Black Tie optional events...

[MagistrateChris]

I've been invited to a "black tie optional" event, and would truly prefer to wear one of my good suits than rent a tux, due to timing issues on the day of the event, the day after, etc. The question I have is what guidelines I need to work with for this kind of event. I know a dark suit is probably my best choice, so I'm leaning towards either black, charcoal grey, or navy. I'm assuming a white shirt is probably the best choice, with a tie co-ordinated to the suit. Any suggestions? This is my first such event since I enterred the political arena, and I'd prefer to be known afterwards as anything other than "the guy who didn't dress appropriately."

 

[Mark from Plano]

I'd prefer to be known afterwards as anything other than "the guy who didn't dress appropriately."

I'm one that's always going to encourage people to wear black tie to black tie optional events (see my avatar ). It just raises the elegance level, you'll look better and depending on the type of event you'll show the host that you know what you're doing (sometimes important in politics). However it appears that you've ruled out that option, so...

What you've outlined appears about right to me. Dark suit, white shirt, coordinating tie. The only thing I'd counsel is to select something other than a pinstriped suit. Pinstripes are for business and aren't (IMHO) the best choice for an event like this. Solid or a muted check would be the best choices, in that order.

Black oxford shoes and belt (or even better, braces if you're trousers have buttons...no clip ons, ever). I'd also consider a white linen pocket square to finish out the look. Simple TV fold will be best and least conspicous.

 

[CharlestonBows]

May it please the court...

+1 to the above from Mark.

Black suit, with a white shirt. White linen subtly in the pocket. Dark tie to match, maybe in a satin solid if you have it. If you must have a pattern, make it a very small one.

-- CB

 

[Feraud]

If you buy a black suit be willing to wear it again. Some people have issues with the color and you should not waste the money for a one time wear.

 

[CharlestonBows]

If you buy a black suit be willing to wear it again. Some people have issues with the color and you should not waste the money for a one time wear.

I was under the assumption that he had one. I mean, a judge DOES wear black!

But Feraud is correct. I personally like the black suit. If you're going to be going to other evening social events (not necessarily BTO), then it'd probably serve you well. But that's another thread.

 

[dhermann1]

Black suits are for undertakers and chauffeurs. Wear a nice conservative dark suit and a nice silk tie. I was at a swanky event at the Waldorf Astoria in NY last year, and maybe 40% of the men were in tuxes, the rest in dark business suits. It was a weeknight event, so tux was difficult or impossible for a lot of the men attending. Nobody looked out of place.
Wear a tab collar, not button down, and French cuffs would be nice,if you have cuff links. I suggest having some fun picking the best power tie you can find for the event. There are various color fads from time to time, but the redder the tie, the more alpha male you'll be.
And shoes: nothing wrong with wing tips, but cap toes are a little dressier.
P.S. Check the "Do you own a tux" thread. There's a lot to be said for getting yourself a tux. If you wear it once every two years, it pays for itself. Plus you'll have better style and fit.

 

[dhermann1]

OK, I just read the whole "Black Suit" thread. My mind has been slightly opened, but I'm still not convinced. I'd like to see what opinions are held by some of our other more sartorially aware members.

 

[CharlestonBows]

Will, a member here, who has a blog, A Suitable Wardrobe, has an excellent post on this subject.

A selection...

"Know that a black suit worn during the day has been controversial and ideally to be avoided since the lounge/business suit replaced earlier forms of day wear. Charcoal and navy blue are preferred. The place for black is at night.

[...]

I'd rather you wore something else during the day, but if you can't get home to change for the evening, a black suit can work for you from morning to night. Bring some cologne and a night-time top or shirt and necktie in your briefcase so you can transform yourself quickly at the office. It's not cool to wear exactly the same clothes that you wore all day.

Once the sun sets the black suit is in its element."


Good stuff, Will has.

 

[Tomasso]

First of all, I hate these Black Tie Optional events and refuse to attend wearing a DJ even though I have three of them.

I generally wear a solid charcoal grey suit, like below, with a white shirt and grey or silver tie.

I'd advise against a black suit (nothing personal as I have one myself) lest someone think you were trying to pass it off as a DJ.

