Baroness Thatcher's funeral and gents formal dress

Baroness Thatcher (1925 to April 2013) was laid to rest yesterday, I am not going political, as this blog is about men's classic dress, so I will refrain from giving my opinion of Baroness Thatchers rule from 1979 to 1990. May she rest in peace.

My observation from the pictures taken at the service was that the gentlemen dignitaries attending the service could be put into two categories in regards to their choice of attire for the funeral service. The first category being the "Traditionalist" who opted for a morning dress for the services and the second category "Non-traditionalist" who opted for the usual common business suits.

Baroness Margaret Hilda Thatcher (1925 October - 2013 April), British PM 1979-1990.

Baroness Thatcher's coffin at her funeral service

Mr. Mark Thatcher and spouse. Mr. Thatcher in morning dress, a white pocket square, paired with monk shoes. Monk shoes for morning dress?

 HRH Queen Elizabeth and HRH Prince Philip (in morning coat highly shined oxfords) and a crisp white pocket square.

 PM David Cameron in morning dress attending the funeral of Baroness Thatcher, I am however missing the crisp white pocket square.

 Mr. Phillip Hammond and wife preparing to take seats at the funeral service, also here I lack the pocket square. 

Mr. Norman Tebbit attending Baroness Thatcher's funeral service

Former PM Tony Blair (left) opted for a business suit (navy blue) for the services and former PM John Major in morning dress, missing pocket square though.

Former PM Mr. Gordon Brown opted for a business suit in dark colours (navy I guess).

Photos sourced from Daily Mail UK, Standard UK, Bohomoth and Daily Telegraph AU

Gent's white attire formal dressing - Downton Abbey

I have just began following the TV series Downton Abbey (Highclere Castle), which depicts  the lives of the English aristocratic Crawley family and their servants in the post Edwardian era. My focal point being the appropriate classical, stylish gents dressing as portrayed by the TV series. 

I was impressed by the fact that Mr. Hugh Bonneville "Earl of Grantham" head of the "Crawley" house hold went to some great length to get the true sartorial white tie attire made at one Savile Row's bespoke tailors as shown below. A lot can be learned from Downton Abbey's Earl of Grantham, as how a true gent should / must dress.

For me Downton Abbey is about keeping the tradition, high standards and ....more.

This brings me to the days subject, why do men commit unforgivable sartorial sins? I am not talking of the every day Jack and Joe, for whom getting "properly" dressed will mean upgrading from jeans to a pair of baggy chinos below the buttoms and an oversized button down shirt, paired with some trainers and perhaps a tie of some sort with a Mickey Mouse motif. Nothing wrong with that, unless you are employed at Walt Disney. No, I am referring  to some men of International power who have the means and the aides to be very elegantly and sartorially dressed. But .....

Mr. Hugh Bonneville as Earl of Grantham (here being suited properly by one of Savile Row's tailors) for the Downton Abbey series. Well done Earl of Grantham.

The Earl of Grantham in a bespoke white tie suiting from one the SR tailors.

HRH Prince Philip in white attire, very correctly done as always.

The Sartorial sin of white attire committed by President Barack Obama & former USA President George W. Bush Jr. 
First, note that Mr. Barack Obama is in a white attire ensamble, however his waistecoat is a tad longer than the tail coat, that is one sartorial sin, but when paired with the second sin as shown below in the next picture, the scene is disastrous. 

White tie attire worn with a down collar shirt. Hmmm, wonder were are all those White House advisors, protocol managers etc. This is not suppose to happen. But.... not to mention that the tail coat looks a wink oversized by judging by the stance at the back of the neck.  The shirt has no studs but normal buttons. Too many sins for an evening. President Obama can definitely afford a bespoke white tie attire ensemble. 

Below is ex US President Mr. George W Bush Jr. committing the same sartorial sins as Mr. Barack Obama above.

Well, it is not only the American powerful men that commits sartorial sins but the Prime Minister of the UK, Mr. David Cameron pulled the same trick of having the waistcoat a tad longer than the tail coat, but otherwise he was looking very dapper for the occasion. 

Photos sourced from Savilerow Tumblr,NY times, George W Bush White House Archives and MSNBC, Daily Mail UK and The Gentleman's Gazette