Manhattan in March?

[webecker]

Hey all

(long time lurk, first time post)

I'm going to Manhattan for the first time next week with my girlfriend and her fabulously wealthy aunt and uncle.

I live in southern Arizona, where, as a rule, every businessman wears a solid black suit (with gold buttons if they can help it), white shirt, black geometrical tie, and black-ish sneakers. Not only that, but it is always summer in this stupid state. If you put a gun to my head and asked me what season it is in the rest of the country, I wouldn't know what to say.

I work retail, and I consider myself pretty sprezz for a 21 year old (on the trad. side of trendy). Some of my clients are from NYC, so I asked them what the weather is like in Manhattan -- some say rain, some say snow, all say between 30-50 degrees F.

Can you all please advise on how to pack? What season is it anyway? Sort of my go-to outfit is:

- brown-ish camel hair sport coat, herringbone (fits very well; white cotton pocket square??)
- blue gingham button down (tie or no tie??)
- dark brown cotton/wool jeans from B.R., maybe cotton chinos instead
- those cheap suede derbys from 1901, Nordstrom, blue
- one of those cloth blue PRL belts with the metal D rings

stuff like that

If it helps, we will be staying at the Manhattan Times Square, splitting most of our time between downtown and midtown, probably no higher than the park. As soon as we get off the train, we are going to some gourmet restaurant downtown, then seeing How to Succeed in Business w/o Trying (with the Harry Potter kid). So I need something appropriate for travel, gourmet dining, and Broadway musicals.

The rest of the weekend women-folk are going to be doing their thing, whereas rich uncle and I will hit BB, AE, Saks, Bergdorf, whatever. Fine dining and cocktails every night, etc etc.

Should I pack suits, sport coat ensembles, tan three quarter coats, Allen Edmonds, boat shoes??

PLEASE ADVISE

thanks SF

 

[upr_crust]

Although it is abnormally warm and pleasant today (highs somewhere around 70F right now), the normal weather for late March is daytime highs around 50F, lows in the upper 30's and there is always the possibility of rain.

Your "go to" travel clothes sound fine for your purposes (chinos and jeans, so that you can trade off one for the other when needed). Most fine dining in Manhattan is not that formal, especially south of Central Park, and certainly in the areas of Park Ave. South or Soho/Tribeca.

Theatre-going is also not so formal (even for the natives, unless it's a special event) - throw a tie that will go with your "go-to" clothes for travel, and you should be prepared for all eventualities (at least IMHO).

You did not say how long you were going to be in town - a week? After southern AZ, I am sure that the retail choices of midtown Manhattan will be a LOT of eye candy.

I would not think that any more formal clothes would be necessary for the activities that you describe, unless your GF's aunt and uncle have grander plans for you, of which they should advise you (certainly advise your GF, their niece).

 

[webecker]

Wow thanks for the great response. We will be there from Tues evening til the following Sun

 

[webecker]

How about gloves, hats, etc? I have pretty poor circulation to my extremities. Would a pair of BLACK leather gloves look out of place on the aforesaid outfit? That's all I have, don't feel like buying brown

 

[viator]

I would recommend a raincoat - it's that time of year. Skip the gloves and hat.

 

[mic]

Sounds like good advice here. I go to NYC 2-3 times a month and never know what to pack!

Originally Posted by webecker

How about gloves, hats, etc? I have pretty poor circulation to my extremities. Would a pair of BLACK leather gloves look out of place on the aforesaid outfit? That's all I have, don't feel like buying brown

Nobody will notice black gloves. And I disagree with the above poster re. gloves and hat (but then, I have renaud's syndrome- my fingers turn dead white if subjected to cold and/or vibration). It can be chilly, so you might as well be prepared, for all the tiny amount of room they will take.

 

[saiyar1]

The only thing that matters here is the gourmet restaurants and, more importantly, how your girlfriend's family dresses.

Nice restaurants don't require great clothing, but I'm not sure how exclusive the restaurants in your plans are. I would make sure to match the uncle's clothing. If he's a chinos and polo shirt guy, keep it in the same realm. If he's dressed to the max on all ocassions, you can suit up or wear a dressy casual outfit to be in the ballpark.

I wouldn't assume he dresses any particular way just because he's very wealthy. I also don't think he would expect you to have anticipated dressing up (except for dinner).

The temps swign wildly in March, it's just one of those months. Rainy/sowny wintery mix is very common. So are the 60+ temps we see today.