What black suit to buy for my wedding?

[TheFoo]

I wore a charcoal suit to my wedding; it's proven very useful since.

 

[penguin vic]

You like a suit because it has the tag 'year round' on it? Compared to charcoal and navy a black suit is the least flexible IMO.

 

[TheFoo]

If I could do it over again, I think I would have done navy double-breasted. Would've been pretty sweet.

 

[JustinW]

All the above advice on black suits is very sensible ...... however:

It is your wedding. If you really like the look of a black suit, go for it. It is certainly not traditional and is also rather 'fashion of the moment', so the risk is that you might cringe at your wedding photos in 10 or 20 years.

I am getting married (14 Feb) in a black suit. I did consult the soon-to-be missus, to make sure she was ok with that.

 

[GBR]

Why follow the silly American custom of wearing a tuxedo at a wedding. It is quite wrong and despite being fashionable, frankly repulsive.

Get yourself a decent 'day' suit and then get long term value from it.

No it is not demeaning the special nature of a wedding, it will look good.

 

[AdamInSF]

I agree w/most of the sentiments expressed so far. I was married last Saturday, and wore a dark navy 2-button, peak lapel suit from the aforementioned Wizard of AAAHS, which I expect to get much mileage from for any future festive or, heaven forbid, mourning occasions.

If you don't like peak lapels, or want a suit you can wear for business, get notch lapels. If you really want black, hey, it's your wedding, but it certainly wouldn't be my choice, especially if you don't have solid grey or navy in your wardrobe. A 3-piece would be a nice touch - I would have cheerfully worn one had I found one in my budget.

 

[Lucky Strike]

If a black suit is what you want, get it. As said above, charcoal or navy is more versatile and correct, but what the hell. If you go with the black suit, you could also find a pair of grey, typically striped, trousers, a silvery tie and a light grey waistcoat and improvise a stroller. I got married three months ago, and went with a striped navy double-breasted. Good luck, and congratulations!

 

[JustinW]

Congratulations and good luck to us all!

 

[Lel]

Sometimes this forum is a little silly when it comes to issues of rules but here's my advice because you have several options.

1.) Go for a black suit. That's fine. Despite what SF thinks, it will not be the end of the world if you wear one. Just remember this, it's ok to wear it to formal occasions as long as you treat it as a suit. Read that? Suit, not tux. So nix the bow tie, and wear a tie. If you want to add extra formality on the day of your wedding, I would recommend a matching black vest, fairly low cut. That way you have a black suit (which is perfectly acceptable for business & work BTW) and also have the vest in times of formal attire. Keep the colors simple, black and white.

2.) Go for a charcoal/navy suit. Similar to the black suit, just treat it slightly less formal so you don't need a vest. With a navy/charcoal suit I find that it is more appropriate for day time. For references, see what SF member mafoofan did. So with this you are allowed some more leniency in terms of color (both tie and shirt).

As for actual suit options, if Jcrew fits you fine and needs only minimal tailoring then go for that. Otherwise it sounds like you have enough time for some decent MTM programs.

All in all, it's up to what you like. Just remember, look good. I would rather someone wear a nice fitting navy suit for their wedding than a "traditional" but poorly fitted tuxedo. Just remember to add a nice crisp white pocket square and shine your shoes.

 

[Charley]

If you want to spend your money wisely, you will not purchase another cheap black suit. IThere is no way to disguise it. There is no interest generated by a black suit. It is a fixture of the AmJack fashion trend.

Read well the link to the epistle by Manton. Here it is posted on aother message board:

http://thelondonlounge.net/gl/forum/...pic.php?t=6562

It will take a bit of searching but a much better alternative is something in a charcoal herringbone. It will seem near black, but have a bit of fabric interest and serve you much better for later wear. Since you have a bit of time, you can search ebay for some pretty good buys. Take the suit you have now, get it properly fitted at the tailor. Do not use the AmJack look. Ask the tailor. Sleeves above the wrist, shoulders where they should be, crotch not hanging to the knees, then take the measurements. That will give you something to go by and you can take a couple of shots on ebay. expect to spend some tailoring money to get it to fit correctly.

If your wedding is to be in the daytime, I would recommend something in a lighter grey with the herringbone. It will somewhat echo the grey morning wear. For evening, get the darker charcoal. Both will be very useful for other occasions where a suit is appropriate.

 

[fcuknu]

I believe that a lot of the hatred for the black suit on this and many other forums is unwarranted. I agree it probably should not be in heavy rotation, but I also do think that you should have a few in your closet (for reasons unrelated to death). A black suit can look very sleek and can be forgiving.

BTW, its august, I say go white or go home.

 

[bluemagic]

Originally Posted by Fuuma

A tweed suit with a nice rep tie and brown shoes (preferably english) would work wonders. I even wear that when bathing and don't see why you shouldn't dress exactly like me.

 

[bluemagic]

Originally Posted by Lel

That way you have a black suit (which is perfectly acceptable for business & work BTW)
This is what happens when you have SW&D denim people posting on the MC forum.

Paging Manton...

 

[Lel]

Originally Posted by bluemagic

This is what happens when you have SW&D denim people posting on the MC forum.

Paging Manton...

Despite what SF says, people at your work will not discriminate against someone because they are wearing a black suit. In fact, I don't think I have ever heard one incident of such a case, or even close to.

 

[bluemagic]

Agreed, Lel. I also don't think there are any practical consequences of wearing a black suit, at least for the 99% of people who are not uppermost management or in the cultural sphere. However, it does break the rules.

That's why Manton cares, and I feel I may agree with him.