Tuxedo jacket designed by Sy Devore and worn by Nat King Cole in St. Louis Blues

Object Details

Description: A tuxedo jacket designed by Sy Devore and worn by Nat King Cole in his role as W.C. Handy in the Paramount Pictures produced 1958 film St. Louis Blues. The navy blue wool tuxedo jacket has knee-length tails and a black satin lapel. Six black plastic buttons, three on each side of the center front opening, are positioned on a diagonal running parallel to the lapels. These buttons are decorative only, the jacket does not close. The jacket has a wide notched lapel covered in black silk satin, with a neck band made of navy wool. There is one exterior inset breast pocket on the proper left front. The sleeves are full-length straight cut, with two decorative black plastic cuff buttons at each cuff. On the back is a black plastic button at the waist above the center seam of each tail. The tails have rounded outside edges with squared interior edge and overlap about one inch at the center back. The center seam of each tail is covered by a pressed edge of the wool, which is stitched down at the top and bottom where the tail is attached at the waist and to the lining.; The jacket is lined in black twilled silk lining, while the sleeves are lined in ivory silk lining. There are two inset pockets on the interior, one at each breast. There is a hanger loop of black lining fabric at the center back of the neck.

Credit Line: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture

September 30, 1957

Restrictions & Rights: No Known Copyright Restrictions; Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.

Medium: wool and silk with plastic buttons
Dimensions: H x W x D (Flat): 48 × 24 1/2 × 3 3/4 in. (121.9 × 62.2 × 9.5 cm)

Place made: Studio City, California, United States, North and Central America

See more items in: National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
Classification: Clothing - Fashion and Historical; Clothing - Costume

National Museum of African American History and Culture

Topic: African American; Blues (Music); Clothing and dress; Costume; Costume design; Design; Fashion; Film; Men; Musical films

GUID (Link to Original Record): http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/fd563dec275-ccde-415d-a98f-9075ab2ade83