Wedding Blog
Bogart.
Bond.
Shortcake.
A classic formal wardrobe staple of the 1950s was the white dinner jacket - a look divinely dashing, conjuring up images of shaken (not stirred) martinis, breezeless tropical nights scented with cigars, and steamy kisses stolen away from the crowd on patios, in gardens….
…and at our wedding?
We love, love, LOVE the look of white dinner jackets with black bowties, cummerbunds, and trousers for Mr. Shortcake and the groomsmen- it will look smashing with the pink “New Look” style bridesmaid dresses, and it’s SO debonair:
from style me pretty
from style me pretty
from wedding chicks
Unfortunately, it’s also a seasonal look, best suited (pun intended) for warmer climes and times:
Foremost, keep it in its season or its place. The white jacket is meant to look and be cool in hot weather. The rules aren’t as strict as Memorial Day to Labor Day anymore, but certainly not before May and not after September—unless, of course, you’re in the tropics or in the southern hemisphere. Martin Nicholls,
Alfred Dunhill’s bespoke tailor and award winner for suiting Oscar-going stars (see Made for You, page 240), even suggests it looks best in the casbah, at the country club, along the shore or on a cruise—anywhere but the city. ~ CigarAficionado
The Alternative:
Black tux and bow tie
What do you think? Would it be inappropriate for my groom and his frat pack to sport white dinner jackets in early October, or is the look just too swell to pass up?
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Share this post: “Agnes, Did You See What The Groomsmen Were Wearing?”
It looks too good to pass up! It really completes the look that you’re going for!
It’s just too swell!!! 
Don’t pass it up!
Do it, do it!
We did black jackets, bow ties, no cumerbunds, and black suspenders for the GMs.
The groom wore white suspenders. He kept is jacket on all night long. So classy!
As easy as it is to be swayed by the fashion advice of the times, I say go with your gut. This is almost a “themed” wedding, with a specific look in mind. I think that with this in mind you could totally get away with it, and look great doing it. What matters more to you, the fact that if you submitted your wedding pictures to an oscar fashion guru he would shun your look, or that you’ll look back on your wedding pictures and think how divine and cohesive your wedding look was? I say, do what you like best, and ignore any opinions to the contrary! My own groom is wearing light grey slacks with a white shirt (no tie or jacket!) and “british tan” belt and shoes to our afternoon Texas wedding this Saturday, and feels great and fashion forward! Would he pass the fashion norm guidelines? Definitely not. But he’s sure going to look sharp in my eyes, and on my wedding day, isn’t that all that really matters?
Come on now, your bias is glaring. Don’t give us Bogart and Sean Connery and then ask if Pierce Brosnan is OK… he’s not. He’s not even in the same SPORT, let alone the same league… if you wanted the black tux you would have shown us Daniel Craig.
What time of day is your ceremony? If it’s in the midafternoon, you could get away with the white jacket, I think.
But then again, if you both want the white jacket look, just go for it. It’s your wedding, not Cigar Aficionado’s. 
I agree with you; there is nothing classier than a white jacket and black bowtie! What about white jacket for your Mister and black for the groomsmen?
Go for it! Seriously, the look is too debonair to give up just because of the month of the wedding. YOu should do it!
“The rules aren’t as strict as Memorial Day to Labor Day anymore, but certainly not before May and not after September”
But October is so close to September! Besides, if the bride can wear white all year around, I think that this should apply to the groom, as well.
I agree with Miss Gingerbread - October IS so close to September. In fact, it’s so close that you kind of have to do it.
Also, I have to tell you that Mr. Shortcake looks eerily like the super cute guy in “Don’t Tell Mom The Babysitter’s Dead.”
Well said Miss GB about women wearing white year round. None of us scoff at wearing white bridal shoes, no matter what time of year our wedding is- so go for it!
Who care what other people say about when it’s appropriate to wear white - just do it if you like it!!! (It does look good!)
Sorry I am going to be the one dissenter. I think white jackets can look incredible in warmer weather or tropical locations. However, in October in most US locations it is more likely to look like a Halloween costume than formal attire. Go for the black tux, it is just as elegant and always appropriate. Of course if you are getting married somewhere like Miami where the weather will still be humid, flowers will still be in bloom, and palm trees about, go with the white jackets for all means.
Well this wedding took place in January but it was in fact in the tropics (Cartagena). Love the look. Here is the link:
http://teamsugar.com/group/980994/blog/1067445
I say go for it!!! October is so close to Sept. You are within the guidelines. It goes with your theme and you’ll probably regret it if you don’t:) Beefcake will look very debonair!
I would take a pass on it in October.
Very dashing! The white jacket is fabulous - ANY time of year!
I’m going to somewhat dissent. I think all party attire should match the time, location, and formaility of the event and If it were October in Miami or the tropics then that’s one thing, but October in Vancouver doesn’t really call for a white jacket.
