Is black suit an acceptable business attire?

[archibaldleach]

Weird to see this thread brought back from the dead after so long. The whole idea of conservative business dress and reason for following certain rules that are in place for menswear IMO is that, while not everyone knows the rules, there is a degree to which people understand the broad strokes on at least an unconscious level. Most people will not think, "OMG. I can't believe that guy is wearing a black suit. Doesn't he know better?" Of those who think it, most will have the good manners to not say it. But they may prefer the look of a navy or dark grey suit even if they don't know exactly why. The main reason to break the rules is to look better and I don't see many cases where wearing a black suit makes one look better. Especially since black looks better in the evening and business is conducted during the day (yeah, I've worked plenty of jobs with long hours where one is in the office well into the evening, but y'all know what I mean).

 

[Robert Glenn]

No its absolutely not a business attire. You can read it on number of blogs. Black suit only works well if you are going any formal business meetings or highly recommendable for Funeral. But it not a good option for every day business attire !

 

[EliodA]

No its absolutely not a business attire. You can read it on number of blogs. Black suit only works well if you are going any formal business meetings or highly recommendable for Funeral. But it not a good option for every day business attire !

So is it acceptable for business or not? You haz me confuse....

 

[ter1413]



No its absolutely not a business attire. You can read it on number of blogs. Black suit only works well if you are going any formal business meetings or highly recommendable for Funeral. But it not a good option for every day business attire !  

This makes ZERO sense.

 

[ter1413]



So is it acceptable for business or not? You haz me confuse....

No.

 

[BrooksLauren77]

No its absolutely not a business attire. You can read it on number of blogs. Black suit only works well if you are going any formal business meetings or highly recommendable for Funeral. But it not a good option for every day business attire !

Second sentence contradicts your first.

 

[AndrewDu]

An old and maybe dead thread but I am in favour of black suits, typically paired with a pale to mid blue shirt. Far more acceptable than brown in town but sadly less choice than blues and greys.

 

[Andy57]

An old and maybe dead thread but I am in favour of black suits, typically paired with a pale to mid blue shirt.

That's good to know, but I think you may find yourself in a minority on this forum. For daytime wear, black is so...stark.

 

[Luvwine]

I usually wear my black suit to funerals and in a choir I sing in where it is the uniform (with a black shirt). Still, I sometimes wear it to the office and I think it works fine, tho I still think charcoal grey is better.

 

[archibaldleach]

Black suits are great...if you're an undertaker.

 

[AndrewDu]



That's good to know, but I think you may find yourself in a minority on this forum. For daytime wear, black is so...stark.

I can't disagree with either of your points, but I think it is the starkness that is part of the appeal for me.

With the right contrast of colours it can be striking rather than stark. However, not all blacks are the same so it's important to get the right shade/texture.

 

[ChristopherFol]



Instead of black, go for charcoal. Still very dark, but much more fitting for business attire. -boston

Completely agree, the midnight charcoal gray is black at night and totally appropriate for business during the day, the white shirt at night makes it elegant, a light or ice blue during daytime makes it business appropriate.
Where it becomes questionable is when it looks so dressy/formal during the day charcoal gray-white shirt that it draws attention to the clothing, not the man.
The key here is the suit fabric itself, Black is just too severe for daytime, charcoal gray should be muted, absolutely no shine to it, beware any tendency toward sharkskin

 

[David Reeves]



Black suits are great...if you're an undertaker.

There's also different types of black cloth (well obviously) H Lessers is flat and somber, clearly meant for a funeral or funeral director, quite different from say a mohair or Dormeuil Amadeus with a paper press finish.

I think though it depends on the type of business you are doing, obviously people with time on their hands working in offices post a lot here but this is not the whole world of business.

 

[recentgrad]

Weird to see this thread brought back from the dead after so long.

In at least partial defense of beating the dead horse, I read the first 50 pages of responses and found lots of responses about alcohol, semantic debates about the meaning of words, philosophical debates about whether fashion rules exist at all, and rehashing of old internet grudges, but very little relevant to the original question.

 

[archibaldleach]



In at least partial defense of beating the dead horse, I read the first 50 pages of responses and found lots of responses about alcohol, semantic debates about the meaning of words, philosophical debates about whether fashion rules exist at all, and rehashing of old internet grudges, but very little relevant to the original question.

(1) You're quoting my post from 18 months ago.

(2) That tends to happen on StyleForum.