Help pick a suit for clubbing.

[Heathcliff]

I'll be traveling for a few days to South Beach in November and Manhattan in March. Part of the time in each place will be spent at VIP tables in nice nightclubs. I've never been the kind of guy to wear a suit to a club but it seems appropriate in those cities. I was thinking of something along the lines of this...

[/IMG]
Well, maybe not quite that extreme but you get the picture. I only own some boring work suits now. Any suggestions?

That's a Boateng above but I don't know how to go about getting my hands on one of those. I'd like to keep the price around 1K or less.

 

[chasingred]

 

[Master-Classter]

price range? IMO, instead of buying a whole suit, you're better off going with a flashy but still somewhat reasonable sportscoat... check out paul smith, etro, even tom ford. eg something like a red velvet/plush sportscoat. it gets attention but is still somewhat normal. example:

 

[sjg22]

As someone that's spent some time in Manhattan and SoBe bars, I would say that you're thinking isn't quite right about having to "dress up". Usually the people with the real cash, celebrity (i.e. the ppl that have little trouble getting into SoBe or Manhattan clubs) are actually less dressed-up than the average person. You definitely do not need to wear a suit (and buying one specifically for "clubbing", unless you get it off the B&S for a bargain, is a bit silly). When I first when out in Manhattan, I was under the same impression as you are - but I quickly switched to wearing henley shirts and jeans - maybe a sports coat if the occasion seemed to call for it.

I would echo that a modern, mildly flashy sport coat is your best bet. Spend your $ on a nice pair of jeans, shoes and a watch - those are the most versatile "club wear" things you can buy. But please: no "Affliction" t-shirts.

And I don't want to sh*t on Master-Classter, but I would probably avoid velvet because it'll inevitably have drinks or god-knows-what-else spilled on it - the same goes for suede shoes. Cotton sport coats make the most sense from a "cleaning" perspective (esp. in South Beach).

 

[FidelCashflow]

If you want something for clubbing - just pick a colour or material other than your standard charcoal or navy wool which looks like it belongs in a job interview. There are lots of nice mohair or silk blended suits out there which would fit the bill.

And that boateng does look pretty cool although I could never wear it

 

[patrick_b]

Perhaps something along these lines:

But always remember...

Originally Posted by Reevolving

There is a fine line between dressing like an old man and a sharp GQ/Esquire guy

 

[blahman]

Clubbing in a suit = try hard. Plus unless you want to stink and thus repulse all the ladies, which I assume runs the opposite of what you want, you'd be out of your jacket within 5 minutes of getting insude.

Just stay wirh a nice shirt and pants. Or even tshirt with dark jeans depending on where you decide to go.

 

[sjg22]

Originally Posted by patrick_b

Perhaps something along these lines:

But always remember...

Not sure if you're joking, but in terms of things I would wear to a bar (or club) this ranks near dead last. I would wear this to church, the office on a casual Friday or out for dinner with my gf's parents, but I would not darken the door of a South Beach bar in that.

 

[Made in California]

Originally Posted by blahman

Clubbing in a suit = try hard. Plus unless you want to stink and thus repulse all the ladies, which I assume runs the opposite of what you want, you'd be out of your jacket within 5 minutes of getting insude.

Just stay wirh a nice shirt and pants. Or even tshirt with dark jeans depending on where you decide to go.

A good point. I was going to mention a Tom Ford jacket would be a bad idea, but you're right. A jacket at all would be too much clothing, so if you want to do it get one that's really light.

Also, the blazer-not-suit idea is very well-founded. Take the Boateng you posted in the OP. That would probably be better as blazer only. It still reeks of Miami-born coke-laden sleaze though. It's really unfortunate because it does look very cool, it's just super difficult to find a good place for it ... other than the runway.

As a side note, I would think carefully about your choice of clothing considering you will, 100% sure, spill booze all over it (or someone else will). I recently got a suit with a lot of synthetic in it for this purpose. It's charcoal double-breasted with a sheen. Not obnoxious, but clearly not appropriate for a job interview.

 

[NewYorkIslander]

Dude, you don't need a flash suit to sit in a club's VIP section, unless you want to be known as the douche in the suit, and have a bunch of bridge and tunnel guys kick your ass and take your watch. i can not speak for South Beach, but this will be the case in Manhattan. The clubs without the bridge and tunnel crowd don't nee a VIP section, cause its the whole club.

 

[rgoldstein]

Nicely fitted v-neck, pair of nice, well fitting jeans, shoes of your choice (something comfortable), and an appropriately large watch.

Don't wear a suit to a club down here. You'll stick out like a sore thumb.

 

[Made in California]

I was trying to offer a legitimate suggestion for OP and was having trouble thinking of one. Could someone post a picture (possibly one you just found on the net) of a fit that you guys would wear to a nightclub that required a collared shirt and no sneakers?

 

[Imhoff]

Well, usually when one goes clubbing for seals or penguins, this would be the appropriate attire....

Oh wait..... wrong clubbing.

 

[Metlin]

Originally Posted by sjg22

Not sure if you're joking, but in terms of things I would wear to a bar (or club) this ranks near dead last. I would wear this to church, the office on a casual Friday or out for dinner with my gf's parents, but I would not darken the door of a South Beach bar in that.

+100. I'd recommend dark jeans and a nice jacket with good shoes. Get a Lum-Tec watch if you can (great conversation pieces).



Everything else is negotiable.

 

[Made in California]

Originally Posted by Imhoff

Well, usually when one goes clubbing for seals or penguins, this would be the appropriate attire.... Oh wait..... wrong clubbing.
Yeah and it's North Face, which sucks and it's ugly. Paired with jeans, I'm now personally offended.