Khaki suit for a formal

[jmc473]

I just recently bought a khaki suit, which is a first for my wardrobe. I plan to wear it to a spring formal at the end of the week, but am unsure of how to put together a good look. I have the following shirts: white, light blue, blue/white striped. My question is which tie/ps combo that will look best. She will be wearing a red dress, which I don't want to match, but rather her red should compliment my outfit.

So what shall it be? I'm open to all suggestions and pictures.

 

[ter1413]

Khaki to a formal? Khaki is a casual suit.
Hence...Khaki does not = formal....

 

[Mr Knightly]

Formal when used as a noun is not the same thing in practice as a real formal dress code. I wear black tie about 4-5x/year, but when I went to my last "formal" as a student, I wore a khaki suit, white shirt, and no tie. Maybe half the guys there were in business suits and ties, but lots of people were in blazers, and lots were not wearing ties.

Key to khaki suits: no tie (it's a bit casual after all) or a very dark, plain tie. Lots of people think you need to go with pastels or super bright colors because it's a summer suit. That's a total misconception. A navy knit tie is perfect with a khaki suit.

 

[Texastyle]

I like the look of a blue gingham shirt with a khaki suit.

 

[GBR]

Khaki is not the colour for a formal event.

 

[williamson]



... and lots were not wearing ties.
Key to khaki suits: no tie (it's a bit casual after all) or a very dark, plain tie. Lots of people think you need to go with pastels or super bright colors because it's a summer suit. That's a total misconception. A navy knit tie is perfect with a khaki suit.

Please, EVERYONE, don't recommend wearing no tie with a suit. How many times do you have to be told that such a look is sloppy and unfinished?

 

[TauKappaEpsilon]

Are you going to a fraternity/sorority formal? If so, I wore the J.Crew Ludlow Italian Chino Khaki suit to my and my dates formals. I agree with wearing a dark solid tie (such as a navy blue knit) but you might also want to consider wearing a bowtie. If you do wear one, you can get away with a little more "excitement" in it and perhaps even get one with some red to match her dress. I'd suggest wearing a white shirt and doing a plain white PS with a fun bowtie, or keeping the white shirt wearing a dark solid tie and wear a "fun" PS.

 

[hyt123]

Please, EVERYONE, don't recommend wearing no tie with a suit. How many times do you have to be told that such a look is sloppy and unfinished?

With a dark suit I'd normally agree but with a casual khaki suit in a casual setting, as long as the fit is spot on, not too many shirt buttons are undone and no undershirt/excessive yeti hair is showing, it's fine.

 

[Tropicalist]

Choice 1- Go for the light blue shirt as long as the shade of blue is lighter than the khaki. The tie can be a plain Navy granadine. A linen pocket square will round off the look
Choice 2- wear the white shirt. Pari with a pale blue and while repp stripe tie
Choice 3- light pink shirt and royal blue tie
Khaki is a great colour and goes well with everything. The only key is to keep the whole look light

 

[Bradford]

Either the light blue or white shirt will work. Pair it with a tie with some red in it, not a "red power tie" but something with a spring or lighter feel.

As someone stated previously, a bow tie would be an excellent look with this.

 

[Stirling]

Either the light blue or white shirt will work. Pair it with a tie with some red in it, not a "red power tie" but something with a spring or lighter feel.
As someone stated previously, a bow tie would be an excellent look with this.

Yep

 

[williamson]



With a dark suit I'd normally agree but with a casual khaki suit in a casual setting, as long as the fit is spot on, not too many shirt buttons are undone and no undershirt/excessive yeti hair is showing, it's fine.

I'm sorry, I don't agree at all - but then I strongly dislike open-necked shirts with sports jackets or blazers as well, and won't ever wear such combinations. I think that if one doesn't want to wear a tie, one shouldn't wear a jacket.

 

[Texastyle]

With a jacket you don't have to wear a tie. If you wear a tie then you should wear a jacket. I think that is close to some SF approved mantra.

 

[williamson]



With a jacket you don't have to wear a tie. If you wear a tie then you should wear a jacket. I think that is close to some SF approved mantra.

I am arguing for the reverse. Long-sleeved shirt with tie, worn with belted flat-front trousers are, in my opinion, a stylish summer look. As I've said above re suit without tie, jacket without tie looks sloppy and unfinished. Suit without tie adds incongruity - suit = formal, open-necked shirt = casual - mixed modes.

I accept the possibility that this is a British-American cultural difference, so the SF mantra may be an American preference. Be that as it may, it certainly needs re-thinking and not simply being taken for granted.

 

[Texastyle]

I just think that if you have a tie on without a jacket then you look like you work at best buy. Adding a jacket to a dress shirt increases the formality, but you don't need to add a tie if you are just going out for a social occasion. I'm not a huge fan of it, but I think that it looks nice when done right.