Though the archive Men’s Formal Wear appears like a lake without any waves, it, in fact, traps the mayhem of every contemporary social structure and its consequent wrinkles in the aspects of life. The seeds trace back to ancient Egypt when Men’s fashion usurped the purpose of mere clothing. When for the first time men’s Style encapsulated the sword of impact drawn out of its sheath of authority.
The purpose of clothing became a connotation of the social designations of a particular era. The avant-garde history of men’s wear travels through different eras of political as well as social upheavals. The men’s formal wedding wear of today is no less than an archive of social standings and bespoke clothing the epitome of it.
To taste the experience of bespoke suits and formal men’s wear step into the stores of OAR in Chennai.
TIME TRAVEL OF MEN’S CLOTHING
Modern formal wear owes its style statement to a complete range of political, social and economical epochs.
THE EMERGENCE OF MEN’S CLOTHING TO PERSONIFY POWER
Egyptian Pharaoh first catalyzed the new purpose of men’s clothing. The designations and differentiation in dress code symbolized the hierarchy chain and brought into men’s wear a completely new perspective. They marked the status, power and eligibility to particular strata of contemporary society. Aristocracy became synonymous with fashion setters for a particular era. Who wears what denoted Who is he. The first seeds of formal men’s wear.
PRE-REGENCY ERA - ANGLOMANIA
If we talk of formal suits, the drastic changes from the dandy or elaborate clothing of the royal clan to more sombre, pristine and comfortable clothing. Every generation brings in a rebellious attitude to break away from the father’s perspective.
The changing social standings of the Regency era heralded young men dashing towards every possible sport and interaction which led to the clear distinction between formal and informal wear. It was another ridge into the social structure grappling with the shift in the sense of power in England.
Tail coats were the find of this era. Elaborate coats were replaced with elegant, monochromatic colored ones. Codes of etiquettes merged with codes of dress.
Anglomania after the French revolution contributed largely to the notion of everything English being the scale of men’s wear.
George Brummell ignited the blast into what we today call formal wear, barging through the boundaries of all class distinctions. A man out of the gentry class who revolutionized the codes of elite wear, rigid representative styles and notions of elegance. Brummel is often termed as the father of Modern Men’s Wear. He preferred clean fashion rather than embellishments.
So, comfort without sacrificing formal good looks became a priority for the young ones of the 18th century. Shorter frock coats minus the adornments and brighter colours marked its changes in the formal men’s wear. The highest codes of dressing were adopted from military officers who became the new elites. Workers wore comfortable coats to facilitate easy riding so the frock coat became a simple cut coat.
American revolution and other ideological upheaval ushered in a political virtue to men’s formal wear. Rank was displayed in clothing like judges were known by their robes, workers by their safety vests etc.
20TH CENTURY
Rebellious youth gave way to youth who did not bother to listen to anyone. One thread that continued throughout this dynamic history was the criteria of good fabric. The twentieth century too chose good, softer fabrics and shorter vests. Opulent clothing replaced exquisite suits or coats or outfits of individual taste.
Jazz Clothing influenced by Jazz music aligned with the tight-fitting suits fashion. Jackets were long and tight waisted while the back had long vents.
The prime function was to enhance individual physical features. So tailoring based on individual choice, cutting, sewing men’s formal wear marked another signal for formal wear to be associated with the elite. Bespoke tailors and bespoke suits thus entered the realms of men’s formal wear. Savile Row franchised by the Earl of Burlington heralded the era of bespoke clothing. The birth of a Tuxedo or dinner jacket or party wear finds its origins on this street in Central London. Tuxedo and bespoke clothing and bespoke tailors proved that they were here to stay.
MARXIST BLEND
The notion of formal wear associated with aristocracy or the elite or the royal faded away with the advent of the Marxist ideological upheaval in Europe. The blurring lines between the bourgeoisie and labourers further merged the codes of men’s wear. American fashion entered the arena of men’s fashion and soon the trad style franchised by the Ivy league campus gave rise to clothing comfortable for driving motor cars. Later entered Wall Street fashion which was all about image. The representation of your personality.
Thus bespoke with its special taste of accentuating physique rather than social standing continued its flow throughout the political and social changes.
Bespoke, since then has stayed tagged to elegance, personal taste and individual physique.
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THE DAPPER LOOK
The modern era in which we live has blended all these historical aspects of men’s wear and has innovated fabrics to comfort clothing in formal wear. Keeping up with the new tastes is not an easy feat for bespoke tailors. Yet, the purpose of bespoke tailoring is to bring out the individual vision of a man about himself into his formal wear. Bespoke suits speak out the attitude, taste and physique of a man without being put into words.
Weddings are occasions of formal excellence and emotional heights. Keeping up with the whole embellishments of the ceremony demands clothing that blends into the mood, yet stands apart in its outlook. Grooms have to balance the opulent festivities with the pristine of his personality, the tradition of the older generation with the vogue of his peers. That's the dapper look he needs.
A perfect blend of all these needs a sartorial edge to the wedding suits of the groom as well as the wedding wear of the men attending the ceremonies. The dapper look is not about perfect height, weight or colour, it's about a look that speaks just of the personal-you in your best element.
So, before the Shubh Muhurat gives you a slip, get yourself a makeover into the sartorial elegance of #dapperda.
