Welcome to Jacket’s Required, hello, I’m Dominic Lacquaniti, designer and tailor.
In this week’s episode of Jackets Required we are going to take a look at the classic gentlemen’s smoking jacket.
Smoking jackets evolved in the 17th century as a way to protect the limited good wardrobe pieces men had from the smell of smoke.
As time progressed we saw this wardrobe piece evolve from one of necessity, to one of status and elegance. The gentleman of the house used to don his dressing gown or smoking jacket only in the privacy of his master suite where most servants and staff were not permitted while it was occupied.
As history marched on, icons such as Hugh Heffner and Frank Sinatra brought the smoking jacket back into the spotlight, wearing them publicly. ‘Old blue eyes’ was actually laid to rest in his favorite smoking jacket, that’s how much he loved it.
So the question to you, today, since we live in the “P.C.” health-conscious world of no smoking is - is it really in-style to have your own custom smoking jacket?
My answer is simple, yes.
History is always in style.
The classic smoking jacket is mid-thigh length, made of velvet, has a quilted shawl collar, turned up cuffs, an ornate tie belt with tassels or more sturdy frog fasteners, with 3 pockets on the outside and one on the inside - your preference on which to reserve for your cigars of course.
It is a roomier cut and has no vents in the back typically.
You can alter the fabric and other elements of a smoking jacket to modernize it, but it’s worth noting that velvet is still the best fabric to protect your clothing from the smell of smoke.
Want to enjoy a bit of old world panache? Let us create a custom smoking jacket for you - the options to tailor it to be your favorite thing to wear are endless.
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Share with your stylish, and style-challenged friends, and be sure to let me know if you have a specific question or topic you’d like to see in the series.
Thanks for watching. See you next week. Remember, looking good is between you and your tailor…
Ciao
www.roccostailor.com
video produced by:
www.guerillamedia.tv