Thread: formal suits!!!!

"Formal" = black tie = dinner suit / tuxedo.

Anything else is "business" or "lounge" suit.

If you don't want to buy one, your best option might be to hire a formal suit as needed. A rule of thumb is 10 events or more, and you're better off buying.

I had to go to a wedding recently and I had no kit, so I popped down to Vinnies @ Brookvale and scored a nice double breasted suit, some contrasting beige pants, a shirt, a nice plain belt, a pair of black leather shoes, a pair of black socks, and a silk tie with Fred Flintstone & Barney Rubble on it (that got me heaps of comments ). It was all in top condition, cost me less than thirty bills all up, and I walked away with a good feeling that I'd helped out a worthy organization, and recycled some unwanted gear.

You can get silk grundies there as well, but my 'boys' won't settle for hand me downs.

Are the events in question considered formal or black tie? If so there are two options.

If you are at the point in your life where you expect that your waistline has finished growing and you can see more formal events in your future, the purchase route is the better choice. When you own your own tux it is so much less of a hassle to go to these events.

If you don't have the spare funds for a tux purchase, there is a sneaky way out. A black suit may be the simple answer. The suit needs to be BLACK, BLACK. Something that would be appropriate at a wedding, funeral, Sunday go to meeting, Christmas Dance or just in the office in that high rise building. This suit with a formal (tux) white shirt, cumberbun and bow tie gives the appearance of a tux. Unless someone actually looks at the suit label, they will not be able to determine that you are wearing a suit and not a tux. I've done this on several occasions.

Of course shiny black shoes complete the tux.

Come on,
seriously, what sort of event demands a formal dinner suit/tux these days?
you are better off buying a well cut, black or very dark grey business suit.
should cost min $800.
a quality dinner suit costs a lot more and you wont get the wear out of it.
Or go to a small church run, OP shop in a medium weathy suburb. the stuff dosent get centally distributed like the big charities. so whats donated in the area gets sold in the area its donated in.
This dosnt work so well in rich suburbs because the ladies and gents here like to get their money back and sell their stuff in recycle shops.
Believe me this works.
Style-single breast, side vents in pure wool is classic that wont date
A bit like the little black channel frock for blokes
Astrid

PS check the seat of the pants for shine(they shouldnt)

Originally Posted by astrid

Come on,
seriously, what sort of event demands a formal dinner suit/tux these days?

Lots. I've been to four this month, and one more to go.

If an invitation says "Formal", or "Black Tie", it is bad manners to wear anything other than a dinner suit.

Originally Posted by Ron Dunn

Lots. I've been to four this month, and one more to go.

If an invitation says "Formal", or "Black Tie", it is bad manners to wear anything other than a dinner suit.

I went to a dinner last year where the invitation stated Formal Black Tie and I went to the trouble to hire the necessary attire only to find when I got there several guys were dressed in black or navy Jacket with grey flannel pants. Nobody seemed to worry about it.

and in my opinion its bad manners to demand in this day and age the people either spend a heap on somthing they might wear twice, or hire a crabby looking suit that looks like you cant afford to buy one.
or just plain pretentious

Astrid

Seriously, black tie or formal just means a neat suit.

Originally Posted by astrid

.......Seriously, black tie or formal just means a neat suit.

No, I don't think so.... black tie means what we all know it means. Just go and rent one. Else, like Rich says, go buy one and look after it - they don't date.

Originally Posted by astrid

Seriously, black tie or formal just means a neat suit.

No, it doesn't. And it doesn't help the original poster to give bad advice.

Perhaps you don't get out much, but simple good manners should guide you to comply with your host's request for dress. And as for turning up in something else, you'll get away with it once, but unless you've got something else going for you to overcome your lack of taste, you're not likely to be invited for a second chance.

hilux, why would you ask a bunch of woodworkers for formal dress advice? That's like going to www.vogue.com.au and expecting sensible advice on rust removal from cast iron table tops.

'cause we is intellygent, sufistycated and well edykated.

Originally Posted by astrid

Seriously, black tie or formal just means a neat suit.

I disagree there are formal dinners and other occasions that you need a dinner suit for I think that sometimes you still need to show some class some style, its like a lady going to the melbourne cup without a hat , its just not done
Hilux I dont know where in sydney but rundells in newcastle do a good range from about $150 upwards, an other alternative is suit hire companies, they renew their stock every year or so , try ringing them ( yellow pages ) and ask if they sell ex-hire suits, the third and option I would suggest is to go to phukett or bangkok and get one made the good thing about this is you get a holiday as well as a new bag of fruit
But whatever way you go buy one , you may only use it once twice or three times a year but if you store it properly you will still be wearing it for those two or three times in ten years time a clasic dinner suit never goes out of fashion.

we could get snitty here but acting like the lady that I am we wont?
Many pleb types think that adding "black tie" to their invite. elevates their select soire to sqatter status.
however in the citys we tend to take a more lenient attitude to some of the poor relations we are obliged to invite to our select entertainments and merely request that neat non revealing attire is worn.
Sadly however, some of the pretentios upstarts in our village dont understand the subtle request. and seem to think that thongs (not the footwear ) can be clearly visible.

Ah me, Nobless oblige.

countess von astrid

But seriouly Guys,
1.you cant buy a decent suit formal or business for $150
2 If you dont own any suit at all, you need one and a good one
3 Armani, Zegna make excellent timeless suits for about $1000.
It has to be black, no pin stripes this implys strengh and confidence
4 To advise a guy with no suit to waste his money on a dinner suit is rather thoughtless
5 any people who judge you on your dress, if you have taken care to respect
their request the best way you can, arnt worth knowing.
manners dont come out of an ettiquett book, they are inate
Astrid

I bought my formal suit for $170 from Roger David, with a shirt and bow tie thrown in, and got a 20% discount for paying with Amex on a promotion.

It's crap, but I only wear it in the dark anyway. I've never been to an event that required wearing a formal outfit without someone sloshing something on me during the night.

I keep my good clothes for less sulubrious occasions.

P