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Attire for a more formal date

Suits91

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Hello!

If this is the wrong place to post this, please move where appropriate moderators.

A friend of mine is taking me on a date. She told me to wear a suit, and she will be in a black dress. However, she won't tell me where we are going. I am a fashion novice, and terrible coordinating my own clothes, let alone to someone else. Fortunately, I have to wear suits and ties for work. Unfortunately, I only have a navy suit, and a dark charcoal suit. My dress shirt selection is also pretty limited to white, powdered blue, lavender, and pink.

I understand that the goal is not necessarily matching, but more complementing. Given my limited options, I was hoping someone could provide me with some advice.

I can also post pictures of my clothes if required,

Suits91
 
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starro

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If it's in the evening, I'd stick with the white shirt + black/charcoal suit. No light shades of blue.
 

Suits91

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Thanks for the reply. She said she has not decided on the dress. I am guessing if it's not black, it would be red. Could I get away with charcoal suit, white dress shirt, red tie in either case?
 

starro

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Definitely white shirt for evening.

If all you have are navy and charcoal, I'd go with the charcoal.

For ties, it depends on what shade of red you have, and on the other colors available.
 

facet

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Thanks for the reply. She said she has not decided on the dress. I am guessing if it's not black, it would be red. Could I get away with charcoal suit, white dress shirt, red tie in either case?


There's absolutely no need to coordinate your tie colour to her dress; you're not going to a high school prom with her. Just wear a navy tie and you'll be fine.
 

Suits91

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Definitely white shirt for evening.

If all you have are navy and charcoal, I'd go with the charcoal.

For ties, it depends on what shade of red you have, and on the other colors available.

My red tie is like this tie
There's absolutely no need to coordinate your tie colour to her dress; you're not going to a high school prom with her. Just wear a navy tie and you'll be fine.

I don't know if there is enough contrast between the dark charcoal suit, and navy tie to make it look good. I lol'd at the prom comment.
 

Veremund

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No, never match your clothes to the woman's. Darkest suit, whitest shirt, darkest tie you have.
 

sociallyupward

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Navy or charcoal is fine. I don't agree that because it is evening, you are restricted to your white shirt. Formal sounds pretty broad (is it the opera? a gala? a fundraiser with VIPs?). That said, white/blue/lavendar should be fine.

Do you have another tie colour? When you mentioned the red tie, it seems too "politician". For example, this guy: http://heroeswiki.com/Nathan_Petrelli (albeit this is a fictional character!).

What would make you dressy is to add a pocket square - although this might make you mental as it's another piece to co-ordinate!
 

Caustic Man

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^^^ I agree with everything said above (nice first post), except for the PS comment. PSs have no inherent formality and, indeed, some formal occasions call for none at all. If your PS is white (which is never wrong) there is nothing to coordinate.
 

Suits91

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Navy or charcoal is fine. I don't agree that because it is evening, you are restricted to your white shirt. Formal sounds pretty broad (is it the opera? a gala? a fundraiser with VIPs?). That said, white/blue/lavendar should be fine.

Do you have another tie colour? When you mentioned the red tie, it seems too "politician". For example, this guy: http://heroeswiki.com/Nathan_Petrelli (albeit this is a fictional character!).

What would make you dressy is to add a pocket square - although this might make you mental as it's another piece to co-ordinate!
Yes, it's not a black tie event, so I think there is some flexibility. For tie colours, I have: red, navy, royal blue, black, really dark purple, lighter purple with navy, white, and pink stripes, another "politician" tie in navy, with light blue, white and red stripes.

I was going to go with charcoal suit, white shirt, red tie. But she said she's wearing a red dress. And as discussed, it would be weird matching. But it's the only tie I can get a good tie dimple in! :(

Edit: Something I'm curious of: black shoes, navy suit, white dress shirt, black tie?
 
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GBR

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She really should give you some clue as to wear in the hierarchy of places - formal down to slob houses - she is taking you to avoid some appalling infelicity - evening dress to a slob house would make you a figure of derision and jeans and tee shirt to somewhere formal would kill evening stone dead as you would not get past the threshold - and probably see the dog set upon you.
 

David Reeves

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This is easy. Navy suit, white shirt or pale blue solid shirt, solid navy tie in satin or grenadine. Polish your black shoes and put a white linen pocket square in the suit breast pocket in a "television fold". Wow! Your dressed like James Bond!

It's really that easy.
 

Mute

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This is easy. Navy suit, white shirt or pale blue solid shirt, solid navy tie in satin or grenadine. Polish your black shoes and put a white linen pocket square in the suit breast pocket in a "television fold". Wow! Your dressed like James Bond!

It's really that easy.


I'd probably go along this line. Simple and elegant. No need to do more.
 

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