Smart Casual in London

[Galix]

Hi gents,

Tomorrow I will be attending a wedding in London and I need some advice from Brit igents.

I planned to go with a full suit, black cap toe oxfords, etc. But talking to the bride she told me that the dress code will be "smart casual".

Therefore I changed the suit for a pair of nice Loro Piana pants in medium gray and combine it with a sports coat. Orange tie and brown shoes.

And here is where I am doubting what is appropriate for such event in the UK. I thought about wearing a nice pair of C&J loafers. Is that Ok for this type of event? Or should I go for another type of shoe, like a semi brogue cap toe oxfords?

 

[marcodalondra]

What is the background of the couple? Where would the actual ceremony be? London is thankfully such a diverse city that over the years I have had the pleasure of attending various diverse wedding, from African/Indian ethnic weddings, to informal british wedding, aka Town Hall ceremony and local Pub receptions. I am know to be "smartly dressed" and always turned up in a full suit/ black shoes, and never felt out of place.

 

[Galix]



What is the background of the couple? Where would the actual ceremony be? London is thankfully such a diverse city that over the years I have had the pleasure of attending various diverse wedding, from African/Indian ethnic weddings, to informal british wedding, aka Town Hall ceremony and local Pub receptions. I am know to be "smartly dressed" and always turned up in a full suit/ black shoes, and never felt out of place.

Thanks for your reply

The ceremony will be at the Asia House and then they have rented a place to arrange the event. Don't remember right now what's the restaurant's name... But apart from the restaurant area, they also have their own pub in the same building where the party will continue. That gives me the idea that it is not a fancy old fashioned stiff place, but I have no clue TBH.

Well, and the couple is quite "modern", if this makes sense. Think some sort of London hipsters but with taste for the fine and expensive things in life. So I reckon that the other guests will be somehow similar in style and taste (hipsters and geeks?).

 

[12345Michael54321]



she told me that the dress code will be "smart casual".

"Smart casual" is one of those terms which means... pretty much whatever the person feels like having it mean. It could be anything from "Jeans are okay, if they're clean. But don't wear a t-shirt with them." to "Most of the men will be in jackets and ties, but not necessarily suits - or at least not dark suits - and the neckties can be casual knit ties."

If it were me, I might wear a suit. Just because generally it's better to be dressed slightly more formally than expected, than slightly more casually than expected. At least, that's long been my rule with respect to business situations, but I think it can apply equally well to a significant social setting, like a wedding.

(No, that doesn't mean it's good to be wearing a charcoal 3-piece suit to a casual backyard barbecue. That's taking the general rule to a ridiculous extreme. But I still maintain that unless one is a celebrity billionaire, it's usually better to be the only man in the room wearing a tie, than to be the only man in the room not wearing a tie.)

However, you'll likely be okay in your wool pants, sports coat., and non-athletic shoe footwear.

Whichever way you decide to go with this, once you've made up your mind, don't second guess your decision. No man looks his best when he's not comfortable (psychologically, although I suppose it applies to physically, too) with what he's wearing.