Tuxedo has been for many years considered as the formal clothing which is associated with professionalism, respect and refinement. But it is necessary to notice that the modern men’s formal dress code reflects the changes in society, culture, and even taste for centuries. From the rich robes of the high Renaissance to today’s multimillionaire business moguls, formal men’s dress has never been only about the garments, but the social role of the man wearing the clothes. And with the increase in high-end clothing solutions like Smiley’s Impeccable Styles it the style for today’s man has become more evident and accessible.
The Renaissance and the Birth of the ‘Modern Suit’: Historicism, Egotism, and Democritism
The history of menswear starts from as back as the period of renaissance in European society. For the elites, or those in positions of power, fashion was adopted as a tool for projecting one’s newly found social, economic, and political power. The male outfit was fairly fancy and ostentatious with the use of velvets, silks, brocade or satin mainly as the preferable fabrics with embroidery, jewels, or lace.
This period granted us one of the most important garments to ever exist: the doublet; this was a fitted jacket that was worn over a shirt and was mostly padded to give the lie to an enhanced profile. The doublet was worn together with hose, which was fitting tight trousers, and a cloak or a mantle. This set was the first which laid the basis for the modern suit since it introduced the concept of matched attire for formal events.
During the Baroque and Rococo periods succeeding the Renaissance, men’s fashion was still more ostentatious and some of the peculiar features included lace collars, cuffs and trims and decorative buttons. But, this ornate would give a classical and neoclassical period of the 18th century and would become much more elegant in terms of architecture.
The Regency and Victorian Eras:The Rise of the Tailored Suit
Hence, it can be said that the modern styled tailored suit came up during the early nineteenth century especially what is referred to as the Regency period. Paradoxically few works have been written about this period although it is frequently linked to the personage of Beau Brummell the great British dandy who established the principles of gentleman’s dress minimalism. Brummell believed in having proper fitting tidy and clean dressing in simple garments made of exquisite fabrics and is hailed for providing what has come to be termed as the modern suit.
It was a black-tie suit, comprising of the cutaway coat, a matching waistcoat and trousers , not forgetting the structured appearance of cloaked shoulders that were recaptured in the cutaway coat. The concepts of fitting and adjustability were accentuated; besides, the clothing should be simple and sleek. It started getting rid of the bigger and bling look of previous centuries and in essence, it will pave way for the more classic tuxedo style.
continued the evolution of stylized tailored menswear by introducing the following later in the nineteenth century into what is known as the Victorian period. The frock coat which is a knee-length coat with a fitted waist was worn in formal occasion while the morning coat which is less formal, a cutaway coat was worn during morning. The waistcoat stayed as a key component of the entire dressing and the cravat which formed the basis of the necktie we wear today complemented the dressing.
The last decade of the Victorian period also witnessed addition of the lounge suit to the list of Victorian menswear which was comparatively more comfortable than the frock coat. Lounge suit had a shorter jacket with matching trousers and sometimes a waistcoat and this was initially intended for occasions that were slightly less formal. On the other hand, elegance underwhelmed every man during the early twentieth century but the lounge suit emerged the most popular form of menswear.
The Early 20th Century: The Golden Age of the Suit
It is recognised that early 1900 is associated with the gilded age of the suit. To be precise, it emerged as the official men’s wear in the professional world and other more formal occasions in this period. Men’s suits were well tailored and made up of jackets, waistcoats, and trousers; these were considered fashionable.
Another factor that affected the males’ suits in this period was Hollywood and its effects on the suits due to film stars. The elegant suits of the period were correctly personified by Cary Grant, Clark Gable and Fred Astaire to name but a few. This gave rise to such garments as the double-breasted suit with broad shoulders and thin waist; the latter radiated confidence and masculinity.
New fabrics and patterns such as the tweed, the herringbone and pinstripe were also noted to have been embraced throughout the interwar years. These patterns gave more variation to the men’s suits and at the same time gave freedom for individuality when it comes to fashionable formal wear.
The 1920’s, also known as The Roaring Twenties marked the period in which the menswear became more elaborate and suiting became fitted and adorned with accessories like pocket squares, cufflinks, and tie pins. However, the Great Depression of the thirties brought men’s formalwear to a much more serious and practical level of colors and design.
The Post-War Era: Of Formalwear – Modernised
After the Second World War there were many changes observed in the male dress codes and especially in the formal wear. The constriction that characterized the period of the war soon translated into liberation of the spirit and interest in the appearance. The 1950 as well as the 1960s prooved to be the period of the new styles and the new silhouettes, the new fashion movements connected with the youth, music and change.
Probably the most famous of these was the “Ivy League” look, which was typified by slim suits with thin lapels and general sleekness. This style was introduced in America in universities and it gained much popularity and was associated with rebellion and modernity. Rock and roll added to the influences of the slim suit especially Elvis Presley and the Beatles wore them thus making it a permanent part of the men clothing.
Dress in the sixties included mod subculture that featured goed-moderne style suits with bright colour and bold striping. Looking at this period one is to notice, that people preferred exiting the frames of set traditions and tried on new styles, so the so-called ‘peacock revolution’ in menswear occurred.
But the modernization of men formal wears began in the early 1970s with the aspect of wide lapels, flared trousers and bold colours. Men wear also changed with time especially the disco era whereby fancy fabrics such as polyester were in demand. The formal suit worn by the male population was replaced more loosened styles as the source of dress of the decade depicted a rather laid back mentality.
The Late 20th and 21st Centuries: A Style Revival: Why the Classic Suit is Making a Comeback
The style of the late twentieth century was a return to the formal suit, although like the duster it was usually of a more flattering modern cut; the power suit, as defined by Armani and Ralph Lauren as the height of business sophistication. Men dressed sharply and formally during the 1980s and 1990s and this include sharp well-tailored suits with very tight shoulder pads and more often than not men wore very conspicuous ties and pocket squares.
They say that with the onset of the 21st century, men’s suits also underwent certain changes in terms of cut, fabric and style. The trend reflecting the silhouettes seen at Hedi Slimane at Dior Homme was the return to the prevalent upper body and especially the slim-fit suit, which was the ‘look’ of the contemporary man.
For the past years, one significant tendency has been distinguished in the men’s formal wear industry – that is the emphasis on customization and personalization. Tailored and custom clothes have become fashionable, as it enables the man to be unique with style and at the same time asserting to the tailored fashion.
Eco-friendliness in terms of fabric used to produce formal wear and humane treatment in producing the clothes, friendly innovative quality and versatile wear formal wear are other attributes inherent in modern formal wear.
Conclusion
Every period has given its contribution in terms of what men wear on the formal occasions in relation to the culture prevailing at that time. Indeed, looking to the future one can safely assume that the suit will remain the key component of the masculine wardrobe and evolve from new trends as predicted by the Smiley’s Impeccable Styles. Strictly formal wear, whatever it is, a three-piece suit, slim fit suit or even a tailored suit, it still has not lost its power to assert a man’s personality and his affiliations. The history of, men’s suits and formalwear illustrates how custom plays an important role in the portray of personal image.