Fashionpedia: Smoking Jacket

The Smoking Jacket:

Roosevelt Lounging or Smoking Jacket: Circa 1901-1909

There are many variations of the smoking jacket, key features of this garment are:

• Constructed our of silk, velvet or both
• Shawl collar
• Turned up cuffs

Historically, the smoking jacket was fastened with a toggle, as this icon evolved it nowadays is fastened with a large variety of fastenings. 

In the 1850s, the Gentlemen's Magazine of London defined the smoking jacket as a 

"kind of short robe de chambre, of velvet, cashmere, plush, merino or printed flannel, lined with bright colours, ornamented with brandenbourgs, olives or large buttons."[1]

The Origin of the Smoking Jacket

In 17th Century, Europe began to import spices, coffee, silks and tobacco from exotic regions of the world.  In this period it became classical to be depicted wearing a silk robe de chambre or typically referred to as a dressing gown.

Map of Europe 17th Century

Birth of the Smoking Jacket

A simple equation can explain how the Smoking Jacket was invented.  The formula behind the equation (illustrated below) involves:

• a dressing gown;
• silk;
• cigars; and
• a man.

The combination of all four ingredients were used to create this fashion icon.

Use throughout the 20th Century

Historically the Smoking Jacket was developed to form functional needs. 

these needs included:

• Social Needs  
• Environmental Needs 

The short smoking jacket soon evolved from these silk garments.  According to menswear historian G. Bruce Boyer, the Crimean War (1853-1856) made Turkish tobacco abundant in England. The popularity of smoking spiked. After dining, gentlemen would retire to a den or smoking room and don a smoking jacket. The jacket absorbed the odors of pipes or cigars and protected a man's suits and shirts from ash.

In more recent times, due to the rise of Playboy tycoon  Hugh Hefner during the late 1960's the smoking jacket became more of a sex icon than ever before.

Until 1966 the famous smoking jacket was only seen as a men's garment. Until Yves Saint Laurent,created the Le Smoking tuxedo suit for women was the first of its kind to earn attention in the fashion world and in popular culture. It pioneered long, minimalist, androgynous styles for women, as well as the use of power suits and the pantsuit in modern-day society. Yves Saint-Laurent was seen by many as having empowered women by giving them the option to wear clothes that were normally worn by men with influence and power.

YSL Le Smoking Tuxedo Photograph Helmut Newtown

The smoking jacket is now a signature essential in many designers'runway collections. Design houses such as

Tom Ford, Gucci and many others include the smoking jacket each season.