cannot be verified through independent sources. Period newspaper accounts indicate that at first the jacket was worn by young mavericks to gatherings considered strictly formal. This led the American establishment to reject it out of hand. It was only by 1888 that polite society accepted its role solely as summer and informal evening substitute, at which point it became very popular.

20th century changes

The earliest dinner jackets were of the same black material as the dress coat with one, two, or no buttons, and a shawl collar

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