How can I look the part as a male guest at a 40's themed wedding?
April 23, 2013 10:30 AM Subscribe
We've been invited to "a 1940's wedding party" in a few weeks. If someone told you to dress the part, as a man, what would you do? I'm not too concerned about super historical accuracy, but more just looking a little on-theme vs. every other wedding. And buying a new suit is not in the cards.
Thoreau said, "Beware of all enterprises that require new clothes."
Truer words. If you happen to have a double-breasted suit and a fedora, then good on ya.
If not, wear a nice, dark suit. Perhaps you can find a retro-tie on-line.
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 10:34 AM on April 23, 2013 [2 favorites]
Truer words. If you happen to have a double-breasted suit and a fedora, then good on ya.
If not, wear a nice, dark suit. Perhaps you can find a retro-tie on-line.
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 10:34 AM on April 23, 2013 [2 favorites]
Best answer: All in the accessories!
Keys: Fedora, vest, and the very distinctive short, wide tie. up to 5 inches wide, and ending very short above the belt (google for pictures). Wear your widest and tie it in a Windsor very short.
Wear a vest under your suit jacket (Might be hard to match exactly. Get one that is in a tweed, stripe, or plaid that goes with your suit and/or picks up the color of your tie). Wear a pocket square.
posted by amaire at 10:38 AM on April 23, 2013 [1 favorite]
Keys: Fedora, vest, and the very distinctive short, wide tie. up to 5 inches wide, and ending very short above the belt (google for pictures). Wear your widest and tie it in a Windsor very short.
Wear a vest under your suit jacket (Might be hard to match exactly. Get one that is in a tweed, stripe, or plaid that goes with your suit and/or picks up the color of your tie). Wear a pocket square.
posted by amaire at 10:38 AM on April 23, 2013 [1 favorite]
Men's fashion hasn't changed significantly enough for this to be interesting, but amaire has great guildlines. High-waisted trousers in that outfit are a must, too. An alternative is to drag out a double-breasted suit from your closet, but on a bow tie, and wear a fedora, you'd blend in. (google for pictures of how Harry Truman dressed. He was a haberdasher. If anyone knew how to dress as a man in the 1940s, it was him)
posted by deanc at 10:41 AM on April 23, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by deanc at 10:41 AM on April 23, 2013 [1 favorite]
Until, and after 1945, WWII meant that many men were in uniform, so that's an option. Men wore hats until Kennedy was elected. A google image search for President Roosevelt suggests wide lapels, and a choice of double or single-breasted dark jacket. Dress shirts were white, vests were popular. A bow tie is a nice touch. If it's a summer wedding, and you can hustle up a seersucker jacket or suit, that would be very appropriate. You might be able to find spectator shoes. I think the hat is key.
posted by theora55 at 10:47 AM on April 23, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by theora55 at 10:47 AM on April 23, 2013 [2 favorites]
Regarding the fedora -- back in the days when Men Wore Hats, it was a faux pas to wear it indoors, especially somewhere you've been personally invited into (i.e. not the bank.)
posted by griphus at 10:52 AM on April 23, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by griphus at 10:52 AM on April 23, 2013 [1 favorite]
Zoot suits were intended as a thumbed nose to wartime clothes rationing.
posted by brujita at 10:55 AM on April 23, 2013
posted by brujita at 10:55 AM on April 23, 2013
A treatise on men's fashion in the 1940's. It sounds like accessories are your best bet - cufflinks, suspenders rather than belts, a hat, a tie with a tiepin and wingtips or spectator shoes.
A Zoot suit is definitely period, but it also carries a risk of looking a little "costumey" unless you invest a really good one. So unless you have a lead on a really good vintage outlet I wouldn't go out of my way to try to find one.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 11:21 AM on April 23, 2013 [1 favorite]
A Zoot suit is definitely period, but it also carries a risk of looking a little "costumey" unless you invest a really good one. So unless you have a lead on a really good vintage outlet I wouldn't go out of my way to try to find one.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 11:21 AM on April 23, 2013 [1 favorite]
upon review - a dress uniform would be an EXCELLENT idea; check first, though, to make sure that no one's grandpa who was a veteran from Guadalcanal is gonna be there and would get pissed off first, though, maybe.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 11:23 AM on April 23, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 11:23 AM on April 23, 2013 [1 favorite]
Best answer: I'll mention that we just spent Easter weekend at VLV, where we were surrounded by fellow walking anachronisms, with many leaning towards Forties rather than Fifties styles. Through friends, I found this blog and think the way the gentleman is dressed in this particular post would work for your purposes. His looks often skew toward early 50's and late 40's, I think. You could find very similar things at a thrift store using his style as a good guideline. The trousers you wear, if not a suit, really, really ought to be gabardine, high-waisted and full-cut with cuffs and a good break. That, with a good tie, will make your look. There are plenty of 80's does 40's repro ties in thrift stores. And yes - Brylcreem'd hair, freshly cut. (Here, for fun, is a 1930's themed wedding the blogger went to.)
