Oh the horror...the horror!!! (Black Tie Event)

[MrDaniels]

I was just at a black-tie wedding in Manhattan, groom and groomsmen all in white tie, all male guests in black tie as stated on invitation. Out of almost 200 guests, one of the male guests showed up in a tan suit. I honestly do not know how the poor guy didn't just drop dead from humiliation-his date was in a proper dress BTW. I'm sure if the guy had been in a dark, solid suit with a solid tie he might not have stood out so poorly-but it was just sad to see with the waiters dressed better than one of the guests. And this was not a crowd that rented their tuxes at Men's Wearhouse; I am sure I saw a majority of bespoke tuxes in the crowd and even saw a few guys in opera pumps with bows (I still don't have the guts to wear those I am afraid...)

Younger guys and men new to fashion reading this forum: Do not EVER be the only guy at a black tie event not in black tie! If you are invited to such an event and cannot afford to at least rent a tux-send your regrets and do not go!

 

[CoryB]

If your financial position doesn't allow you to rent formal wear you needn't dismiss going to an event, but I'd attempt to make myself inconspicious. If he were wearing a dark charcoal or black suit likely the person would have been only minimally noticed. I couldn't imagine having the gall though to show up wearing tan (especially as it was an evening event and it is past spring and summer)

 

[Newton]

Maybe he didn't read the invite!

He'll regret it, now.

He's probably shopping for a tux as we speak!

 

[drax]

Of floating in the hudson

 

[lakewolf]

Remembers me Peter Sellers in the movie "The Party"

 

[masterfred]

"The Party is groovy, and everyone loses control...."
Isn't that one of Blake Edwards' early farces? Too funny.

 

[sho'nuff]

im pretty sure there can be a myriad of reasons why this fellow showed up in a tan suit and his lady friend in proper dress.

one can be that he just may be a simpleton when it comes to these things or he disregarded the invite instructions and his lady did not sensibly warn him.


but what i think maybe there was maybe some timing issue or something that happened all of a sudden before he came or maybe he wasnt invited and then last minute got a call when coming from a plane, or whatever. you never know what legitimate story he may have as to why he was dressed like that.

 

[acidboy]

yeah. let him be. he's humiliated enough being the not-so-nice standout in the event already. or he just doesnt care.

 

[Luc-Emmanuel]

yes, maybe he just doesn't care. It's not like he showed up in flip flops either.

!luc

 

[dah328]

It doesn't matter whether the guy in the tan suit cares or not. This isn't about breaking "rules" or demonstrating sartorial sophistication. It's about manners. To disregard the dress code listed in the invitation is disrespectful and rude.

 

[lakewolf]

Maybe it was a way to make an statement as "I am the outsider here"...

This is because I just saw yesterday on the BBC a debate about the UK stock market and there were several financial consultants, all of them wearing conservative ( blue or gray ) suits with french cuff shirts and some with braces, and there was this guy a young hedge fund consultant that was making avant-garde statements... he was dressed in an unconstructed cotton khaki suit...

 

[MrDaniels]

Originally Posted by dah328

It doesn't matter whether the guy in the tan suit cares or not. This isn't about breaking "rules" or demonstrating sartorial sophistication. It's about manners. To disregard the dress code listed in the invitation is disrespectful and rude.

AGREED!

 

[dirk diggler]

who was the invitation directed towards? Perhaps his date got the invite and brought him along without telling him what to wear.

 

[Toiletduck]

or MAYBE he was on styleforum too much, and never ever got to get a black suit...

jeebus

 

[LabelKing]

A tan suit-who wears a tan suit in the evenings.