i think a lot of people think black tie is a lot more formal than it is, as well as the fact that there are many 'festive black tie' events which encourage variation, but regardless -- it's going to depend ENTIRELY on the individual event. if gr80 is going to dine at an ambassador's house or will be receiving a prestigious award, of COURSE he should wear a full proper tux. but if it's not so formal as that, chances are he'll be able to improvise something suitable out of stuff he already owns + a few new versatile garments.
― elmo argonaut, Tuesday, 26 August 2008 14:51 (sixteen years ago) link
and whoever said to look for tuxedos at the thrift has a good idea, though most of the vintage tuxes i've seen are hideous 70s deals.
― elmo argonaut, Tuesday, 26 August 2008 14:58 (sixteen years ago) link
if i had it online, this is where i would post a picture of my dad in a red glen tartan tuxedo with lapels & oversized bowtie in velvet.
― elmo argonaut, Tuesday, 26 August 2008 14:59 (sixteen years ago) link
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Formal_wear interesting!
― rrrobyn, Tuesday, 26 August 2008 15:06 (sixteen years ago) link
xxpost
that was me before the idea of wearing a cardigan to a formal event drove me crazy. but yeah, the only times i've had BLACK TIE specified on the invitation was a couple of things for work or some schmancy charity events and those were not encouraging ppl to get creative. i'm def not familiar w/informal black tie. or less formal.
i dk where gr80 is but i got my tuxedo at a consingment shop in SF i can recommend places to look if u live there.
― Lamp, Tuesday, 26 August 2008 15:09 (sixteen years ago) link
next time im in asia i will get us all dolphin tuxes custom tailored - send me yr measurements!
― ice crӕm, Tuesday, 26 August 2008 15:11 (sixteen years ago) link
gr80 is in hawaii!
― tehresa, Tuesday, 26 August 2008 15:12 (sixteen years ago) link
-- elmo argonaut, Tuesday, August 26, 2008 10:51 AM (21 minutes ago) Bookmark Link
i agree and i also dislike the formality of black tie for men. even though i've been lucky enough to go to "festive black tie" events for the most part, even if it were a bit more stringent i'd be tempted to fuck the haters and experiment.
― Surmounter, Tuesday, 26 August 2008 15:15 (sixteen years ago) link
"festive black tie" is a dire phrase
― ice crӕm, Tuesday, 26 August 2008 15:16 (sixteen years ago) link
even though i've been lucky enough to go to "festive black tie" events for the most part, even if it were a bit more stringent i'd be tempted to fuck the haters and experiment.
lab coat is the new cardigan?
― Lamp, Tuesday, 26 August 2008 15:21 (sixteen years ago) link
well i think festive at a lot of places means "festive black tie"
it does where i work. you say festive, but half the crowd shows up like they're at the met. the other half fuck around a little.
lab coats otm
― Surmounter, Tuesday, 26 August 2008 15:23 (sixteen years ago) link
see, our gala was 'festive' which meant brightly colored dresses and suits, but no tuxes.
― tehresa, Tuesday, 26 August 2008 15:28 (sixteen years ago) link
though i reckon that has something to do w/ the diff btw B4M and B¢B¢
― tehresa, Tuesday, 26 August 2008 15:29 (sixteen years ago) link
leather jacket
― elmo argonaut, Tuesday, 26 August 2008 15:29 (sixteen years ago) link
surmounter just because it says 'festive black tie' doesnt mean that you can go around having sex with haters
― max, Tuesday, 26 August 2008 15:29 (sixteen years ago) link
lolll
yeah teh maybe you're right, maybe it's mostly suits. black tie doesn't have to mean tux does it?
― Surmounter, Tuesday, 26 August 2008 15:31 (sixteen years ago) link
to be a woman and slip into a black dress, oy
Pre-Tied Bowties: Why Not Just Wear Sweatpants?
― elmo argonaut, Tuesday, 26 August 2008 15:32 (sixteen years ago) link
imo black tie usually means going around having sex with waiters. or catereres. hollinghurst otm.
― Lamp, Tuesday, 26 August 2008 15:32 (sixteen years ago) link
i think it generally does.
what becomes difficult is interpreting festive for women! or even black tie. does this mean cocktail or gown? i once went to this law dinner that was black tie, but was told it was not really a gown event. so i showed up in a very nice, but definitely not super formal lbd, and all the women were wearing gowns. i felt silly.
