Black tie traditionalists will not agree with me on this. I only attend one or two "black tie" events per year. I wear a black (with a subtle hint of bird's eye) double breasted suit, white shirt, black long tie and an interesting pocket square. I get a lot of complements on the look -- probably since it is "black tie" and I look different the the rest of the penguins. But this is Denver and not London or New York.

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It's probably crap, but given that you've waited till the last minute, it's a good option. You can wear it for New Years Eve & maybe a couple of other things and you'll own your own tux.:idea:

 

What you can "get away with" depends on the event.

Reactions may range from people having no clue you're doing anything "wrong" to you not getting let in.

Since you only found out it was black tie recently, hopefully they're forgiving (unless this information was posted for a long time).

 

If you're fairly young you'll be going to several more in the coming years. You could probably hit JAB for an under $200 SBPL jacket https://www.josbank.com/IWCatProduc...WCatProductPage.process?Merchant_Id=1&Section_Id=6000&pcount=&Product_Id=550221
and pants for $79 and hope to get it altered in time.

 

I'm fairly confident that I won't be given the bum's rush just because I'm not wearing a bowtie and satin lapels. I'm just hoping I can avoid renting or buying something that will be cheap or look like crap, but will be "proper" black tie.

To give a little more background, a friend is being honored for some local charity and I was asked to attend and sit at one of the tables purchased by the family. I was never sent a formal invite, it was all just verbal, so I had no clue it was black tie until one of the other guests casually mentioned it to me. I suppose most attendees would have received some sort of invite or notice regarding the attire for the evening.

 

It's rare for there to not be a few guys wearing black suits at a typical black tie affair. Not only that but there will probably be one or two wearing long ties with their tuxedos. Just don't try to make your suit look like a tuxedo. Wear a long solid black tie and you should be just fine. Heck, if your suit is trim and fits you well, you will probably look better than some of the guys in ill fitting tuxedos.

Cruiser

 

I've always taken it as a given that, when circumstances dictate, a man can get away with wearing a dark suit, conservatively accessorized (white d.c. shirt, etc.) in lieu of a tux. I would probably choose a dark-gray rather than a black tie, but otherwise your outfit sounds fine to me.

 

It won't by any means be "proper" black tie, but it should be fine.

If you're concerned - have a talk with the person organising the event about what they would recommend.

Also, be wary of information from other guests. I don't know who this was, but many people have skewed ideas of concepts such as "black tie" or "semi-formal" and they might be using the term in a misleading or incorrect way.

 

Is it possible . . .

. . . to just call the person who invited you, explain that you just heard that the event is black tie, and ask whether that is "black tie optional" or not? Guessing is not good form, and you will, I assume from your OP, be sitting with that person's group. It seems to me that you should follow what that person wants, since you are his guest.

If you are assured that the event was announced as "black tie optional" you're entirely off the hook, and the outfit you have described will be fine. If that is not the case, and the event was announced as strictly black tie, then I'm afraid that you will have to hire a tux and accessories. You can probably get away with highly polishing your own shoes.

Buck up! Tuxedos from rental sources are not uniformly horrible. Some places, like Folchi's there in Cincinnati, carry several fairly good brands and can fit them respectably for you. Will that be ideal? Maybe not, but you'd better get crackin' if you want to give whomever you deal with a chance to do a decent job for you.

Then give some thought to obtaining a moderately priced dinner suit and the "go-withs" so that you won't be caught in this agonizing dilemma ever again:icon_smile_wink:

 

It's too bad to miss out on a chance to wear back tie. But, in cases like this when a dinner suit is not avaialble, your nicest 1st-interview rig with conservative tie (what you describe sounds fine) will be OK.

You could put together a correct blck tie rig from the cut-rate suppliers (like JAB) but time seems a bit short for that.

 

I wouldn't wear a tie bar with black tie. It's a little GQ/Mad Men already--don't push it.

 

If you don't have black tie, don't go. That spares the host the trouble of letting you in.

 

If you're not going to get a dinner jacket, then I'd say at least wear a bow tie and definitely lose the tie bar.

 

If you're not going to get a dinner jacket, then I'd say at least wear a bow tie and definitely lose the tie bar.

I go along with losing the tie bar, but I wouldn't wear a bow tie with a suit to a black tie affair. A suit isn't a tuxedo. At the risk of starting another round of GQ bashing, let me quote what they say on this subject.

"Don't try to fool people by wearing a bow tie with your black suit. Go with a straight black tie instead--satin or silk, no patterns or prints."

As or the suit itself, GQ says that it should be perfectly tailored and solid black, no prints or patterns. Now I guess the GQ bashing can begin. :icon_smile_big:

Cruiser

 

I go along with losing the tie bar, but I wouldn't wear a bow tie with a suit to a black tie affair. A suit isn't a tuxedo. At the risk of starting another round of GQ bashing, let me quote what they say on this subject.

