Prom Outfit Help!

[casperh7]

Hi guys, my prom is approaching and I'm not sure of my outfit yet :/ i only have three weeks to decide. My partner is wearing a black and "bits of silver" dress (she says) and I'm not sure what to wear. I could go down the route of nice black suit white shirt and black tie to play it safe, but i want to look a bit better than that I was thinking possibly a day cravat and open necked button down collar shirt but I'm not sure. I'm quite pale and tall and slim so this needs to be taken into account!

Please help my prom dilemma!!!

Cheers, C

 

[inimitable]

Budget, location, what do you currently own that you can work with?

 

[casperh7]

Crikey sorry (I'm new to the forum) I'm in the UK (lincolnshire), budget can be pretty high but I don't want to go too high as i might not wear the outfit again! I currently own a grey wool slim fitting suit but i don't think that would work with her outfit so I'm thinking just buy a whole new outfit

 

[luftvier]

Originally Posted by casperh7

... I currently own a grey wool slim fitting suit but i don't think that would work with her outfit so I'm thinking just buy a whole new outfit

This would be fine. Just wear a black tie and back polished shoes with a colorful pocketsquare.

But if your date insists that you match her like a pair of wedding cake toppers, then just do what she wants. Prom is all about the girl anyway.

 

[casperh7]

Yeah i know that would look fine but i just want to look the best, haha.

 

[inimitable]

I wouldn't worry too much about matching her outfit. Most things are going to 'go' with a black dress. Consider if you are going to be doing interviews in the near future for jobs or university, you may want to buy a suit that you can use for this also. A charcoal 2 button suit would be pretty versatile (£250+). You could dress it up for prom with something different like a cutaway collar shirt (say from TM Lewin ~£30) and a polka dot knit tie (red navy or black ~£40) which will set you apart from everyone else (in a good way) while still appearing well put together. If you feel you would get good use out of a dinner suit in the next few years, you could go down that route, however a charcoal suit will probably be more useful (How old are you?) Shoes- important. Depends on what you own and what you feel would use in the future. You could probably get away with a pair of penny loafers if they are your thing. Maybe suede could be an option. Otherwise a pair of laceups would be most versatile. Look at www.herringshoes.co.uk for Loakes ~£140

 

[jonnyt]

What they all said.
If your suit fits well, and you wear it with good shoes, a smart tie and a colourful square, you'll certainly be the best dressed person at a UK prom and you'll have an outfit you can re-use endlessly.
If you buy something very fashion-forward especially for the prom (shiny suit, thin lapels, square-toed shoes etc) you may impress people with no real fashion sence now but you'll never be able to wear any of it again.
To be honest, if your suit fits well now, it almost doesn't matter what tie/ shirt/ square combo you wear, just blow your entire budget on the most expensive pair of classic oxfords (round or chisel-toed) you can afford. Everyone else there will have cheap shoes on and although yours will probably be the most conservative, the girls will definitely notice.
If your suit doesn't fit so well, buy the best fitting dark grey or dark navy that you can find. M&S have a bunch of different fits, as do Charles Thrwitt.
Think Don Draper style...

 

[inimitable]

Originally Posted by jonnyt

Think Don Draper style...

Minus the skinny lapels

 

[casperh7]

Okay guys that advice all seems very sound. What is your opinion on going slightly more causal/ understated, so a nice cotton shirt with top button undone and perhaps no tie atall? Or even a shirt like this http://www.zara.com/webapp/wcs/store...CTURED%2BSHIRT I think I'll spend some cash on the shoes, any brand i should consider? I'm in the Uk

 

[Eyeonmodel]

I think classic black tux suit with black polished shoes is a great combination.

 

[VelvetGreen]

Originally Posted by casperh7

Yeah i know that would look fine but i just want to look the best, haha.
Alright mate, Since you're young and can probably pull this off without people turning their noses up. I suggest the usual black tie garb, but instead of a black tie, buy a silk scarf in some kind of burgundy, with perhaps a paisley pattern. Have a look in Tie Rack. Wear it round your neck in the manner of a cravate and tuck the excess down the front of your shirt (making sure to flatten it out underneath so you don't look, er, endowed). This works best with a fold down collar dress shirt, for obvious reasons. I had to do this having returned from a foreign country going straight to a BT birthday party, having forgotten my tie. It worked. Shoes - you could order them from Herring, because the price and choice are very good and they are shipped quickly.

 

[Gwarg]

You should definitely wear a tie at least. As for shoes, Loakes are good for the price: http://www.herringshoes.co.uk/produc...ndID=7&all=all

 

[add911_11]

For Prom, Sharp Perk lapel suit (I always in flavour three piece) form anywhere (I just got one in suit supply and it is great for the price) Well polish rounded shoe (e.g. grenson) http://www.grenson.co.uk/shop/kirk - probably worth to buy a nice pair because you can wear it again for various occasions. I disagree with some of the members here, I think you should get a silver tie from somewhere, go on ebay or second hand thread, please don't buy the skinny one, they look hipster and disgusting Proper dinner suit is a bit too formal for the majority of UK prom. Depends hwo posh your school is, everyone in my old school turn up in proper dinner blazer. So I have a MTM perk DB black dinning jacket, a black trousers in second hand market here, and a shawl DB vest. This might be too dressy for the event. Shave and clone up, that is extremely important.

 

[add911_11]

Extra comments, Hey dude, I have my prom last year as well. I do think you need a bowtie or tie, just for the pictures, once you have few glasses you will take it off I think for suits in UK, autograph line has some pretty slim fit suits, quiet funky fabric. the M&S autograph is certainly more tappered and fitted than Charles or TM Lewin, that is for sure, I had been looking around for a long time in the past few weeks. But seriously you should try Suit supply, their stuff is acutally pretty nice, I would say fit nicer than all the above suggestion, depends what fabric you want, it might be a bit more expensive than Charles Black line, such more than M&S, Charles and TM Lewin. Your investment should be concentrated on shoes, since you could wear them again. Few suits that I am seen in the shop which are nice: http://www.marksandspencer.com/Sarto...qid=1307542344 This M&S one is quiet nice, I like the sharp blue colour. But depends what is your posture you might need altering. It is still now very slim http://www.suitsupply.com/shop/1.P2972/Suit I acutally brought this suit, it is very nice for the price, it will last for a decent time, and the drop 8 is no joke, very slim and Italian http://www.suitsupply.com/shop/1.P2895/Suit This is a 'bread and butter' suit, this still have a drop 7 cut, very slim, and you should be able to at least wear it for a year more for jobs or occassion http://www.ctshirts.co.uk/men's-sui...abel-suit?q=gbpdefault||BSA06BLW||||||||||||| This is a very english suit, very nice fabric, I tried it on and it is certainly like the fit of M&S autograph. If you want the best one and doesn't care the price go for this one. this three piece and a sweet black tie should kill the girl next table as well

 

[add911_11]

Originally Posted by casperh7

Okay guys that advice all seems very sound. What is your opinion on going slightly more causal/ understated, so a nice cotton shirt with top button undone and perhaps no tie atall? Or even a shirt like this http://www.zara.com/webapp/wcs/store...CTURED%2BSHIRT

I think I'll spend some cash on the shoes, any brand i should consider? I'm in the Uk

That is good for causal, I would never choose a chinese collar shirt to UK prom. Have a look in http://www.hawesandcurtis.com/

They do very very nice shirt in good price, I buy pretty such all formal and causal shirts there