Morning Suit queries

Hi all,


I have checked past threads and cannot find one that covers this topic, but if there is, please direct me to it

I am going to a wedding at the beginning of September. Lovely event in the English countryside.

I am investing in a morning suit, something I will keep hopefully for my own wedding one day.

I'd like some experienced advice on whether I should go for a black or charcoal grey morning coat.

Black is extremely traditional, most men will be wearing standard black coat, striped trousers etc.

I don't want to be a peacock. However I have found a lovely charcoal coat, and I know grey goes well with a few ties i have.

Black coat



Charcoal grey coat



Is a charcoal grey morning coat acceptable? If so any suggestions on types of trousers I should go for with it?

Options I have are:

- Matching grey (boring

- Black with grey stripes

- Navy :/

- Grey pup-tooth

- Any others?

Also, do you think I should go for traditional black Derby shoes, or could I perhaps wear Gucci loafers? Or is this too much?


Thanks in advance!

Lee,

Good luck in your hunt for a morning suit. A morning coat is a fantastic garment, but very hard to get right off the rack. And it can be exceptionally warm (as I found to my cost during my own wedding in Italy, in summer)

First, not sure where you found those photos but please don't use them as reference. The coats are terrible, especially the length. The general idea is that as you kneel the tails should just fail to touch the ground. These are much to short

I would strongly recommend a black coat - you can wear t with cashmere stripe or houndstooth trousers. A grey coat should only be worn with matching trousers.

And whatever you do, don't wear loafers. Polished black oxfords would be my advice

R-O-T

What do you mean "acceptable"?

Where are you intending to go with a strict dress code?

Traditionally a morning coat should be either black (formal) or oxford grey herringbone (less formal) and not charcoal but you'd have to be going to somewhere fairly strict for them to take exception to a charcoal coat. Similarly the trousers should be stripped but again... how strict is this place?

Derby shoes are informal and shouldnt be worn with morning dress so you already know the answer on loafers. Shoes should be oxfords with at most a toe cap and no broguing. Similarly no patents which are for evening wear.

Thanks guys.

@Astaroth It's a wedding at a castle in the UK countryside. It'l be nice, but it's not exactly Royal Ascot, nor is it a Westminster Abbey wedding. So I know that I can be adventurous to a degree, as long as I'm not peacocking. Plus I own a grey herringbone business suit, I think the subtle colour and wool compliments silk ties quite well.

@R.O. Thornhill I'm praying it won't be too hot, England beginning of September can be quite nice - not too hot / not cold. But with wool coats, waistcoats, wool trousers, I bet an Italian summer wedding would have been quite unforgiving.

My issue is, I know everyone turns up wearing the same thing. Back morning coat, waistcoat, grey striped trousers etc. Most people add individuality with their waist coat and tie only. I just want to add a little bit of panache, without being improper.

I'll go with the black Oxfords, although they're very boring!

I like the grey herringbone morning coat, but I don't want to match with trousers.

Would you say it is an absolute no-go traditionally to pair the grey morning coat with black striped trousers?

Far better to get a good traditional black morning coat and striped trousers. It will stand you in good stead and never be wrong. Echo the comment above re the shoes - black oxfords are the only choice. You can, if you wish to do something unique, get a fancy waistcoat - here are a few shops off Jermyn St that specialise in this sort of thing and they are widely tolerated.

Grey coats in the style of morning coats are traditionally worn at the weddings of Essex publicans - get it and you'll regret it.

Lee said:

My issue is, I know everyone turns up wearing the same thing. Back morning coat, waistcoat, grey striped trousers etc. Most people add individuality with their waist coat and tie only. I just want to add a little bit of panache, without being improper.

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But that has always been mens fate. Men's formalwear has always effectively been a uniform (morning dress, black tie, white tie etc) and it is through subtley that differentiation occurs. Individualism stands out but in these circles for the wrong reasons and in certain circles it will be seen as evidence of ignorance or brashness, neither which are endeering qualities for a gentleman.

Back to the modern world and the vast majority of people don't move in these circles but can afford the outfits that would have historically been the reserve of those that did move in those circles. Now guys take more time to get ready than women, have more toiletries than women etc and so they can equally break the codes of uniform in all but the most formal situation.

Grey is for going to the Races and not a wedding, Stick to black

GBR said:

Grey is for going to the Races and not a wedding, Stick to black

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Perhaps he was heading to the races later?

Howard Yount had some great gray-charcoal houndstooth strides if you decide to go that way. Would look best with a black morning coat rather than gray (which should be a suit) or charcoal (which ... I know nothing about).

I'm curious as to whether there's a convention for buttoning morning coats. Is it a no-no as for white tie (don't think you could button a white tie tailcoat even if you wanted to), or is it an 'either-or', similar to how some gents wear a three piece suit either buttoned or open to display waistcoat and watch chain?

Thin White Duke said:

I'm curious as to whether there's a convention for buttoning morning coats. Is it a no-no as for white tie (don't think you could button a white tie tailcoat even if you wanted to), or is it an 'either-or', similar to how some gents wear a three piece suit either buttoned or open to display waistcoat and watch chain?

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I would say it's the standard rule for SB 1-button jackets. Unbuttoned sitting down, buttoned standing up. Of course some people forget to button whne they're up and about, or they prefer the flowing to the pulling effect when they're walking.

Bump......


I am looking to purchase a black morning coat suit for my wedding. Where can I purchase?