going to a black tie event in March. The theme is An Evening with James Bond and the dress is "Black Tie Bond 007 Style"

Here's my question..i need a new black suit. Should I spend some extra coin and get a well tailored black suit or should I just rent a tuxedo? I don't want a generic one-size-fits-most rental tux, so i'd probably spend a decent bit renting one that was a more modern cut anyway. Thoughts?

1/30/2015 2:01:09 PM

ok...so after talking with some friends it seems like investing in a "black suit" may not be a great idea as they don't have too many uses in social settings.

so i would probably invest in a true tuxedo. probably more mileage out of that in the long run right?

1/30/2015 2:11:18 PM

if I could afford I would!

1/30/2015 2:21:50 PM

I went to three funerals in the past six months. Unfortunately my new black suit won't be finished by the tailor until mid-February. I probably won't go to another funeral for 10 years.

But seriously...you should have a nice black suit and a tux. If you can only pick one, I would do the black suit. If it's a black tie event where a lot of people are wearing tuxes, you can easily get by with a really nice black suit.

[Edited on January 30, 2015 at 2:43 PM. Reason : .]

1/30/2015 2:41:26 PM

What about a nice gray suit? I view those as a bit more versatile, but it really depends on what you're going to be using the suit for, and whether or not you could make the gray suit work for a black tie event, which probably really should just be a tux.

1/30/2015 2:46:10 PM

You shouldn't wear a gray suit to a black tie event...no matter how dark it is.

I guess I'm getting to that age where all my friends' parents are dying. I felt a little "shabby" at my last funeral with black slacks and black/white houndstooth blazer. I also go to black tie events somewhat frequently (once or twice a year). I've got a decent tux that I bought when my sister got married....but I'm probably going to wear my new black suit more often now. It's pimp.

1/30/2015 2:48:53 PM

^how long will the tailoring process have taken once you get the suit? This event is in early March so I need to get on this if it's > 4 weeks

1/30/2015 2:54:46 PM

Black-tie doesn't always equate to a tux. A "formal" dress code, however, necessarily would. Or a dinner jacket, depending on climate. People tend to use black-tie colloquially to mean formal, but sometimes they also don't, so maybe check with the event? If I had to guess, based on the title/dress code suggestion, along with presuming that it's held in either Raleigh or Charlotte, I would think you're probably fine in a black suit with a black tie.

The basis for my knowledge comes from living in DC for the past decade, where black-tie and formal events can be a monthly/quarterly thing.

In fact, if I were really being presumptuous, I would guess that the dress code stated is mostly just a suggestion to "please just fucking try to look decent."



[Edited on January 30, 2015 at 2:59 PM. Reason : .]

1/30/2015 2:56:29 PM

Quote :

"^how long will the tailoring process have taken once you get the suit? This event is in early March so I need to get on this if it's > 4 weeks "

My whole suit is custom tailored...so it takes like two fucking months. Kind of annoying...but its worth it.

You might be able to get a local tailor to do one in less time, but it's going to cost an arm and a leg. Mine is a large company, so it's somewhat affordable.

1/30/2015 3:24:37 PM

^ what company?

1/30/2015 5:24:49 PM

[Edited on January 30, 2015 at 6:03 PM. Reason : lol chitchat]

1/30/2015 6:02:49 PM

This is a pretty big event. The "black tie" isn't just a suggestion.

1/30/2015 6:25:45 PM

I doubt you have the time, or want to drop the cash but this is baller as fuck:
http://www.indochino.com/product/premium-midnight-blue-tuxedo

Also getting an already manufactured suit tailored should take 2 weeks or less, they shouldn't be doing anything beyond hemming the pants, shortening the sleeves and suppressing the waist on the jacket. If they have to do more the suit didn't fit right to begin with.

[Edited on January 31, 2015 at 2:28 AM. Reason : .]

1/31/2015 2:17:48 AM

Quote :

"^ what company? "

Tom James.

1/31/2015 9:22:48 AM

^^agreed, and I don't think I've had anything take more than a week for that type of work for an off-the-rack. I just turned in a brand new off-the-rack suit for that very work about a month ago and was able to get it the next day for no extra charge because she didn't have any other critical items on her plate that day.

1/31/2015 1:15:35 PM

that tux is awesome!

are there any rules for tux color?

