While Alec Baldwin gives up on New York, I’m giving up on Hollywood. Movie stars are among the richest and most privileged people on the planet – with more money and resources at their disposal than almost anyone – and yet an alarming number of them still can’t get black tie right. Between the notch lapels, the neckties and other tragic experiments, Tinseltown’s prom night looked like a cross between a funeral, a chauffeur convention and a prom night in Hollywood, Florida.
For years now, I’ve written ad nauseum about correct black tie in the wake of the three black tie awards shows: the Academy Awards, the Golden Globes and the Grammys. (The wheels have kinda come off the Grammys, an event whose red carpet now resembles a line outside of a nightclub.) My observations about the lack of sense of occasion and the failure to grasp the simple rules of black tie are always the same, and I’ll not repeat them here. (But you can see some of them here.)
I will say, however, that there were some diamonds in the ruff. There was a handful of men who either stuck to the rules of black tie or were clearly aware of the rules and bent them appropriately. Among these few, there was a nice sense of tailoring, color and proportion, and any desire to make a splash was executed with just the right dosage. Kevin Spacey (in Burberry), Bradley Cooper (in Tom Ford), Brad Pitt (in Tom Ford), Jared Leto (in Saint Laurent), Harrison Ford (in Giorgio Armani) and Sidney Poitier were the heavy-hitters who, in my opinion, nailed it. My other favorite was Nick Reed, a producer who won the Oscar for Documentary Short Subject (“The Lady in Number 6: Music Saved My Life”), who needs to just give me that butterscotch velvet, crocodile-textured dinner jacket.
As for the unfortunate majority, maybe one should blame stylists. While there are true master craftspeople among them, stylists are a class of fashionista that is infected with inexperienced and overpaid designer junkies with a historical reference that goes back six years at most. They wouldn’t know who Edith Head or Ann Roth were if they knocked them over with vintage bags.
Whether it’s due to lack of knowledge, an adolescent sense of rebellion or a sheer disregard of the simple rules of black tie, or if male celebrities are bewitched by stylists who are simply too young or inexperienced to know better, Hollywood award shows set an example of formalwear that seems to get worse every year. Instead of dressing for the Academy Awards, many men seem to be dressing for the SAG Awards, i.e. black tie optional (or the dreaded “creative black tie”).
But I suppose there is a reason that the group of classic Hollywood movie stars whose pictures we still admire today is so small: because so few of them really knew how to do it.
8 Comments
I would add DiCaprio and Tatum into the wins, and maybe a special judges award to Chris Hemsworth for snazzy creativity.
Their tailoring was terrific. Christophe Waltz and Matthew McConaughey also had great tailoring. But points were lost for notch lapels, which is not correct black tie. (I’m surprised Prada and Armani even make them… they should know better.) A business suit (notch lapels) is a work uniform; a dinner jacket (peak lapel or shawl collar) is a celebratory garment. The distinction is deliberate. And I’m not a fan of vests. They’re a bit too much. Getting “creative” with black tie – especially for men who aren’t known for sartorial prowess – is very very iffy.
George, what is your opinion on Will Smith?
Didn’t work for me.
Hi George,
I really enjoy your posts and yes, I agree with you, most were wearing cumbersome watches; I hardly saw any cummerbunds or vests (I hate the look of the underlying shirt being observable); not many galon stripes; and where, oh where gentlemen, are the pocket squares?
I don’t agree with your “best pick” of Spacey – no cummerbund, oversized watch; flapped pockets; too much break on the legs; 2 buttons! and is that a pre-tied bow tie? (Jared Leto also had flapped pockets).
My pick of the night is Tom Ford.
Cheers
Richard
OK, George. You know how much I respect your opinion, but don’t you think Bradley Cooper’s jacket looks a couple sizes too small on him? At least it looks that way to me in the photograph.
George just saw this post and I am very proud of 1. My Oscar 2, My roberto cavalli alligator velvet rust colored jacket, you are very kind and clearly a man with a great eye, thanks for the props best Oscar winner, fashion lover Nick Reed 🙂
Mr. Reed,
What a thrilling surprise and an honor to get your comment. And my congratulations on your Oscar! Since “The Lady in Number 6” was released on Netflix just the other day, I finally got a chance to see it. Beautiful work, particularly powerful in the wake of Alice’s death. Your Academy Award is in the right hands.
And that Cavalli dinner jacket… stunning. I remember doing a Google image search on you when I wrote this piece and was delighted to see that you’ve got even more wonderful velvet jackets in your arsenal. Fantastic. Keep up the great film work and the sartorial splendor.
Thank you again.
Sincerely,
George