I go to a lot of formal events so that would definitley stick out as “odd” to me if I saw it. Like seeing a morning suit at an evening wedding or something.
That being said I”m sure most of your guests don’t know the rules on proper attire so if it pleases you then what the heck. The fashion police won’t shut your wedding down.
Shortie, I say have the man wear what will make your heart flutter when you are walking down the aisle toward him.
No one will think about the “rules” they’ll just think how awesome everyone looks !
I would think about it this way… Which will you feel more strongly:
a) regret at giving up your vision and skipping the dinner jackets?
OR
b) embarassment when you overhear someone pointing out that it’s too late in the year for dinner jackets?
I did find this quote on the last page of an article about dinner jackets in contemporary Hollywood:
The coat’s newfound versatility means that men may be wearing them even after the traditional Labor Day cutoff for white clothing. Menswear designer Thom Browne’s fall 2006 collection comprises three white dinner jackets, made of pleated silk, cashmere flannel, and perforated paper and costing $8,000, $4,000, and $3,630, respectively. “I don’t really follow the rules,” Mr. Browne said. (http://www.nysun.com/article/34684?page_no=1)
So, just put them in perforated paper jackets and tell ol’ Agnes to take it up with Thom!
I was at a celebrity charity event in NYC 2 weeks ago and the host — who is a well-known celeb — wore a white dinner jacket with black pants and black bow tie. He looked smashing, and it never occurred to me that it was out of season AND, according to cigar afficianado, inappropriate for the city. Go for it! Esp since your gals are wearing pink — another non-traditional color for fall.
Pleaseeeeeeee at this point do any of us follow the fashion rules anymore???? I say if you can’t make a statement at your own wedding than when can you??? And if the girls are in pink!!! OMG it will be a wonderful combo!!
PS– I have seen plenty of white jackets year round!! Think Black and White balls?????
It’s your wedding, and if that’s what you like, I say go for it!
As they say, rules are meant to be broken
Ms. Shortcake, first of all, the white suits are FANTASTICLYAMAZINGLYSTUNNINGLYBEAUTIFULLY
~PERFECT~
and secondly, them weird fashion folks keep telling us that fashion is about pushing the limits…so push them!
personally, i say its no contest!
White Jacket!
The white dinner jacket definitely goes with your theme…. I say go for it if you love it!
Mr. Cupcake really wanted to do this, but my dress is champagne and I was afraid it would make me look dirty….. plus, I love Mr. C dearly, but his is not tall like Humphry Bogart or Sean Connery and I really think the white dinner jacket look works better on tall men. Maybe I totally made that up…. but regardless, no white dinner jackets for our men. I’m sure, though, that Mr. Cupcake will bring it up at least once a week until the wedding just to piss me off
It’s like white shoes after labor day- sometimes the weather makes it seem ok…but it’s really not. Go with black dinner jackets.
I’m having the same issue - my wedding date is 9/6/2008 and I’m getting mixed feedback from people. I might settle for a tan suit with a pink and navy striped tie, but the white dinner jacket is mine and my FI first love. . .
Hmmm…that’s a tough call. I love the look and think it would be so fun. But I also think about it being October…in Canada. But dang I would so love to see it, with your retro-riffic wedding!
This is why you are my favorite bee. Just go for it!!!! We are getting married in the beginning of August, but unfortunately I don’t think it is formal enough to merit a white dinner jacket on my groom. Plus I don’t think he would go for it. ::sigh::
So yes, let me live out my wedding fantasies through you. Do it.
there was supposed to be a picture there but clearly I don’t have the HTML skills I thought I did. Here’s a URL: http://people.virginia.edu/~hrb2r/indy1.jpg
I highly doubt that any of your guests will poo-poo your white jackets when they see how well it goes with your overall theme. They will be too busy being awed by all the amazing little details and effort you have put into your wedding day that they A: won’t notice or B: won’t care about this little piece of the overall day. Meanwhile, you AND Mr. Shortcake will be happy and that is all that really matters!
[...] this is old news, but WB reader JFS, pointed out the smashing white dinner jackets worn by the groom and others at socialite Lauren Davis’ wedding in [...]
[...] I hope you’re happy, Agnes. That lovely, dreamy, steamy look won’t be conjuring up any images of martinis, shaken OR [...]
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Mrs. Shortcake, Vancouver
Age and Occupation: 24, Marketing Manager/Children's Lit Writer
Fiance's Age and Occupation: 24, Master's Student/Personal Trainer
Engagement Date: August 7, 2007
Wedding Date: October 2008
Blogging Since:
Venue: Ceremony in a historic church, tented lawn reception at a golf and country club
About Me: 1950's housewife sent to the future, reborn as crafting-obsessed, jill of all trades. I enjoy decorating, writing, baking sweet things, singing show tunes/dancing in public, wearing pearls, and knitting sweaters for my furbaby, Harvey, to chew upon. I heart pink, and believe that sparkles are the new black.
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