Coctail party: tie, bow tie or nothing?

[Patrician]

I'm going to this cocktail party next week where the dresscode stated on the invitation is "Jacket or Suit". The people there will be in my age, early twenties, and most will probably go with a suit.

I'm wearing a black suit with a white shirt. Now, should I go with a,

• slim solid black tie? (I'm tall and I'm also slim, just like the suit itself. Wouldnt work otherwise)
  
• a black bow tie (very nice)
  
• Nothing at all (Tom Ford style)

Give me your best advice, SF!

 

[MrFab]

exnay on the bow tie. With a black suit could be very quirky shopkeeper attends a funeral or a faux-tuxedo thing. I'd personally go with no tie and top two buttons undone, but that's just because I could never pul off the super skinny tie. Oh...and a white pocket square with that combo always looks really good

 

[Patrician]

Originally Posted by MrFab

exnay on the bow tie. With a black suit could be very quirky shopkeeper attends a funeral or a faux-tuxedo thing. I'd personally go with no tie and top two buttons undone, but that's just because I could never pul off the super skinny tie. Oh...and a white pocket square with that combo always looks really good
If I go without a tie/bow tie I'll probably look like this randon google guy, which to me is really elegant. But is it good for a cocktail party?

 

[HKTenor]

I would say definitely a tie; when a suit is requested a tie is strongly implied.

As for the style, I think bow ties are wonderful, but black ones ought to be reserved for formal wear. Have you something else which might be appropriate, bow or no? I agree that black suit and black tie looks like low-rent dinner jacket.