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Next Event: May 27 - 28, 2023 10am-5pm both daysRandolph Street Market 1341 W Randolph St, Chicago
The Tuxedo and Le Smoking

Fashion… Always Classic… Always New! The Tuxedo and Le Smoking

FASHION TREND REPORT EXCLUSIVELY FOR RANDOLPH STREET MARKET BY NENA IVON, nenasnotes

“For a woman, Le Smoking is an indispensable garment with which she finds continually in fashion because it is about style, not fashion. Fashion comes and goes, but style is forever.” – Yves Saint Laurent

It is my feeling, that nothing is sexier than a woman in a tuxedo! Men always complain that they don’t want to put on their tuxedos I don’t know why they all look handsome in them! Perhaps now that the pandemic, is hopefully, losing its gripe on our lives we will see the return of dressing up for our evenings on the town.

Let’s take a trip back in time and see where the tuxedo began and actually what we think of as very modern, androgyny, appeared.

The Tuxedo and Le Smoking

The Tuxedo Club in Tuxedo Park, New York where, supposedly at the first annual Autumn Ball in 1886, the first tuxedos in America were seen. Several men wearing them had visited England, impressed by the Prince of Wales, they also ordered the new style jacket from Henry Poole & Co. The garment actually dates back to 1865 Edward VII, then the Prince of Wales, wanted a more comfortable jacket instead of the very formal tails.

The Tuxedo and Le Smoking

The Prince of Wales

“1865, the Prince of Wales and future King Edward VII (known to his family and friends as Bertie) asked his tailor and friend Henry Poole to cut a short coat he could wear at informal dinners at Sandringham. Henry Poole accordingly shortened the traditional tailcoat and presented the evening jacket to the Prince of Wales in celestial blue. There is no earlier reference to any similar garment in either the historic Henry Poole & Co. ledgers dating back to 1846, or in the surviving ledgers of any other tailor or period illustration. So the British dinner jacket or DJ was born.” Taken from the Henry Poole & Co. website. The company, which was founded in 1806 , Is still in business today.

The first documented woman wearing men’s evening attire was the stage actress/singer, Vesta Tilley, the highest paid woman in Britain in the late Victorian era, she played many characters but her most famous roles had her dressed in men’s formal wear…you might enjoy this clip.

The Tuxedo and Le Smoking
Vesta Tilley

Let’s look at some tuxedos on women and men through the years…

The Tuxedo and Le Smoking

Josephine Baker, American entertainer, a phenomenal hit in France pictured in the Mid-1920’s. There is a brand new biography about her amazing life, Agent Josephine, it is quite a story…there are several books on her check out the books at Randolph Street Market to find old volumes on so many topics.

The Tuxedo and Le Smoking

Marlene Dietrich, basically the woman who started it all, in the 1930 film “Morocco”, again many books on her…keep your eyes open.

The Tuxedo and Le Smoking

Madonna’s interpretation of Dietrich.

The Tuxedo and Le Smoking

Fred Astaire’s major influence….always in top hat, white tie and tails or a tuxedo in every movie he appeared in….next to him a current runway shot of a men’s tux note the brooches another trend, jewelry on men, to consider.

The Tuxedo and Le Smoking

The Duke of Windsor, we all recognize, considered one of the best dresses men ever!!!

The Tuxedo and Le Smoking

Two of the most glamourous movie stars ever, showing us how to wear a tuxedo….Clark Gable and Cary Grant.

The Tuxedo and Le Smoking

Bond…James Bond…

The Tuxedo and Le Smoking

The one and only Judy Garland!

The Tuxedo and Le Smoking

First YSL tuxedo, Le Smoking 1966

In his Autumn-Winter 1966 collection, Yves Saint Laurent introduced his most iconic piece: the tuxedo, Le Smoking. Why Le Smoking, Because the original men’s tuxedo was meant to be worn in a smoking room after a formal dinner to protect the clothing from the smell of cigars, Saint Laurent’s tuxedo was, of course, fashioned for the female body.

Saint Laurent’s tuxedo seemed to be ahead of its time and was initially not popular with his haute couture clients. The Saint Laurent rive gauche version was, however, a success with its younger client. Le Smoking was included in each of his collections until his retirement in 2002. His last show’s finale was a parade of Le Smoking. It is still included in each Saint Laurent Collection.

