As we packed for our trip to D.C. and all the inauguration festivities, my wife couldn’t help but roll her eyes as I packed something special for the Alaska Ball. The small gathering — which ended up being our favorite event of the weekend — had the distinct honor of being both black tie, and scheduled for 3:00 in the afternoon. 

So what did I pack for the occasion? 
A Morning Suit, of course. Because yes, dammit, I own a morning suit and I think it’s high time they should come back in style. 
This particular cut of tuxedo is a tailcoat with a swoop across the front and is specifically designed for formal events during daylight hours. The average American only sees them worn by British royalty or possibly at the Kentucky Derby. In today’s America, a place where Senator John Fetterman and “Jeff Bezo’s Fiance” choices exist, is too casual a space for a morning suit. 
A formal event during the day is rare and if it does happen, people will more readily throw on the all-purpose day or night Tuxedo — itself technically only “semi-formal” in sartorial history. Washington, D.C. however, is not a normal place. It is a place where tradition and formality still matter but tastes change with each presidential administration. 
Despite his long neckties, Donald and Melania Trump understand that fashion means something. The night of the inauguration a team of Fox News contributors turned a small segment of Sean Hannity’s coverage into an extended commentary on the glamour of both Melania Trump and Usha Vance while poor Hannity admitted he had nothing to contribute to the conversation. 
Usha and Melania were both stunning, but my dear Sean, fashion is not just about women making flashy statements. Fashion has history, depth, and meaning. 
Don’t believe fashion matters? Just ask any soldier about the rules and regulations governing uniforms. There are literal rules down to the direction of the pleats for a military cummerbund (the Army requires them pointed upward while others foll...