― tehresa, Tuesday, 26 August 2008 15:33 (sixteen years ago) link
or festive: does this mean cocktail dress or a fancy sundress? surm, you don't know how easy men have it!
― tehresa, Tuesday, 26 August 2008 15:34 (sixteen years ago) link
brocade silk smoking jacket
― elmo argonaut, Tuesday, 26 August 2008 15:34 (sixteen years ago) link
good point, i never thought about the potential for confusion there. well when ppl call and ask me what festive means, i generally say cocktail. but there are always the women in gowns
― Surmounter, Tuesday, 26 August 2008 15:34 (sixteen years ago) link
black bath robe, samurai sword
― ice crӕm, Tuesday, 26 August 2008 15:35 (sixteen years ago) link
puffy ski vest
― elmo argonaut, Tuesday, 26 August 2008 15:37 (sixteen years ago) link
fwiw it looks like there are plenty of reasonably affordable tuxes on ebay
― elmo argonaut, Tuesday, 26 August 2008 15:39 (sixteen years ago) link
leotard, gold medal
― ice crӕm, Tuesday, 26 August 2008 15:39 (sixteen years ago) link
YES
― Surmounter, Tuesday, 26 August 2008 15:41 (sixteen years ago) link
black swimsuit, white beach towel
― Lamp, Tuesday, 26 August 2008 15:41 (sixteen years ago) link
though to consider it for a moment, most of these ebay tuxes are probably formal rental inventory
― elmo argonaut, Tuesday, 26 August 2008 15:42 (sixteen years ago) link
diamond choker
― Surmounter, Tuesday, 26 August 2008 15:42 (sixteen years ago) link
FAKE DIAMOND
skin of downstairs neighbor, bow tie
― ice crӕm, Tuesday, 26 August 2008 15:43 (sixteen years ago) link
black leather harness, clerical collar
― elmo argonaut, Tuesday, 26 August 2008 15:44 (sixteen years ago) link
last feels more business casual tbh
― Lamp, Tuesday, 26 August 2008 15:45 (sixteen years ago) link
sweatsuit, tap shoes, 'scream' mask
― elmo argonaut, Tuesday, 26 August 2008 15:46 (sixteen years ago) link
hello sydney!
― Surmounter, Tuesday, 26 August 2008 15:47 (sixteen years ago) link
accountants visor, lavender speedo
― ice crӕm, Tuesday, 26 August 2008 15:48 (sixteen years ago) link
beekeeper's suit, spats
― Lamp, Tuesday, 26 August 2008 15:50 (sixteen years ago) link
dinner jacket is a good look
― elmo argonaut, Tuesday, 26 August 2008 16:11 (sixteen years ago) link
not always appropriate tho
― elmo argonaut, Tuesday, 26 August 2008 16:12 (sixteen years ago) link
tear-away track bottoms, arm in a cast
― elmo argonaut, Wednesday, 27 August 2008 13:33 (sixteen years ago) link
guys i've come a long way in 4 years but still i am wondering:
pre-tied adjustable bow ties: tacky or no?
because i have one i gotta tie myself, but the pre-tied ones look soooo much more neat+crisp.
― ❏❐❑❒ (gr8080), Friday, 14 September 2012 22:25 (twelve years ago) link
it depend on if you are wearing it with a cardigan.
― jed_, Monday, 17 September 2012 21:28 (twelve years ago) link
i maintain my firm stance against pre-tied bows
― real men have been preparing manly dishes for centuries (elmo argonaut), Monday, 17 September 2012 21:30 (twelve years ago) link
fwiw i still don't think a cardigan is a capital black tie offense (in the absence of other options)
― real men have been preparing manly dishes for centuries (elmo argonaut), Monday, 17 September 2012 21:33 (twelve years ago) link
The less out-of-the-box-ness of a real tied tie is part of its appeal, grad.
― purveyor of generations (in orbit), Monday, 17 September 2012 21:37 (twelve years ago) link
Not that you should slack on trying to be precise and stuff but just like of course it's not EXACT.
― purveyor of generations (in orbit), Monday, 17 September 2012 21:38 (twelve years ago) link
I want to master Bayard Rustin's DGAF knot
http://i.imgur.com/wOAR5vM.jpg?1
― El Tomboto, Tuesday, 14 March 2017 03:34 (seven years ago) link
well that doesn't seem like it would be very hard
― call all destroyer, Tuesday, 14 March 2017 03:41 (seven years ago) link