 

[MagistrateChris]

Thanks to all. I do own a black suit, double-breasted two button, which I've worn primarily for nightlife activities. My reason for passing on the tux is that I have to leave town the next morning early, long before any of the renal places are opened. And, yes I do have friends that would probably take care of a tux for me, I'd rather not ask. Additionally, and a new bit of information for you all, I had an opportunity today to look through a photo album from last year's event. I'd estimate that of the 50 men in attendance, 20 went black tie. Most wore dark suits. One, a former adversary from my prosecuting attorney days, wore black on black. Black suit. Black shirt. Solid black tie.

Shoes are cap toe oxfords, properly polished (just shy of a full spit shine, thanks to my military habits). I've not yet gone with braces. When I was a prosecutor, I developed a belt habit. Needed one on which to carry my sidearm. The habit has stuck, even though all of my suits are equipped for braces. Maybe a new tie and braces with the black suit...

 

[CharlestonBows]

[...] I do own a black suit, double-breasted two button, which I've worn primarily for nightlife activities. [...]

Shoes are cap toe oxfords, properly polished (just shy of a full spit shine, thanks to my military habits). [...] Maybe a new tie and braces with the black suit.

Sounds perfect to me, sir. A solid black suit, in the DB, with an elegant new tie would be just right. But that's me. [huh]

One, a former adversary from my prosecuting attorney days, wore black on black. Black suit. Black shirt. Solid black tie.

Sounds like one of those dirty defense attorneys! lol lol

 

[MagistrateChris]

Ah, the stories I could tell about him might make some of the ladies around here blush. His personal life became very public due to some crafty internet searching by some detectives I know well. Not that a prosecutor I know doesn't have similar skeletons fftopic:

Anyways, with the black suit, do we suggest a dark tie (black based pattern or solid) or do we go for the flourish of something bright and contrasting, perhaps with a touch of black in the boldly colored pattern?

 

[CharlestonBows]

For BTO events, I personally like a darker tie, maybe a solid or Macclesfield pattern. It's a slim, clean, simple and elegant look.

Then again, there is something to be said for a powerful colored tie (think red) on a crisp white shirt & black suit.

Whatever the tie, the pattern needs to be smaller. It's an evening event, so larger stripes and prints are a bit too day-time and business.

Don't forget to pay due attention to the breast pocket. White linen, cleanly folded, works perfectly.

See Tomasso's post, previous.

 

[MagistrateChris]

So, the event was Saturday night. I went with the black double breasted suit, white shirt, and a black silk tie with small grey/silver diamonds about an inch apart. It appears that at least in Central Ohio, black suits are popular. I'd estimate that about 40% of the men went black tie, most in the classic style, some with patterned vest/tie combinations. About 30% were in black suits, mostly single breasted 3 button. About half of the black suits went with colored shirts, red being the most common shade after white (1 royal blue, a bad look withthe black suit). The rest went with some shade of grey or blue, all dark. A few men appeared in light suits, and frankly looked out of place. But, don't get me started on shoes. Why is it that so many men will to to the trouble of getting a well tailored suit, properly pressed, right accesories, and put on a pair of shoes that look like they've never seen a polishing rag! And, thick rubber soles may be comfortable, but...

All in all, a good time. As an aside, all of the judges went black tie, the magistrates were all in suits. So, maybe I made the right choice, given my position.

 

[Tomasso]

. But, don't get me started on shoes.

IMO, shoe selection is the downfall of most men's wardrobe; their Achilles heel , so to say. Even for relatively well dressed men.

 

[avedwards]

Alternative for black tie optional at a prom...

My school prom is closing in and I recently tried on my father's DJ to find out that the trousers do not fit. There are no button adjusters so there's nothing to be done as braces with too wide trousers look like a clown IMO.

The dress code for the prom implies black tie optional but talking to other people most intend to wear a tux with an ordinary necktie. I originally intended to wear proper black tie with the correct accessories but this no longer seems possible. Given the amount of faux pas others are likely to commit I think I'd be correct if I wore a dark suit. However I am unable to decide which colour dark suit to wear. I have two suits which would seem most suitable.