If you feel like researching yourself to death, the Fedora Lounge is perfect for this. There are gentlemen of all ages, shapes, sizes and levels of dedication there. They have a classified section too. There's advice for hair, and I'll admit to being nosing in the "What are you wearing today??" forum far too often. There's a character there called Dinerman whom I greatly admire for really getting it right, but I'm not registered there to easily find his best looks. Here's a photo of what I imagine many wedding guests will look like.
Here is one look to emulate, and here is another with a beautiful suit, too, to keep in mind. This gentleman looks very nice too.
If in any doubt about what you're attempting, just ask yourself "WWFD?"
posted by peagood at 11:26 AM on April 23, 2013 [2 favorites]
If you feel like researching yourself to death, the Fedora Lounge is perfect for this. There are gentlemen of all ages, shapes, sizes and levels of dedication there. They have a classified section too. There's advice for hair, and I'll admit to being nosing in the "What are you wearing today??" forum far too often. There's a character there called Dinerman whom I greatly admire for really getting it right, but I'm not registered there to easily find his best looks. Here's a photo of what I imagine many wedding guests will look like.
Here is one look to emulate, and here is another with a beautiful suit, too, to keep in mind. This gentleman looks very nice too.
If in any doubt about what you're attempting, just ask yourself "WWFD?"
posted by peagood at 11:26 AM on April 23, 2013 [2 favorites]
Watch Humphry Bogart in Casablanca: lots of style hints there!
posted by easily confused at 11:27 AM on April 23, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by easily confused at 11:27 AM on April 23, 2013 [1 favorite]
Also - to get a cheap vest go to a big old thrift store that specializes in vintage-ish. Should be able to find one for <$10.
posted by amaire at 12:52 PM on April 23, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by amaire at 12:52 PM on April 23, 2013 [1 favorite]
loud tie, vested suit, boutonniere, tie up shoes, loose pants with cuffs and high waist, pocket hanky
posted by fifilaru at 1:15 PM on April 23, 2013
posted by fifilaru at 1:15 PM on April 23, 2013
These are some great accessory suggestions particularly from amaire, but more to the point of what you should wear I would recommend that you keep it understated and to little touches with a classic suit. Just like women shouldn't wear white or show up the bride, the groom and groomsmen will probably be the ones relishing the theme as they get to rent formal wear and as a decent number of guests will probably just go with classic pieces instead of playing with the theme as well a vest, pocket square or carnation, period hair if you can pull it off with your cut and wide tie would be tasteful and elegant. Unless you already own a hat I wouldn't bother as manners dictates you remove it once you get there anyway.
posted by itsonreserve at 1:39 PM on April 23, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by itsonreserve at 1:39 PM on April 23, 2013 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Thanks for all the advice!
Here's what we ended up with. I think it came out pretty good. My girlfriend even better.
Goodwill suit ($7 + $10 hemming), Goodwill tie ($1.50), new shirt ($30), new vest (clearance $15). Hardest part was the vest, not much at Goodwill or department stores, and menswear places tend to have black or grey ones at high prices like $60-90.
A good percentage of the crowd bought into the theme (or at least period clothes of some sort.) Lots of men wearing hats indoors, for shame. I highly recommend a period wedding!
posted by smackfu at 8:08 AM on May 5, 2013
Here's what we ended up with. I think it came out pretty good. My girlfriend even better.
Goodwill suit ($7 + $10 hemming), Goodwill tie ($1.50), new shirt ($30), new vest (clearance $15). Hardest part was the vest, not much at Goodwill or department stores, and menswear places tend to have black or grey ones at high prices like $60-90.
A good percentage of the crowd bought into the theme (or at least period clothes of some sort.) Lots of men wearing hats indoors, for shame. I highly recommend a period wedding!
posted by smackfu at 8:08 AM on May 5, 2013
Response by poster: Oops, here is the photo.
posted by smackfu at 11:25 AM on May 5, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by smackfu at 11:25 AM on May 5, 2013 [1 favorite]
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posted by griphus at 10:32 AM on April 23, 2013 [5 favorites]