UTTER RANDOMNESS

Cotton isn’t used much in tailored clothing because it’s not a very strong fiber compared to wool, linen or silk. Because it isn’t going to last as long, it’s typically not worth the tailor’s effort and expense of making into a structured suit or sports coat. Nevertheless, that’s what Roger Moore wears here and it keeps him cool in Cairo. It’s a structured sports coat made with a canvassed front, shoulder padding, and sleevehead wadding. The coat has swelled edges all over to reinforce the garment. Shoulder epaulette straps bring this into safari jacket territory, though it’s more of a sports coat with safari jacket features, like a belted back with a deep single vent, belted sleeves, and patch hip pockets with flaps. The set-in breast pocket also has a flap. The brown buttons are not horn, but probably made from the Tagua nut which comes from the seed of a tropical palm and is similar to ivory. It’s a commonly used material for buttons and goes especially well with the safari jacket look.

The stone-coloured trousers have a flat front, flared leg and no belt. Bond’s blue chambray cotton shirt has a long point collar and tab cuffs. The tie has stripes in the American right-shoulder-to-left-hip direction in light blue, dark blue, white and red. It is tied with a double-four-in-hand knot, recognizable by it’s long shape. Bond’ socks are beige. The shoes are light brown suede horse-bit moccasins with a tall heel, probably made by Gucci.

- http://thesuitsofjamesbond.com/?p=129

Roger Moore is well known for his casual safari clothing. I’ll never understand why some people insist on comparing these clothes to leisure suits when they are rooted in traditional safari clothes. They are also quite appropriate for the hot weather in Thailand. The light olive linen (or linen and cotton blend) safari shirt-jacket is a cross between a shirt and a jacket. It is constructed like a shirt without a lining or interfacings, but it is worn out like a jacket and has many features are more often found on jackets than shirts. It has a 4-button front with a camp collar, a belted back and long side vents. It has traditional safari jacket features such as epaulette straps and box-pleat patch pockets with flaps. The buttons are mother of pearl. Moore wears the sleeves rolled up to just below the elbow. This piece was made by Moore’s shirtmaker, Frank Foster.

The beige trousers have a flat front with a flared leg. The material may be tropical wool, linen, silk, or some combination of the three. Bond’s ribbed socks match the trousers. His shoes are brown low-vamp, tassel slip-ons.

- http://thesuitsofjamesbond.com/?p=136

Now that the prom and soiree season is upon us, there seems to be a lot of confusion in the definitions of clothing formality. I’ve heard a lot of misused terms both in everyday life and bandied about on internet forums and chat rooms. A suit is called anything from “business dress” to “semi-formal” or “formal.” Some people even call a blazer and chinos semi-formal!

To try to clear things up, here are the definitions from most to least formal. I’ll try not to be too wordy here.

Formal: During the day, a morning coat. At night (after 6pm), white tie. In both cases, a “pecherada” Barong Tagalog with French Cuffs (the basic Barong that takes cufflinks) or a chino-collared Barong (the same model worn by former Pres. Ferdinand Marcos to his 1981 inaugural) will also suffice.

Semi-Formal: During the day, a stroller. At night, black tie. In both cases, the regular “pecherada” Barong Tagalog or a Polo Barong (the “gusot mayaman” kind) will also suffice.

Informal: A suit and tie. This is the same as “business/corporate dress” or “cocktail attire”. Outside the office or at more artistic places of employment, one is generally free to express a little more individuality in their patterns, colours, and accessories.

Casual: This is NOT to be confused with the above. Technically, sport coat and tie or a little below falls into this category. “Business Casual” originally meant the former, though the term has been grossly misappropriated in the last two decades to include jeans, t-shirts, and sneakers.

Understandably, some clothing aficionados want to differentiate anything involving the aforementioned items as “streetwear” or “ultra-casual” given the alarming rise in these items worn anywhere from fine restaurants to funerals.

Worse comes to worst, just ask your host or employer exactly what they mean. They usually wouldn’t - and shouldn’t - mind explaining.