2/2/2015 7:58:15 AM

Don't fuck around and just go all black. If you want to be flashy/cute...do it with the tie and/or handkerchief. My father-in-law has some pretty snazzy bowtie/handkerchief combinations that he wears with his tux.

But there's no reason to fuck around with a traditional tux. Go black.

2/2/2015 8:50:57 AM

yep, black tux for sure.

And definitely buy if you plan on wearing it more than 2-3 times. Tux rentals are stupid expensive.

2/2/2015 12:04:04 PM

As a rule, I wear grey to funerals unless it's a close relative.

Black's for family.

Where are y'all at on this?

2/2/2015 5:59:49 PM

"Black Tie Bond 007 Style"


Tux man. You think Bond was a mediocre black suit guy? No. Tux all the way man.

2/2/2015 8:18:52 PM

^^i never thought about that. I usually wear black because I own a lot of black dresses. I suppose I could start wearing grey. I think the rules on these things have really loosened up in recent years though

2/3/2015 12:47:46 AM

It's different for girls. I think as long as it's not something loud and colorful, you get a pass. Last funeral I went to I think I was surprised at the lack of black that was worn by women. The men, however, were about 80% black suits. If you're a guy and you have a good black suit, wear the black suit.

2/3/2015 6:18:56 AM

man i didn't realize Tuxes were 800-900 just for the jacket and trousers. ughhh

2/3/2015 8:22:28 AM

Somehow the tux that I got from Jos. A Banks 8 years ago still fits and looks great...especially compared to the rest of the dogshit I got from there in my early 20s. I think the entire outfit (shoes, bowtie, cufflinks, cumberbun) was below $300.

If I was still tux-less at this age, I wouldn't get one from there...but it's surprisingly held up over the years.

2/3/2015 8:36:12 AM

if it were on sale at JAB I could probably buy it and take it to a more competent tailor to have it truly fitted, and not just the generic fit they seem to do there.

2/3/2015 9:50:49 AM

notch lapels seem to be taking over these days even though they are considered to be a less formal look. so what say you, classic peak lapel or the less formal notch lapel?

2/6/2015 2:05:56 PM

neither

shawl

2/6/2015 2:27:44 PM

haha if i could pull off shawl i would. we'll just have to see.

2/6/2015 2:32:37 PM

if you are talking about buying, and it's going to be the only tuxedo you buy for years, don't get notch

2/6/2015 7:27:43 PM

If you're looking for something cheap to wear occasionally, head out to the flea market they have at the state fair grounds. You can buy used tux there for not that expensive.

2/6/2015 8:57:44 PM

The problem with black for women at funerals is that all their dumbasses go LBD.



It's not a night club, ladies.

2/7/2015 7:34:25 PM

LBD is a pretty wide umbrella, so I'm not sure what you're talking about.

2/9/2015 12:41:09 PM

Shawl collar FTW. holy shit this thing is badass. I'm probably going to end up dropping more cash on this than i imagined but at this point I don't really mind. I tried on tuxes ranging from $495 - $1200. I've got it narrowed down between the JCrew Ludlow tux and the Hugo Boss Sky Gala. Both are single button, shawl collar. The Hugo Boss looks a little more formal with satin covered buttons as the JCrew has standard suit buttons. The HB is $100 more, but it also comes with unfinished seams, whereas the JCrew tux pants are already finished seams. Both provide a trim fit but i think the HB just looks a bit more formal overall..

Long tie or Bow Tie? I've got a huge beard right now, which could cover up the entire bowtie.



two button, but you get the idea with the long tie.

2/12/2015 9:58:23 AM

Quote :

"Black Tie Event"

Quote :

" I've got a huge beard right now"

nope.

2/12/2015 4:11:08 PM

Quote :

"I think the rules on these things have really loosened up in recent years though "

i think i'll be just fine.

2/12/2015 4:18:40 PM

k

2/12/2015 4:26:02 PM

Regardless of whether or not the rules have loosened up, I think your beard should be well kept and managed. I just don't know that a beard that would obscure your bow tie fits the bill. If you're going in looking like Zach Galifianakis on a bad day, I think you're wasting your money on a tux.

2/12/2015 4:55:17 PM

^

2/13/2015 7:21:42 PM

This feels like a HUR thread...

2/14/2015 9:43:04 AM

James Bond event? Dude, the only thing acceptable for you to wear is a tux.

2/14/2015 12:02:32 PM

yeah..Tux has been purchased. And it is glorious.

2/15/2015 11:29:52 AM