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Black Suit Dilemma

post #1 of 37
1/31/12 at 10:25am
Thread Starter 

This summer, I'm in my friend's wedding, and he has decided that all of his groomsmen will be wearing black suits of their own choosing. Now, I'm not much of a black suit fan, and I know that opinion is generally shared here. But I'm going to be buying a black suit for this occasion (probably going the H&M or Uniqlo route, no sense spending a lot of dough), and I'd hate to have a suit hanging in my closet that I'm never going to wear. Any thoughts on when I might be able to wear this thing again, outside of funerals?

 

Tom Waits and Leonard Cohen seem to make the black suit look work. Maybe I should go for the gravel-voiced troubadour style?

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post #2 of 37
1/31/12 at 10:26am
Buying something at Uniqlo (do they offer black?) is a good idea. You'll indeed have it around for funerals and various outing where you're supposed to be well dressed but not in a dinner jacket.
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post #3 of 37
1/31/12 at 11:43am
Thread Starter 

Not sure if they offer black - I'll be at the new flagship in NYC in a few weeks, so I figured I'd look around.
 

Quote:
Originally Posted by Fuuma View Post

Buying something at Uniqlo (do they offer black?) is a good idea. You'll indeed have it around for funerals and various outing where you're supposed to be well dressed but not in a dinner jacket.


 

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post #4 of 37
1/31/12 at 2:49pm
You said your friend is getting married. I assume that means you are fairly young (late 20's to mid 30's). If it's a slim fitting suit, wear a crisp white open shirt to lounges or nice dinners. Don't be so self conscious either. It looks nice and normal, everyday people will compliment you, even if people crucify you here.
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post #5 of 37
1/31/12 at 3:14pm
Thread Starter 

What? I don't care about people I actually meet in real life, I care exclusively about the opinions of random people on the internet.

 

/snarkiness off

 

Thanks, I appreciate the input.
 

Quote:
Originally Posted by saiyar1 View Post

You said your friend is getting married. I assume that means you are fairly young (late 20's to mid 30's). If it's a slim fitting suit, wear a crisp white open shirt to lounges or nice dinners. Don't be so self conscious either. It looks nice and normal, everyday people will compliment you, even if people crucify you here.


 

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post #6 of 37
1/31/12 at 3:15pm
You could always consider midnight blue.
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post #7 of 37
1/31/12 at 3:17pm
Thread Starter 

Yeah, I don't want to get busted for noncompliance. I recognize that midnight blue and black are very close, but it's not worth taking the risk and hearing it from his fiancee/wife for the rest of time.
 

Quote:
Originally Posted by Metlin View Post

You could always consider midnight blue.


 

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post #8 of 37
1/31/12 at 3:26pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by DavidML View Post

Yeah, I don't want to get busted for noncompliance. I recognize that midnight blue and black are very close, but it's not worth taking the risk and hearing it from his fiancee/wife for the rest of time.

+1 don't go midnight blue
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post #9 of 37
1/31/12 at 5:10pm
Do what I do with a black suit. I keep it in the far corner of my wardrobe. If I need it, it is there. No problem. I organize my wardrobe such that what I wear often is within easy reach, stuff I wear rarely / never gets tucked away in the corners. A wardrobe is incomplete without a black suit - everyone should have one.
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post #10 of 37
2/1/12 at 11:21am
Thread Starter 

I just hate to pay for a suit that will rarely/never be worn. I will feel a strong desire to get some use out of it.
 

Quote:
Originally Posted by Klobber View Post

Do what I do with a black suit. I keep it in the far corner of my wardrobe. If I need it, it is there. No problem. I organize my wardrobe such that what I wear often is within easy reach, stuff I wear rarely / never gets tucked away in the corners. A wardrobe is incomplete without a black suit - everyone should have one.


 

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post #11 of 37
2/1/12 at 11:31am
In the foolish days of my youth, I had a black suit tailor made, and at one point, I even wore it to the office. Those days are gone, but I have surprisingly found a lot of use for the black suit. More often than not, I have worn it to evening receptions where I personally would think the dress code should be "black tie", but where the invitation says "cocktail attire." It's black, so it evokes the formality of a tux, but it's not a tux. I usually wear it with a crisp white shirt, and a subdued (long) tie.

In other words, do not underestimate the use you might get out of a black suit.
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post #12 of 37
2/1/12 at 11:43am
Thread Starter 

I don't think I've ever been invited to anything where I'm expected to be in a dinner jacket. I'm lucky if anyone invites me to dinner in the first place.
 

Quote:
Originally Posted by Fuuma View Post

Buying something at Uniqlo (do they offer black?) is a good idea. You'll indeed have it around for funerals and various outing where you're supposed to be well dressed but not in a dinner jacket.


 

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post #13 of 37
2/1/12 at 1:36pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by DavidML View Post

I just hate to pay for a suit that will rarely/never be worn. I will feel a strong desire to get some use out of it.

Get a cheap black suit from Target or try grab a very cheap used one from a thrift store or eBay. Wear it, and donate to GW or sell it end of discussion. Advice applies to case you do not forsee a further use for the black suit. However, it is a good thing to have, you wont wear it much but when you need it, you will be glad to have it.
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post #14 of 37
2/1/12 at 1:45pm
I disagree on the midnight blue. I have a workhorse midnight navy suit from Uniqlo's +J line. Cheap, and the blue is such that it looks all but black. Since its blue though, there is a subtle shade in the fabric that looks alot better than plain black, especially in photos. Everyone that commented on the suit before told me they thought it was black too on 1st impression.
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post #15 of 37
2/1/12 at 2:03pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by DavidML View Post

I don't think I've ever been invited to anything where I'm expected to be in a dinner jacket. I'm lucky if anyone invites me to dinner in the first place.

 




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