How to buy made to measure evening wear for men.
This is a guide to affordable luxury, and made to measure evening wear.: Black tie is a refined and iconic look synonymous with James Bond, red carpet events, proms and fine dining events. You know it’s going to be classy affaire if you’ve been invited to a black tie event. The etiquette for a black tie event is evening wear. Tuxedo jacket, white double cuff dress shirt with studs, a bow tie, and black trousers with a satin stripe dow the outside. Accessorise with pocket squares, lapel pins, a cummerbund and loafers black shoes.
Introducing Viggo London – Bespoke Eveningwear.
I recently learned about Viggo London. It is a bespoke tailors and a complete menswear brand tucked behind London’s Selfridges’ It’s a stone’s throw away from the ever famous Savile Row and minutes away from both Bond Street and Oxford Street. It boast of affordable luxury, top of the line suits with a high degree of workmanship, hand-finished details, a commitment to high end customer service and endless options for made to measure evening wear.
Where is Viggo London?
The team at Viggo London, and Phill Tarling.
Behind the unassuming red door of 1 mandeville place W1U 3AW is Viggo London’s showroom. It encapsulates the essence of a “gentlemen’s club “ and feels more like a 121 personally stylist suite in a high end department stores. It’s a warm and welcoming lounge with light streaming in through its tall window. It feels like a prestigious enviroment to build the perfect suit. Not at all stuffy!
I’ve been buying and suiting up gentlemen for over 20 years and accustomed to guiding clients into clothes that fit and flatter. I’m very much looking forward to being on the receiving side of expert advice. When I discovered their custom made 3 piece wool tuxedo was just shy or £999 I was keep to drop in and find out more about who shops here and why.
Ravi said “ we have a mix or grooms, corporate clients and gents looking for their first M2M experience… anything from tuxedos, 3 piece suits to separates. We are active and promote on social media platforms, Instagram and Facebook and also exhibit at wedding fairs..” I like their low key approach. It’s hard to make with a high impact but even from first impressions I know they are going to make a lasting impact.
When it comes to investing in bespoke, every detail is chosen, measured and precise. Nothing is left to chance and every decision is documented. I was interested in seeing how Viggo London would draw on their history of experience and innovation to simplify a complex process of constructing a suit from scratch.
Consultation.
“we offer a telephone consultation prior to the appointment, any info that the client can share with us in terms of looks, styles, occasion, venue etc.. we then prepare samples based on this. On the day we will share these with the client, also based on his body shape and personality we will recommend the most suited styles; 2 piece, 3 piece, single v double breasted, colours, prints, etc”
Building a tuxedo for a specific body shape.
Building suits for a specific body shape is possibly the best advice a man can get. It’s time and money well spend that will positively impact their future buying. Knowing why a suits fits a certain shape and how to create a visually symmetrical silhouette is life changing! Mot all men are equal in shape, but all can be equal in style.
Usually at a tailors there aren’t rails and rails of options to look at like a regular clothes shop. Also most men are visually stimulated and we shop with our eyes. I was interested to see how they would guide me through the process.
Viggo London Style Bible.
Ravi pulled out a folder.. what I can only describe as a Style Bible with an image reference for every single detail required to build a suit from the inside out. You name it there was either a picture, a texture, a button, a sample and a fabric swatch. And details are discussed in a leisurely and informative way to best suit the shape, style, budget and occasion.
Fabric choice. Do your guys know the important of fabric choice?
Ravi says “Fabric choice is very important! Not only does it influence the cost of the suit but also depending on the climate and occasion, the setting of the wedding for example, the clients body shape and personality. It’s all taken into account. Obviously we offer fabric from some of the best mills and if you are not on a specific budget then your options are endless! If you are looking for colour, texture or print and more than just the sober black, greys and navy, you’ve come to right place!”
The initial consultation process covers details such as occasion, deadlines and budgets. Their consultation suite is where the magic happens in a friendly way that makes you feel confident their expertise will deliver the brief on time and on budget.
Velvet tuxedo jacket.
Can you tell me about your velvet options? There’s a trend of choosing more flamboyant colours to match an occasion, personality or both.
Having said that, my favourite combinations are blue and black. If I invest in a tuxedo I would want it to be a timeless classic.
Ravi: We offer velvets in lots of colours! We have swatches not just in your bog standard… Sorry.. I mean Black and blue colours!! There’s a tone to match every personality!
I like to think about clothes as an extension of who we are . Adding accessories is like adding personality. It’s a top to toe visual nod and tells a story about us before we open our mouth. Also… I don’t want to look like a waiter!
Ravi: hahahah.. I agree with accessorising! With your look I wanted to finesse with some elegant cufflinks, a silk pocket square and a shiny pair of shows for a simple and refined feel. With other clients I would offer up other accessorie options like braces. We have something for everyone at ViggoLondon to add a touch of individuality.
My finished 3 piece m2m suit retails at £950
My complete look.
For my completed look I wore a blue velvet jacket with a shawl collar in the same fabric. I chose a double breasted black waist coat to match my trousers. The black on black black blank canvas effect elongates my body while keep the focus on the jacket. The classic pleated evening shirt had black dress studs instead of buttoned and a cut away collar. It’s also knows as a Marcella shirt. I choose an oversized ‘butterfly style’ black bow tie in the same fabric texture as the tuxedo jacket. It’s intelligent styling to match your bow tie with either your jacket or your collar if it’s a different fabric. When choosing a bow tie use your body as a natural size guide. Larger bow ties look proportional on a larger framed body. Because I choose a shiny slip on shoe, I wore the classic evening trousers with a strong taper and shortened to just above the shoe height to reveal a small amount of ankle. With a classic patent lace up dress shoe I would have added 3/4 of an inch to the trouser hem and worn black sock.
3 ways to wear an eveningwear jacket.
There’s always options to styling a Tux jacked. Here are 3 ways to wear a formal jacket.
- Swap out the white shirt and black bow tie for a black shirt and black tie.
- Swap out the shirt and bow tie and wear a black fine knit roll neck for a fashionable winter warning look.
- For an informal take on formal attire, wear the tuxedo jacket with a slim fit black jean and black tshirt.
Style Tip:
May be you already have a tuxedo and it’s hanging up in its dry cleaning cover. If so take it out and try it on. If your budget doesn’t stretch to a new made to measure suit, make a trip to the tailors for alterations and an overdue sharpen up instead. Check out your shoes as well. You can elevate an outfit and uplift your style by investing in a new pair of shoes.
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