Tuxedo jacket worn by Ray Charles

Source catalog description

This description refers to material held by Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture. Visual details below describe the original material.

Single-breasted tuxedo jacket made of cornflower blue and gold metallic brocade synthetic fiber in a floral vine design worn by Ray Charles while performing at Wrestlemania 2 in New York on August 7, 1986. The jacket is detailed with black moire synthetic fiber on the knotched lapel and on flaps on each front side waist that mimic pockets (there are no exterior pockets). The jacket has full-length straight sleeves with faux slit cuffs and three decorative black plastic buttons at each cuff. The jacket closes at the center front with one black plastic button front closure. It has a double-vented back and rounded corners at each front side opening. The black moire fabric continues along the center front opening to the hem. The rest of the jacket is lined in ivory twill synthetic, including full sleeve lining. The underside of the collar is lined in dark blue felt.

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