The State of Black Tie: Your Observations

[Tried and True]



it's really quite elitist.........the archaic uniform of the rich.  

Sing it, Comrade!

 

[dreamspace]

Well, after years(literarlly) of searching for the "perfect" tux, I finally found not just one, but two in just one week! One older Ermenegildo Zegna that I got dirt cheap, and one Brioni Quirinale. Both are one button, peak lapel, unvented, and look really similar. The Zegna has satin/silk facing, and the Brioni has grosgrain, so there's some difference. Pics coming up tomorrow. Now I only have to find a decent shirt that's compatible with studs.

 

[Andy57]

Really? I think black tie is very blah. Let's face it, at a wedding, it's really quite elitist. You can make it optional so people don't have to feel they're required to wear the formal straitjacket - isn't it supposed to be a happy occasion? There's a way to have people dress for a special occasion without making them wear what amounts to the archaic uniform of the rich. Dull!

This is so funny.

I wore two different dinner jackets Saturday and Sunday night last weekend in Las Vegas. Nobody made me do it. And I'm archaic myself, so it was an appropriate uniform, I guess.

 

[winghus]

Absolutely disgusting... 3 buttons, side vents flaps, notch lapels, and those skinny notch lapels look so sad.... kind of like whoever would buy this tux. 2K down the drain.

Add belt loops to that list also.

 

[justonemore]

Does anyone still wear black tie for cruise "formal" nights? I'm doing a "forced" family cruise for my mother's birthday on Carnival out of Texas...and from my understanding Carnival is more if a casual line. They have Tux rentals (I don't own a tux) but honestly, my suits are most likely a better quality & are of course tailored to me...buying a tux for a cruise seems a bit outlandish...thoughts? Ideas? Thanks in advance...

 

[Veremund]



Does anyone still wear black tie for cruise "formal" nights? I'm doing a "forced" family cruise for my mother's birthday on Carnival out of Texas...and from my understanding Carnival is more if a casual line. They have Tux rentals (I don't own a tux) but honestly, my suits are most likely a better quality & are of course tailored to me...buying a tux for a cruise seems a bit outlandish...thoughts? Ideas? Thanks in advance...

How soon do you need it? Personally, I love having a tux in my closet for special occasions.

 

[Andy57]

Does anyone still wear black tie for cruise "formal" nights? I'm doing a "forced" family cruise for my mother's birthday on Carnival out of Texas...and from my understanding Carnival is more if a casual line. They have Tux rentals (I don't own a tux) but honestly, my suits are most likely a better quality & are of course tailored to me...buying a tux for a cruise seems a bit outlandish...thoughts? Ideas? Thanks in advance...

I wore a tuxedo for four of seven nights of the cruise, including the two formal nights. On those formal nights, I counted maybe six or so other men in tuxes. So, no, formal nights do not appear to be formal any longer. You won't be out of place if you don't wear a tuxedo. It will be just another opportunity missed.

 

[Veremund]

And tuxes are the full boss, so grab one!

 

[Andy57]

And tuxes are the full boss, so grab one!

Yup.

I don't understand why people are so reluctant to wear a dinner jacket. Put one on, and the world changes. Crowds part when you walk through them. Women swoon. Men defer. Wives will look at their husbands as if to say "why can't you look like that?". Maitre d's are delighted to have you eat in their restaurants and give you good tables. Service in general gets better. It's intoxicating. Strangers will ask to have their picture taken with you. Seriously, it's happened.

Someone might ask you what the special occasion is. All you have to do is look puzzled and reply "dinner". You are wearing a dinner jacket, after all. In the evening, I'd rather wear a dinner jacket than anything else.

 

[archibaldleach]



Someone might ask you what the special occasion is. All you have to do is look puzzled and reply "dinner". You are wearing a dinner jacket, after all.

Brilliant!

 

[random-adam]



I don't understand why people are so reluctant to wear a dinner jacket. Put one on, and the world changes. Crowds part when you walk through them. Women swoon. Men defer. Wives will look at their husbands as if to say "why can't you look like that?". Maitre d's are delighted to have you eat in their restaurants and give you good tables. Service in general gets better. It's intoxicating. Strangers will ask to have their picture taken with you. Seriously, it's happened.

I was just in a tuxedo on Saturday; after I performed in Eroica and the Walton viola concerto, my wife and I went to a Greek diner because it was the most convenient place open at 11pm.

The above has inspired me to break it out again and find someplace a little more suitable for date night this Friday, and maybe convince her to pull a nicer dress out of the closet. Much obliged.

 

[ter1413]



Does anyone still wear black tie for cruise "formal" nights? I'm doing a "forced" family cruise for my mother's birthday on Carnival out of Texas...and from my understanding Carnival is more if a casual line. They have Tux rentals (I don't own a tux) but honestly, my suits are most likely a better quality & are of course tailored to me...buying a tux for a cruise seems a bit outlandish...thoughts? Ideas? Thanks in advance...

If you don't own a tux and don't feel that you would get additional use of it after the cruise, just wear a suit. Simple.

 

[archibaldleach]



If you don't own a tux and don't feel that you would get additional use of it after the cruise, just wear a suit. Simple.

+1. I'm generally a big advocate of taking advantage of opportunities to wear formalwear, but we're talking about a Carnival cruise here. At most the dress code is probably black tie optional for the formal nights, meaning a suit is fine.

 

[random-adam]



+1. I'm generally a big advocate of taking advantage of opportunities to wear formalwear, but we're talking about a Carnival cruise here. At most the dress code is probably black tie optional for the formal nights, meaning a suit is fine.

From their FAQ:

Cruise Elegant Dress Code
Men: dress slacks, dress shirts, and we also suggest a sport coat; men may also wish to wear a suit and tie or tuxedo

"We also suggest a sport coat."

 

[archibaldleach]

Even worse than I feared.