1. Black with very narrow pinstripes, three piece, SB, notches lapels. Would be worn with my grey Stetson rather than the hat in the picture.

2. Mid blue shadow stripe, DB, peaked lapels (of course)

Suit one fits me almost as though it was tailored although it is just a handed down item. Suit two seems better though because it is closer to plain and it has peaked lapels. I would keep the same shirt-tie combinations as in the pictures as I personally think those ties look both interesting but serious enough.

So which should I wear for the prom?

 

[Chasseur]

Is it just me or do men tend to wear really bad rental tuxedos to BTO events?

Way back when my wife was in law school she had a law dinner that was BTO. I decided to wear a black DB pinstripe suit I had (well it was my only suit, I was in grad school at the time) I just felt it would look better than a cheap rental. What I noticed is that the guys who wore suits that fit them, that they owned all looked better than guys with cheap tuxs with bad matching accessories...

 

[Dan D]

Black tie and tradition...

Dear Avedwards,
I think the first pictured looks better: and I like the idea of a 'hand me down' item of clothing, it has a history and a story if its own and a pedigree new clothing sometimes can't aspire to. The first looks pretty sharp.

Interestingly, some circles believe that a four-in-hand tie was originally traditionally correct to wear with a dinner jacket, the bow tie coming later but superseding it and now being de rigeur. See here, for instance.

 

[Edward]

DanD, that's a fascinating article. I must admit I stand very much correct - I've long been one of the first to bemoan this "modern" trend of a fourf in hand with evening wear. It still would not be my tie of cohice with a dj, but somehow knowing the historical origins makes it a touch less objectionable. Much more ghastly in the photo of Mr ford is the notch lapel to his jacket, something that while at one point I wore myself has now become a real cringe-maker for me. Somehow young Dicaprio, however improbably, pulls it off - he does seem always to dress very well forf these sorts of things. Ford, much as he is a real man's man and looks superb on screen, seems rather sartorially challenged absent the wardrobe department.

The "everything black" look referred to above is one for which I truly do not care. It always smacks to me of C-list television presenters (tres ITV2), and it does hve a tendency to make the wearer look like they are trying too hard to be arch. Or perhaps it is indicative of a cheap effort to do a "corporate goth" look, without the imagination to pull that off. I do agree with the comments that were made some time ago, above, to the effect that a black suit can run the risk of looking like an attempt to pass for evening wear. For that reason, I would be inclined to avoid a black tie, though I might opt for a sober-coloured bow with a co-ordinating pocket square - a very easy way of giving a wholly different look to the overall outfit if it has been worn all day. I might also, and again for the same reasons, opt for an ivory shirt rather than white.

As the the matter of master AVedwards' prom event.... I really would suggest that trawling eBay can produce a multitude of riches. My early 1940s DB DJ and trousers cost me significantly less than a single evening's hire even including the cost of some minor alterations I had done to the trousers. Judging from your photos and knowing your age, I should imagine that you will have a figure that is even more conducive to finding an original outfit without need of much in the way of alteration. Presuming you'd be happy with that particular style (there are many vintage evening wear options on eBay, but for whatever reason at present that seems by far the most common style), it's a very easy solution. For various bits and pieces of accessories, I can highly recommend www.clermontdirect.co.uk. Qualify that with regards to their suits: the jackets are notch lapel, pocket flaps etc (the contemporary trend to minimse cost of production by using a standard suit jacket pattern), which is a shame as the fit is quite excellent. They are superb for accessories, and I have had very good experience with their shirts. FWIW, their barentha wool tails trousers are excellent, and actually turned out an amzingly good match for my 1931 tailcoat. But that's a whole other ballgame, and I imagine white tie is just a touch more formal than you are looking for for this event!

 

[avedwards]

I did look in all the local charity shops today and while there was one suitable DB DJ the trousers didn't fit. The vintage clothing shop did have one NOS late 60s/early 70s midnight blue single breasted DJ which fit me perfectly and would look good once the flair in the trousers were removed, however it has notched lapels (though they are satin faced). Can I get away with notched lapels on this otherwise perfect jacket or should I stay with the look I have above? I will look at ebay but with nine days until my prom I have to find a solution fast.