White tie, without the formality

[archibaldleach]

^ Top picture looks awful. It definitely appears to be a light grey shirt which ruins the look. Tough to tell what color the tie is but it would probably be okay with a white shirt. Bottom picture appears to be a blue tie with a subtle pattern. Not exactly objectionable but not as good as a wedding tie or solid navy or silver. Black ties are great but I do not love them at weddings.

 

[Veremund]

If that's your only suit, then wear it. White shirt, dark tie, and you're done. Looking nice is incredibly easy for guys.

Now, show us a picture of you in your suit so we can judge the fit!

 

[wannabestyled]

Not according to the guys on this site. You evidently need a doctorate to pick a tie around here. A picture of me to judge the fit? I need a tie not a therapist. Ill find a dark navy

to wear or wear this silver one...again.

 

[archibaldleach]

^ Nobody is saying you need a doctorate to pick a tie. It's actually incredibly simple. What can be easier than solid traditional colors like grey / silver, navy, light blue or perhaps a wedding tie of some sort and pairing said tie with a white shirt? Things like teal and white ties on the other hand look awful. Once you have a few basic principles, picking a tie is very easy. The problem is that there are a lot of absolutely hideous ties out there.

 

[wannabestyled]

The problem is nobody agrees on what is hideous and what is not which makes a newbie like me incredibly confused. As I said...I'll pick a solid navy or wear the one I have. Thanks for everyones input...it may not seem like it but I do appreciate those that try to help.

 

[Ivar]



The problem is nobody agrees on what is hideous and what is not which makes a newbie like me incredibly confused.

Most discussions on here -- however contentious they may seem -- are about telling the good from the merely serviceable. There is actually a fairly broad consensus over what's irredeemably ugly, and I would hazard that this tie falls in that camp:

Just stick to matte solids and you're relatively safe.

 

[wannabestyled]

I've never had anything but good compliments on that tie. Especially by women...so you can see why I'm confused. Nevertheless, thanks for the advice.

 

[GothamRed]

/endthread​

 

[Taylorstav]

^^agreed.

 

[wannabestyled]

I like the glen plaid shown and ordered one.

After reviewing many "wedding tie" posts. I have obviously seen the glen plaid mentioned as a wedding tie, but read one that said it most certainly is not a wedding tie. ??? Hhhh...I don't get it.

I'll post a pic when I get it all together, then you guys can have some real fun.

 

[archibaldleach]

^ The above glen plaid looks lovely and will work very well with a navy suit and white shirt. I don't think "wedding tie" the second I see a glen plaid tie but I think it works well enough for the purpose. Also note that wedding ties can be worn at more events than just weddings; anything formal and festive will do.

When you come to a place like SF, you're going to get a lot of expertise. There are going to be debates on what is technically a proper wedding tie and the like. You'll do well to decide for yourself how much you want to care about or delve into these things. For many of us dressing in classic menswear is a way of life if we must do so for work or at the very least a hobby and something we're passionate about. Your confusion is understandable. It's part of the reason myself and others try to steer newcomers to can't miss basics before getting into more advanced topics. A classic navy or grey suit, white shirt and tie in some sort of silver / grey solid or plaid (for navy suits), navy (for grey suits), light blue (either navy or grey) or black (either navy or grey) will pretty much almost always work and that's why you see things like this being recommended.

Try to look at the more basic things being recommended before getting into the more advanced or esoteric. If you learn basic principles, you're going to look better than 90% of your competition. Once you're there, you can always learn more, whether by reading up on things here, trial and error, or both.

 

[wannabestyled]

Thank you for the excellent explanation. This has truly opened my eyes to a new world.

However I still may have a problem in that I will be wearing an almost black pinstripe as noted in the beginning and pictures not navy. I have a heather grey suit but the wedding party will be in grey so I thought I shouldn't wear that. I'm not crazy about the fit either.

I guess my question is will the glen plaid work with the pinstripe?

 

[archibaldleach]

I would not worry about wearing a grey suit to a wedding; it's a common enough color that one would expect many guests to be so attired. Same with a basic navy suit. I think the glen plaid should still be fine either way. If you do wear a grey suit, however, I'd consider a blue tie if you have one as it may be better.

 

[wannabestyled]

If it will work I'll stick with the pinstripe for now. I don't care for the tailoring, or lack thereof on the grey suit. I got it for the last wedding we went to and was not happy with the fit after it was altered.

Thanks again for your help.

 

[Taylorstav]

Once you get a sense of what's right/wrong sartorially, you'll end up wanting to replace everything you own.

Charcoal pinstripes are not ideal, pinstripes have a real business connotation. They're not really suitable for a celebration. But that's getting really picky. Stick with your charcoal pinstripes. I think we've steered you away from the most offensive options.

Troll around here and you'll pick up some rules.

No black suits unless it's a tuxedo.
No square toed shoes

You can really drive yourself nuts with all the rules, but they're important to know. Only when you master the basics and know the rules can you proceed to break them.