Suitable Seperates?

[BvBPL]

Let's say you've got an event where you are expected to wear a suit. In getting ready, you open up your closet to find your rabbit has gotten in and your best suit now looks more like angora than sheep's wool. Unfortunately, all your other suits are still stained from your celebration of International Bisque Week last week and you haven't made it to the cleaner's.

Quickly running through your closet, you find that you have a few jackets and slacks, but no matches. Assessing your options, you find you have two choices:

1.) You can wear a dark blazer with dark slacks. It will appear, at first, that maybe you have a suit but it quickly becomes clear that the slacks and jacket do not match. It doesn't help that your blazer has brass buttons. People will likely think that you're pretending to pass off your outfit as a matched set.

2.) You could wear a jacket that obviously doesn't match your slacks. it will be obvious to everyone that you're not wearing a suit right away.

You assume that you will be the only man not to wear a suit at the event. Heck, for funs assume you will briefly be the center of attention because you have to give a toast or introduce a speaker.

What do you do?

Show your work to receive full credit.

By the way, let's assume this is a semi-formal event rather than something wherein you are expected to wear a tuxedo.

 

[Mise]

"Suit" often just means "jacket and trousers", in my experience. As in, if the event invite says that you should wear a suit, what it really means is that you should wear a jacket and trousers. At least 10% of the male attendees will not be wearing a suit. And at least 90% of attendees, male or female, will not give a crap what you're wearing anyway. So I'd go for option 2 and not care too much.

 

[SS-18 ICBM]

Yeah, I'm not sure both are expected to match. Then again, what do I know about fashion?

 

[Farm Boy]

Probably the jacket with the slacks. Unless you really think that's a bad idea. If so, take one of the bisque week outfits and badly wipe it up, then claim you dropped your Starbucks on it that morning.

 

[Daw]

then claim you dropped your Starbucks on it that morning.

... and that's why you've just left the jacket in the car after all, striding around in just a shirt.

But I readily second Mise's ideas in every word. Never saw a problem there.

 

[BvBPL]

"Suit" often just means "jacket and trousers", in my experience. As in, if the event invite says that you should wear a suit, what it really means is that you should wear a jacket and trousers. At least 10% of the male attendees will not be wearing a suit. And at least 90% of attendees, male or female, will not give a crap what you're wearing anyway. So I'd go for option 2 and not care too much.

A suit means matching jacket and slacks purchased as a set.

I certainly understand where you're coming from re: people not paying attention to expected dress. Many people don't understand what dress is actually expected for "semi-formal" affair. Let's cull them by saying the hypothetical is something of a to do like your Jaycees's annual awards dinner or similar. An event where people actually know and generally comply w/ the dress.

Maybe the other people don't care if you jacket matches your slacks, but it is worth thinking about whether or not you care as well.

 

[warpus]

I would first try to rent a suit, if possible on short notice, if the event is important enough. It might be also possible to rent just the pants or the top to match what you already own.

If the even is important enough and a suit rental is not possible in the short timeframe, I would wear what you think would look best in the eyes of the host and other patrons (or whoever)

If it isn't that important, I'm sure they'll understand your predicament. I don't know much about what matches with what, so either way I'd just do the best job I can in looking presentable.. Then I'd tell the story of how a rabbit ate my suit at the party, while of course providing photographic evidence, because otherwise nobody would believe me.

edit: I deal with fashion hypotheticals only. The above is not fashion advice, nor should it be considered to resemble fashion advice at all.

 

[Mise]

A suit means matching jacket and slacks purchased as a set.

I certainly understand where you're coming from re: people not paying attention to expected dress. Many people don't understand what dress is actually expected for "semi-formal" affair. Let's cull them by saying the hypothetical is something of a to do like your Jaycees's annual awards dinner or similar. An event where people actually know and generally comply w/ the dress.

Maybe the other people don't care if you jacket matches your slacks, but it is worth thinking about whether or not you care as well.

I suppose if other people all attend these events wearing actual suits rather than "suits" in inverted commas then you're going to look a bit silly either way. With that in mind, I think I'd rather people thought I was making a conscious fashion choice to wear a starkly contrasting trouser/jacket combo. I wouldn't want them thinking that I thought that my trousers and jacket actually matched...

 

[The_J]

For number 1 you have 2 options: Either it was intentional, or you didn't pay attention. Number 2 will always look intentional.
-> #2. Better to intentionally not match than not intentional. The first shows self confidence, the second one carelessness.

 

[Hygro]

Go with the contrast and act like you're richer than all of them combined, which means you got nothing to prove but give your confident smile away freely.

 

[Kennigit]

Only if you got that swanky tan patch on blue jacket

Make a quick run to a store and get yerself a nice pipe and boating hat

My actual answer is just rock out a black sport coat with whatever you want. No one is going to critisize that unless you really 100% needed formal matching suit, in which case you're already a goner. Open up rabbit hunting season afterwards

Protip: the pipe can be reused during the thrill of the subsequent hunt. Match w/ some plad

 

[Valka D'Ur]

If your job depends on your wearing a proper suit, either rent or buy one. Otherwise, be as color-coordinated as you can manage (ask a trusted woman friend to help if you're not sure). Don't mix polka dots, paisley, and plaids, and mixing blue and green is generally a bad idea.

 

[illram]

Number 2, if you have a dark blazer and some tan or khaki slacks. If not go whole hog and put on a blazer with some jeans and a nice clean button down shirt or sweater or something.

Or just wash your clothes man.

 

[Zelig]

I take the opportunity to think up a casual suitless look from my available clothes (think Steve Jobs' turtleneck costume) which will be the only thing I'll wear in public for the next thirty years.

 

[Perfection]

My birthday suit always matches