"Creative" black tie - advice for a newbie

[JoeK76]

Total newbie, please go easy on me or point me in the right direction if this is the wrong place.

I'm usually a very casual dresser, but I more and more find myself in situations where I need to wear a suit. Red carpet events for example, which usually call for black tie but not overly formal. The "you don't want to look like you're turning up for a wedding" kinda thing, if that makes sense.

Quick random example:

The other thing is that I don't have the most flattering body shape, I'm a bit overweight... I believe I'm a size 54 in UK sizes. I'm open to spending some money on this, ie. go for a made-to-measure suit, but I haven't got the faintest clue where to start with this. I'm based in London so hoping there's some options locally. Any ideas or pointers would be most welcome. Also any advice on terminology would be appreciated, I'm sure I'm not expressing myself very well here.

Thanks!

 

[bicycleradical]

Total newbie, please go easy on me or point me in the right direction if this is the wrong place.

I'm usually a very casual dresser, but I more and more find myself in situations where I need to wear a suit. Red carpet events for example, which usually call for black tie but not overly formal. The "you don't want to look like you're turning up for a wedding" kinda thing, if that makes sense.

Quick random example:

View attachment 2072409

The other thing is that I don't have the most flattering body shape, I'm a bit overweight... I believe I'm a size 54 in UK sizes. I'm open to spending some money on this, ie. go for a made-to-measure suit, but I haven't got the faintest clue where to start with this. I'm based in London so hoping there's some options locally. Any ideas or pointers would be most welcome. Also any advice on terminology would be appreciated, I'm sure I'm not expressing myself very well here.

Thanks!

I don't live in the UK so I can't interpret what people may mean by 'creative black tie' so it may be worth asking the hosts what they mean. If they're fine with you wearing a suit and you don't have a nice one, getting a navy suit and some black oxfords would be fine. That outfit would serve you well for other occasions where you need to wear formal clothing. If you're not one to regularly attend black tie events, having a tuxedo may not be terribly practical.

 

[JoeK76]

I don't live in the UK so I can't interpret what people may mean by 'creative black tie' so it may be worth asking the hosts what they mean. If they're fine with you wearing a suit and you don't have a nice one, getting a navy suit and some black oxfords would be fine. That outfit would serve you well for other occasions where you need to wear formal clothing. If you're not one to regularly attend black tie events, having a tuxedo may not be terribly practical.

Thanks. I've seen it referred to as "Hollywood black tie" as well, if that helps. Just to give another example to the picture I posted above, the Cannes film festival's dress code for "tenue correcte" at red carpet screenings is "costume noir ou bleu nuit avec un nœud papillon pour les hommes", ie. a black or midnight blue suit with a bow tie. There's usually a lot of film students with ill-fitting rented tuxedos at these, anything better than that would already be an improvement.

 

[maxalex]

When people try to be “creative” with black tie they usually end up looking ridiculous, and that includes movie stars. If black tie is called for regularly in your life, get a traditional tuxedo and don’t try to be wacky. You want to look like James Bond, not Harry Styles. I used to go to Cannes every year, and I wore the same tux every night. Still have it. Still wear it.

That said, I would not buy a tux before owning a basic navy suit, but your situation may be particular in that you need a tux for events but would never wear a suit in daily life. Still, sooner or later you’ll go to weddings and funerals where a navy suit would be more appropriate and thus more versatile.

As for your weight issue, a properly tailored suit or tuxedo won’t magically make you look thin, but it will accentuate your shoulders and create some illusion of a pinched waist, assuming you keep the jacket buttoned.

Plenty of sartorial options in London, from full Savile Row bespoke to MTM to RTW from so-called High Street shops (which will need altering by a tailor for a good fit). It all depends on your budget.

 

[JoeK76]

When people try to be “creative” with black tie they usually end up looking ridiculous, and that includes movie stars. If black tie is called for regularly in your life, get a traditional tuxedo and don’t try to be wacky. You want to look like James Bond, not Harry Styles. I used to go to Cannes every year, and I wore the same tux every night. Still have it. Still wear it.

That said, I would not buy a tux before owning a basic navy suit, but your situation may be particular in that you need a tux for events but would never wear a suit in daily life. Still, sooner or later you’ll go to weddings and funerals where a navy suit would be more appropriate and thus more versatile.

As for your weight issue, a properly tailored suit or tuxedo won’t magically make you look thin, but it will accentuate your shoulders and create some illusion of a pinched waist, assuming you keep the jacket buttoned.

Plenty of sartorial options in London, from full Savile Row bespoke to MTM to RTW from so-called High Street shops (which will need altering by a tailor for a good fit). It all depends on your budget.

Those are all very good points, and I guess there's a difference between trying to be "creative" (which probably requires the services of a stylist to pull off) and wanting a somewhat understated tux for red carpet events. And you're right, I would prefer to look more like James Bond than the groom at a wedding, which is weirdly what most of the dinner suits I'm seeing online seem to evoke. I guess what I'm saying is that I'm looking for black tie which isn't overly formal.

I do own a basic navy suit by the way, and it is the experience buying that which makes me want to go MTM. I went from high street shop to high street shop only to be told "sorry Sir, biggest size we stock is a 48". Ended up with something I'm not overly happy with from the darkest back corner of a shop, and which as you say probably needs altering for a good fit. I'm not expecting to be "magically" thin looking, but I do hope that something which fits properly is not too much too ask. And I'm not even that large, I'm an XXL in casual shirts.

Regarding budget, I'd be open to spend around £2000 or so. Excluding shoes, shirts, etc. Thinking maybe have a casual chat with Casual Fitters, and see where that gets me as a starting point.

 

[maxalex]

Your budget puts you in the range of MTM and you should be able to get something that fits you well. A tux is by definition formal, so you can’t really ask it to be less so. It can however meet your need of being understated since a traditional tuxedo is, when you get down to it, a simple black and white outfit.