“You can have any colour you want, as long as it’s black,” said Henry Ford about his Model T cars back in 1909.

Snooker players will have a similar choice throughout this season’s Home Nations series.

World Snooker has joined forces with renowned clothing firm Hawes & Curtis to create a new dress code for the four Home Nations events, starting with this month’s 19.com English Open.

All 128 players will wear black tailored long-sleeved shirts together with black or dark tailored trousers.

Snooker’s traditional attire of waistcoats and bow ties has been dropped for this series.

World Snooker Chairman Barry Hearn said: “The new dress code for the Home Nations events will help the series become distinctive and develop a unique identity.

“We know that waistcoats and bow ties are closely associated with the traditions of our sport and we have no plans to change the dress code for the majority of our key events.

“But we have decided to make this change for the Home Nations and we hope the black shirts will be stylish and practical for the players.

“We’re thrilled to be working with Hawes & Curtis and we’re delighted with the product they have designed.”

Hawes & Curtis is a London-based firm established in 1913 with the intention of creating high quality, exclusive clothing. Hawes & Curtis has been acclaimed by royalty and aristocracy alike; most famously by the Duke of Windsor and Earl Mountbatten.

Hawes & Curtis CEO Touker Suleyman said: “This is a fantastic opportunity to support World Snooker and we are delighted to provide the new distinctive dress code for the Home Nations event. Since 1913, Hawes & Curtis has dressed the best, including royalty and Hollywood stars. Today we are very proud to dress all 128 top snooker players in our formal wear.”

The Home Nations events are

19.com English Open, Crawley, October 14th to 20th, 2019

19.com Northern Ireland Open, Belfast, November 11th to 17th, 2019

19.com Scottish Open, Glasgow, December 9th to 15th, 2019

ManBetX Welsh Open, Cardiff, February 10th to 16th, 2020

All four events will be televised on Eurosport and Quest and there is a £1 million bonus for any player who can win all four.

Tickets are on sale now – for details click here

About Hawes & Curtis

Hawes & Curtis is a quintessentially British brand specialising in fine tailoring and accessories for men and women. Founded in 1913 by Ralph Hawes and George Frederick Curtis, the brand continues to deliver the promise of exceptional quality, innovation and outstanding value.

Hawes & Curtis opened its first store in the Piccadilly Arcade and has had many distinguished clients through its doors, including the Duke of Windsor, Lord Mountbatten and Fred Astaire.

As a result of Hawes & Curtis’ commitment to impeccable service and product excellence, the brand has been awarded four Royal Warrants. Hawes & Curtis operates more than 20 stores in the UK and a store in Germany. The flagship store remains on London’s Jermyn Street, famous for its resident shirtmakers. Visit www.hawesandcurtis.co.uk