How to Choose Your Dinner Suit

The history of dinner suits dates back to 1850, and has resurged time and time again in popular culture. This look peaked during the Jazz Age in Europe and America. The style was made famous by Hollywood’s stars, such as Bogart's character Rick in ‘Casablanca’, and Cary Grant in ‘To Catch a Thief’. Over the years, through international, political and social change, the dinner suit has evolved and diversified.

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So what exactly makes a dinner suit?

CLOTH

One detail that separates an average suit from a dinner suit is the satin trim. Gleaming lapels and pocket jets make a more refined look which is great if you are dressing for formal events.

“Traditionally speaking, a black Barathea, which is a specific type of hopsack weave, is the best cloth for dinner suits” says King & Allen tailoring consultant, Chloe, “as it gives a rich matte black colour and drapes beautifully through the body.”

Printed and bold fabrics are popular for many formal occasions, in particular weddings and birthday parties. The intended uniform look of a classic black dinner suit has taken a more modern approach.

CUT

The dinner jacket is a combination of formal evening tails and smoking jackets. The appealing framework was to have a slim cut with less restrictive movement and be comfortable and bring out a more youthful silhouette.

Shawl or peak lapel - The shawl or peak lapel are both stylish and simple cuts, and traditional picks for a dinner suit. “Slim shawl lapels are favoured at the moment, with a slim cut jacket,” says Chloe.

When it comes to trousers, there are many different options, depending on your taste. You can choose to have a flat front or pleats, a regular or high waist, a traditional plain hem or more detailed hem. You could also choose to have a band running along the outer seam, known as a soldier stripe, in satin to match the lapels. Chloe has seen that clients are choosing a look that is “more tapered, with many clients opting not to go for a soldier stripe on the outside leg.”

COLOURS

The dinner suit colour is traditionally black, but many people choose to have a navy or midnight colour as darker blues actually look black in the artificial light of a dinner setting. In recent years, celebrities have been setting the trend for bold-coloured velvet dinner jackets. A popular look we have noticed among our clients is the pink tuxedo jacket Daniel Craig wore in the London premiere of ‘No Time To Die’.

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HYBRID LOOKS

In recent years we have seen people experiment with contemporary dinner suit looks and evolving the conventional framework of formal wear. See Cara Delevingne’s rule-breaking ensemble at Princess Eugenie’s wedding, Cate Blanchett’s many sleek tuxedo looks, as well as Harry Styles iconoclastic styling.

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If you're feeling the need to up your formalwear game, please contact us today or arrange an appointment here.