exposure - but no more - would be acceptable.
Just curious; what are the circumstances under which you need to wear a tailcoat? American men’s formal dress seems to top out at a tuxedo, even though that is only semi-formal.
Among others, conducting an orchestra or attending a state dinner.
Yes, and the question was intended for the OP, who presumably has an event coming up that demands formalwear.
Edited to add, the only time I needed formalwear was when I accepted the second Nobel Prize.
Wow, that was back in 1902! You don’t look that old.
No, I will almost certainly never attend a White Tie event. I just wonder about things.
Sorry. I meant the second one awarded to me.
Here’s a reference point from the 1950s: Fred Astaire and Jack Buchanan dancing side by side in white ties, tails, top hats and canes. Neither of them has their coat buttoned, although the two coats have different tailoring in front, and neither of their waistcoats go below the waist of the tail coat. To me, this is the classic look.
Because they’re dancing side by side, it’s easy to notice the difference in the tailoring. Astaire’s coat has a wide gap in front with gently rounded, almost vertical sides and it looks like it would not be possible to button it. Buchanan’s coat has much more pointed sides and it might be possible to button it. I suspect that Buchanan’s style was intended to be a little slimming, as his larger frame suffers a bit in that style compared to Astaire’s slim trimness.
There’s two gentlemen who spring to mind who are both known of their impeccable attention to fine tailoring, and their regular wearing of white tie. If these two don’t know how to wear it, no one does.
First up: Kind Felipe of Spain:
Second up, King Charles (and son)
I think this provides conclusive proof that the white waistcoat should stop just short of the jacket front. Unlike some wearers we could reference….
Rest assured, the royals WILL have taken the piss behind their backs
And Trump’s waistcoat looks especially long, much like his neckties.
That’s probably why he wore it that way. I would say it’s a combination of the waistcoat being too long and the jacket being too short, but in any case the waistcoat would have “won.”
is that Jr. on the right side of the photo (I can’t be bothered to keep track)? He’s the one who looks most like a gorilla in dress clothes.
Yes, it’s Jared, Eric, Donald and then Donald Jr.
Honestly the Trump men look like high school boys dressed for the prom. They are so evidently proud of themselves.
Was that the Nobel Peace prize? I hear almost anyone can win that… You just have to stop a whole bunch of wars…
Is there a rule about gold accents on white waistcoats?
Thank you.
I hadn’t realised that Charles was that much shorter than his son.
I mis-wrote – 2 errors, one grammatical, one a wrong choice of words. I should have said neither of their waistcoats goes below the bottom front of the tail coat.
No, you were clear. Neither of their waistcoats extended below the tailcoat. I edited your post and included the editorial ellipsis to show that I did.
It was a bit of a laugh at the time that Charles had to stand on the step behind Diana in one of their engagement photos so that he did not appear shorter than her…