"Don't try to fool people by wearing a bow tie with your black suit. Go with a straight black tie instead--satin or silk, no patterns or prints."

As or the suit itself, GQ says that it should be perfectly tailored and solid black, no prints or patterns. Now I guess the GQ bashing can begin. :icon_smile_big:

Cruiser

I think that advice is pretty sound.

 

I just reason that you can mistake a black suit for a dinner jacket, but a bow tie is distinct from a long tie and to wear the latter would be to very obviously depart from black tie, and if everyone else is wearing classic black tie (unlikely I know) then it would look really out of place.

 

The 'black tie' rule

Whatever you do, do not wear a long black tie and a white shirt - you will look like a funeral director.

Dress 'requirements' like 'black tie' exist to make guests more comfortable by taking the worry away from what to wear. 'Black tie' is a code identifying the nature of the event as much as it is a description of what to wear. It would be perfectly acceptable to wear an appropriate military uniform or national costume or clerical dress at a 'black tie' event.

If you have not got 'black tie' wear your best outfit, but do not pretend it is black tie or make it look as if you are pretending it is black tie (that's why it is better to wear a patterned shirt and coloured tie).

 

Whatever you do, do not wear a long black tie and a white shirt - you will look like a funeral director.

+1

A mistake many make.

 

This is the model that GQ used to illustrate how to dress if you have no choice but to wear a suit to a black tie affair.

Cruiser

 

"Don't try to fool people by wearing a bow tie with your black suit. Go with a straight black tie instead--satin or silk, no patterns or prints."

As or the suit itself, GQ says that it should be perfectly tailored and solid black, no prints or patterns.

This is the model that GQ used to illustrate how to dress if you have no choice but to wear a suit to a black tie affair.

Cruiser

If you want to look like the maitre d' h.

 

I just found out that an event I committed to quite a while ago is black tie. It's now less than a week away, I don't own a tux, and I'm trying work up a gameplan.

Instead of trying to get a (probably) poor fitting rental at the last minute, I'm thinking of wearing the following:

Black, slim, two-button suit that fits well
Semi-spread collar white shirt with french cuffs
Black tie
Silver tie bar
White pocket square
Black socks
Black shoes

I'm a fairly young guy, I won't be the center of attention at any point, and am hoping I can get away with this. Any thoughts? Ideas on how I can maybe dress it up a little more?

Depends on the event. For something "black tie preferred", there's likely to be other people who don't bother hiring getting a DJ and go in a suit. However at the vast majority of black tie events I've been to (mostly a young crowd - I'm 24) almost everybody has been wearning a DJ and bow tie, and those that don't stuck out like a sore thumb.

Poor fitting is one thing. Inappropriate is quite another. Whether it's inappropriate depends on the type of black tie event.

 

It appears that everyone who is treating the wearing of the suit as the beginning of end times is from the UK, while those who are more tolerant (with one notable exception) are from the U.S.. Since the OP is from Ohio I think he would be on solid ground by listening to his fellow countrymen who are likely much more in tune with the cultural norms in middle America than are the guys across the pond. Just a thought. :icon_smile:

Cruiser

 

Since the OP is from Ohio I think he would be on solid ground by listening to his fellow countrymen . . .

Cruiser

You're probably right.

 

By wearing a black suit and white shirt you're in line with the general principal of black tie -- simple and elegant. So in the absence of a DJ I would be happy wearing such.

As for the tie, as others have said you risk looking like a funeral director/waiter or, worse, as you're making an effort to stand out instead of fit in (the latter is in small part an aim of black tie).

I'd go for a black bow tie myself, but Cruiser's comment about local culture is a good one -- I'm in the UK. At most black tie events I attend the vast majority will be in a dinner jacket or Highland dress, a few in a black suit with a bow tie and (maybe) one in a lounge suit and 4-in-hand. I only notice the former if I'm stood talking to them, the latter can be seen from across the room.

However, at the end of the day if you've made some sort of effort then you've fulfilled your obligations to the host and nobody is going to think badly of you.

As an aside, I have a friend whose only suit is a DJ, on the basis that most of the occasions for which he needs a suit are black tie dinners. When he needs a lounge suit he wears it with a normal tie. The jacket isn't all that DJ-like to be honest, but the trousers are quite a giveaway. Only really noticeable if you go around looking at people's trousers.

 

You might want to find someone who got the printed invitation and see if you can get a look at how it is worded. Black tie or Black tie optional. If optional I think your suit is fine. Have you checked Snooty Fox locations to see if they have any tuxedos in your size? They often have them.