The Smoking Jacket: A tribute to your favorite pastime

The Smoking Jacket: A tribute to your favorite pastime
9 March 2023

This interesting item of the gentleman's wardrobe was extremely popular in the 17th century until the 1950s, but has suffered a significant loss of popularity to date. People who wear it today can be spotted on rare occasions at special gatherings, balls, celebrity events, etc.

 

The main reason for the invention of the smoking jacket was the desire to prevent the gentleman's clothes from absorbing the smell of smoking. The origin comes from the French word robe-de-chambre, the name of the dressing gowns those wealthy gentlemen wore in the evening before going to bed. According to the fashion of the time, dressing gowns were made of expensive fabrics such as plush wool, cotton satin, velvet, or silk.

 

The function of the smoking jacket remained largely unchanged in Victorian society until it underwent another evolution, thanks to Albert Edward, Prince of Wales and future King Edward VII. The garment remained popular until 1950. In the following decades, society's interest in smoking and wearing a smoking jacket decreased. The most famous devotees of the jacket from the middle of the 20th century were Fred Astaire, Frank Sinatra, Cary Grant, and Dean Martin.

 

The only famous person who does not take off his tuxedo jacket all the way is Playboy mogul Hugh Hefner.

 

The wearing of smoking jackets is gaining significant popularity among military personnel who have been sent to missions in Afghanistan and Iraq. It is there that new cigar clubs are founded and the culture of cigar smoking, building new club traditions, holding raffles is really developed. It was a treat for the eyes to see the members of the Coalition Cigar Club (C3) - Kabul, who at least once a month visited the clubhouse wearing smoking jackets.

 

Traditionally, the jacket is made of expensive materials, often with colors and decorations that are not seen in public. Most members proudly embroidered the C3 logo on the lapel, often with an additional slogan and logo of their own military unit. The club has established itself over the years as the most up-to-date social place in the N-HKIA base.

 

The article is prepared with respect to the activities of the founders of the Coalition Cigar Club - HKIA, Kabul, Afghanistan. (AR, PC, JD-JW, GE, HB, GJS, BO, GV, JL, and many more).

 

 

Based on material from Gentlemansgazette and Cigaraficionado.

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