THE INSTANT EVENINGWEAR TRICK EVERY MAN CAN TRY
Look closely at Baftas’ best-dressed and there are a few neat styling tips you can copy, says Stephen Doig
Sometimes “fashion speak” comes up with something so incredulous that it’s worth a second look, no matter how ridiculous it sounds. We’ve had “athleisurewear”, that term to describe luxe sports attire, and we’ve had “scumbro”, a term for millennials who wear dishevelled but carefully chosen things. And now we have “air tie”, which sounds like something Apple might propose, but in fact it’s terminology for not wearing a tie. Or rather, wearing formal suiting, with a shirt that’s done up properly, but without a tie. It’s a styling flourish that was evident on the red carpet of the Baftas this week on Timothée Chalamet or Riz Ahmed. While much of the attention was trained on the gowns and glittering jewels, the boys didn’t do half bad. Red-carpet dressing has evolved in spades in recent years as men become more confident with (and curious about) exploring different facets of dress-up. In the Eighties and Nineties, Giorgio Armani owned the territory of red-carpet style and the modus operandi veered towards classic and traditional (and there’s nothing wrong with that).
But today, it’s evident that there’s a greater sense of adventure and a pleasure and enjoyment of dressing up – see Chalamet in a vivid printed tuxedo and having fun wearing an embroidered Louis Vuitton harness at the Golden Globes.
While most of us don’t get the opportunity to put on the ritz to such an extent, we British men would do well to take a few pointers from all this exuberance: all too often in formal sartorial set-ups we can seem a little embarrassed and apologetic. Despite the silly name, perhaps the “air tie” has mileage; it’s a halfway point between formal and informal but still gives the structure of a proper shirt and jacket, without the done-up element of a tie.
While these pages would normally shy away from jewellery for men bar the odd signet ring, a lapel pin (or even an heirloom brooch) can add oomph and ceremony to a blazer, and draws on the traditions of military adornment.
And opting for shoes with more substance – especially in winter – can add a masculine element to a formal tuxedo. The same applies to stately boots instead of evening slippers (although kudos to the Duke of Cambridge for sticking by his Arthur Sleep velvet slippers at the Baftas). Alongside the theatrics, old school tuxedo suiting – on the likes of Bodyguard star Richard Madden and Bradley Cooper – never fails to look the part. Pay attention to detail – opt for a lustrous velvet, for example, and keep proportions nipped-in and fitted to your fame to avoid the whiff of a rental tux. You’ll be camera-ready in no time.