The Tuxedo and Le Smoking

Yves Saint Laurent with Catherine Deneuve a very close friend and client

The Tuxedo and Le Smoking

With his muse, Betty Cartoux…he called her his “twin”.

The Tuxedo and Le Smoking

1975 Helmut Newton’s famous photograph for Vogue

The Tuxedo and Le Smoking

2002 Yves Saint Last Fashion Show finale

The Tuxedo and Le Smoking

Julie Andrews in the 1982 film “Victor, Victoria” in white tie and tails

And for modern times….some suggestions on how to style your tuxedo….

The Tuxedo and Le Smoking
The Tuxedo and Le Smoking

Brigetti Bardot

The Tuxedo and Le Smoking

Diane Keaton….

The Tuxedo and Le Smoking

The Tuxedo and Le Smoking

Rihanna

The Tuxedo and Le Smoking

The Tuxedo and Le Smoking

The Tuxedo and Le Smoking

And just for fun from Viktor&Rolf…..

The Tuxedo and Le Smoking

Ralph and Ricky Lauren then…..

The Tuxedo and Le Smoking

And now….

The Tuxedo and Le Smoking

Ralph, doing a tux his way! Love this look

And then we have Billy Porter…..doing it HIS way….what could be more modern!

The Tuxedo and Le Smoking

The Tuxedo and Le Smoking

And back to YSL and Le Smoking….what tuxedo treasure shall you find at the Randolph Street Market….the possibilities are endless as well as timeless! Find a fabulous vintage tuxedo jacket, have it tailored to your form and enjoy it….remember the best way to achieve sustainability in clothing is to recycle, update and feel good that you are helping the planet! What is the best place to achieve this….Randolph Street Market, of course!

The Tuxedo and Le Smoking

All photos found on Pinterest, photo credits unknown unless other wise mentioned.

—–
by Nena Ivon
www.nenasnotes.com

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fashion Prince of Wales randolph street market Rihanna trends Tuxedo vintage

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Jan 31

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🎺🥳🎊We are THRILLED to share that we are celebrating TWENTY YEARS this year! Join us for the first Randolph Street Market of 2023 on May 27+28!! Mark your calendars and do a happy dance because this 2️⃣0️⃣-year milestone will be our biggest celebration yet!!! Prepare to be WOW’d by the fun and excitement of one of the country’s best-loved treasure hunt and entertainment extravaganzas right in the heart❤️ of the West Loop!!

LET’S CELEBRATE, LET’S SHOP, LET’S MAKE MEMORIES!! 🙌 Spread the word and tag your art, antique, fashion, decor-lovin’ friends below!

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🥰🥳 BEAUTIFUL SUN-SHINE PEOPLE ALERT!! Can’t wait to get back to the people watching at Randolph, second to none 🗣🗣🗣 And check out Courtney & David’s treasure hunt duds, second-hand statement making. BE UNIQUE in 2023!! @cortneyhall @sanchanisto #TuesdayTwosomes #RSMsummer #fleamarketstyle

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🌞👙🍉😎 LET THE SUN SHINE!! We’re ready to get back to sunny days with friends at the Randolph Street Market 😎😎😎🛍🛍🛍 #fridayflashback #chicagosummer #brightdaysahead #vintagestyle #Randolph2023 #ipreview via @preview.app

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🥳🍾🙏🥳🍾🙏🥳🍾🙏 HAPPY NEW YEAR & EPIPHANY, let your spirit guide you to a life of peace and spiritual prosperity. Keep collecting friends and gathering mementos of your lives well lived. Stay close to your passions!!
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We are looking forward to a year filled with new friends and even more fun— and Memorial Day Weekend 2023 come pop the champagne & celebrate the 20year anniversary of our first market on Randolph Street!! Wise words of the day: to follow your dreams you must persevere! You can lay in bed for days if you need it, you can take mental health breaks, you can fall down and be out but get back to your goals, you know what you want but only you can get it for you! Make it happen, don’t give up!! 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼📢📢📢📢

#newyearnewyou2023 #epiphanies #yesyoucan #champagnecollectibles #vintagemoet #moetchandon #smokingcollectibles #smokingmemorabilia #vintagecigaretteholder #bestvintagefleayoueverwillsee
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