Help Needed!

Hey there everybody
I am not the kind of guy that gets dressed up too often but I am off to the races tomorrow and have a bit of a delima. I not have a full matching suit. I have a dark charcoal coloured suit jacket that has very fine pinstripes through it but the pants were thrown out a while ago. All I have is straight black suit pants. Would I get away with wearing this or should I leave the jacket at home and just wear the shirt and tie? PLEASE HELP!

White shirt
Black pants
black shoes

silver platter in your hand

You have to have something other than black pants right? Something you can wear with them? Whatever you do, dont wear those pants with that jacket!

So I should leave the jacket at home? Just a shirt and tie?

Originally Posted by constant struggle

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White shirt
Black pants
black shoes

silver platter in your hand

What he's saying here is that you will look like a waiter or the hired help wearing a white shirt and black pants. He's right.

Originally Posted by emmanuel

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You have to have something other than black pants right? Something you can wear with them? Whatever you do, dont wear those pants with that jacket!

He asking (without concern for the striped charcoal jacket, which is useless without the matching suit pants) if you have any pants other than black suit pants.

You must have something -- khaki, brown, navy, charcoal, mid-grey. Give us something to go with.

Originally Posted by xhp487

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So I should leave the jacket at home? Just a shirt and tie?
Yes, don't wear a patterned suit coat without the pants that came with it.

If that's the only jacket you have, yes, go with shirt and tie only; but, it shouldn't be a white shirt and black pants.

I have a lighter grey pair of pinstriped suit pants but they are a fair bit lighter then the jacket. I wont be wearing a straight white shirt or anything like that. Grey pants and a peachy coloured shirt maybe????

Originally Posted by xhp487

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I have a lighter grey pair of pinstriped suit pants but they are a fair bit lighter then the jacket. I wont be wearing a straight white shirt or anything like that. Grey pants and a peachy coloured shirt maybe????

Stop trying to match the jacket! Forget the jacket! If you dont have the matching pants then dont use it. Grey pants and peachy colored shirt? Go ahead. doesnt sound special at all but it should be passable.

(southbound35 please feel free to translate as you see fit)

Originally Posted by emmanuel

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Stop trying to match the jacket! Forget the jacket! If you dont have the matching pants then dont use it. Grey pants and peachy colored shirt? Go ahead. doesnt sound special at all but it should be passable.

(southbound35 please feel free to translate as you see fit)

Im no trying to look special or anything mate. If it was up to me I would be going in a T-shirt and jeans but unfortunately, I cant so I have to sort something out. What colour shirt is a failsafe option to go with grey or black pants and I will just wear that?

Originally Posted by xhp487

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If it was up to me I would be going in a T-shirt and jeans

How unfortunate for you.

Anyway, light blue has to be the most diverse shirt color ever.

Im sorry if I dont have the expert knowledge of all the latest and greatest fashions out there mate, that is why I was looking here for a bit of guidance and the title of my thread is "Help Needed". I dont often go to these sort of things and when I do I just usually wear a pair of suit pants and a dressie shirt or something. From what I have heard the majority of blokes wear suits when attending the races so I thought I would just ask the question.

Originally Posted by xhp487

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Im sorry if I dont have the expert knowledge of all the latest and greatest fashions out there mate
I dont have a problem with you not being familiar with the fashion world. I just think its unfortunate that you have no interest in carrying yourself like a grown man, like a gentleman. It is not my intention to make you feel uncomfortable or to pick on you but your views on clothing seem to dominate society today and I think its sad. Again, im not angry trying to pick a fight... Im more disappointed than anything.

You know the truth is that I would love to be able to have a few really nice fitting suits and know what goes with what and all that. I just dont have the knowledge about it all. Ask me how insurance claims work and I will answer your question no worries. Ask me to get dressed up and go to the races and I have about as much clue as a 5 year old.

Originally Posted by xhp487

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You know the truth is that I would love to be able to have a few really nice fitting suits and know what goes with what and all that. I just dont have the knowledge about it all.

So perhaps you should browse this forum occasionally. Lots of people here have had their lives changed forever!

Hang around here for a while (have a thick skin) and you will learn how to dress nice when you need to.

Your "orphan" (this is what they are refered to without pants) suit jacket is little use to you now. Some people can pull off an orphaned jacket, but you really need to know what you are doing and even then it is sketchy.

Black pants (trouser) depsite what you have been told are perhaps the worst colour you can have for a trouser. In the future avoid black dress clothes unless: a. your job calls for it, or b. you expect alot of deaths in the family.

If I had just one pair of odd trousers I would with solid light gray, a nice light blue dress shirt and you would be in business.

With you have you can pass by just fine with you gray or black trousers, a nice non white dress shirt and tie. Truth be told the fact you are putting any thought into your outfit means you will be outdressing the vast majority of men out there.

Originally Posted by JeffsWood

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Hang around here for a while (have a thick skin) and you will learn how to dress nice when you need to.

Your "orphan" (this is what they are refered to without pants) suit jacket is little use to you now. Some people can pull off an orphaned jacket, but you really need to know what you are doing and even then it is sketchy.

Black pants (trouser) depsite what you have been told are perhaps the worst colour you can have for a trouser. In the future avoid black dress clothes unless: a. your job calls for it, or b. you expect alot of deaths in the family.

If I had just one pair of odd trousers I would with solid light gray, a nice light blue dress shirt and you would be in business.

With you have you can pass by just fine with you gray or black trousers, a nice non white dress shirt and tie. Truth be told the fact you are putting any thought into your outfit means you will be outdressing the vast majority of men out there.


So are there any major do's and dont's when it comes to a tie? I have one that is dark shades of blue in thin diagonal stripes (sorry about the way I explain it, I really do have no clue!). Would that go ok with a blue dress shirt and the grey pinstripe pants?

And what about shoes? If you tell me that black leather shoes are bad I think I will have to shoot myself!

I think I will have to have a bit of a look through some of the posts on here to "get my act together!"