Black Tie events...last minute shopping

thecolourbox

SouthpawMark said:

For hire I’d recommend Yardsmen. They have a shop in London (near Waterloo station) but will also send stuff out. Not the cheapest, but far better quality than Slaters or Moss Bros, which are always shockingly poor. 

Sadly tis a bit late for that, I've no time to go to London and apparently too late to deliver - not to mention I've not a clue what size to go for!

Not to worry, it'll work itself out I'm sure

thecolourbox

ESBlonde said:

From time to time the likes of George(Asda) or a big Tesco have cheap DJ suits for about £60-75. Thats less than a hire and not much more than a dry cleaning for a suit.

They don't always have them in stock. They might not have your size/combination. They are cheap and don't match up to the £300-600 real deal, they are thin not fully lined.

But they work well enough, and you can get 2-3 wears out of them and won't cry if you fall over and tear the knees out, or some pillock chucks up over your back.

In fairness though, it would bother me to buy something for to only last two or three wears, although going on my current average that means it would last until I'm either 48 or 64!

Sassafras

Funkfingers said:

thecolourbox said:
it's a property industry do ... I have to straight up lie to 15 colleagues to get out of it

Bare faced lying is normal compulsory for that industry. Think of this as a practice session.

thecolourbox

Sassafras said:

Funkfingers said:

thecolourbox said:
it's a property industry do ... I have to straight up lie to 15 colleagues to get out of it

Bare faced lying is normal compulsory for that industry. Think of this as a practice session.

I disagree that everybody does it, certainly some do. My industrial estates and offices are run with the utmost integrity*





*I don't lie I just ignore people's questions

gubble

As already mentioned the charity shop is a good starting point. I think my tuxedo jacket was £5 from there and it's very nice.

Matalan do a decent Dress Shirt / Bow Tie pack for about £20.

tony99

either go to asda, where you can buy jacket and keks to match, or go to nearest fancy dress place and ask if you can hire the dumb and dumber blue and orange tuxedo outfits ( all fancy dress shops do these, only yours might be cheaper because you only need one half of it)

Steffo

My office organised a black tie event. I asked all the guys to hire a tux and put the cost on expenses.

Rocker

Dress properly for the event or don't go.  Hire a dress suit and buy a shirt that fits/matches the suit.  

ToneControl

https://www.slaters.co.uk/store-locator/slaters-birmingham/

the best store for this sort of thing

stickyfiddle

I hate fucking black tie dos, and I say that as someone who is very comfortable in a good suit. There's always about 20% who go nuts and think it's fun, and everyone else either looking uncomfortable or just plain wishing they'd stayed at home. 

We have a "gala dinner" next week which isn't strictly black tie but "dress to impress" which means you'll get a handful trying way too hard, some coming straight from the office but wearing their best shoes and (hopefully) a handful of us at the bar avoiding the rest of them...

thecolourbox

ToneControl said:

https://www.slaters.co.uk/store-locator/slaters-birmingham/

the best store for this sort of thing

They had only two suitable trousers as 99% of their stock was seemingly for giants haha and the only ones that matched the jacket they had only in 34 short or 32 long, both "slim" which is no good without waist alteration so they don't look like weight watchers trousers at the waist

Hoping the blue jacket the Mrs is on about works as I'll just need any old black trousers then

jonnyburgo

Debenhams website has some great deals on Jasper Conran suits, if it s the same in store will be worth a mooch. I’ve got a 20 yr jasper conran suit that still looks good today and doesn’t look dated.

iseverynamegone

People will still turn up in normal suits. I was at one in Monaco last months and one award winner had trainers on. IT types ..

shrinkwrap

Cummerbund

blimey - sounds a bit dodgy these days..

Iamnobody

You could try Matalan if you’re in Brum city centre. They usually have this type of thing for reasonable money: 

https://www.matalan.co.uk/product/detail/s2660117_c101/firth-tailored-fit-dinner-jacket-black

King85

I didn't see that you're in Brum as a fellow brummie I was against primark previously due to the old store being a jumble sale nightmare but the new one is a lot more refined.

EricTheWeary

King85 said:

I didn't see that you're in Brum as a fellow brummie I was against primark previously due to the old store being a jumble sale nightmare but the new one is a lot more refined... 

...apart from the mice in the cafe. 

I have a couple of things that I bought from ( the old)  Primark when I worked in the city centre ( I worked in a building opposite Primark and think I eventually just gave in) that have been regularly worn and are still wearable. Genuinely hard wearing items of clothing even though they were cheap as chips. 

Never been to a black tie event in my life and don't expect I ever will so just reading all this out of curiosity. Many years ago I knew someone who went to Cambridge university and he had to scour charity shops on their first weekend home for a DJ because they had several such events per year to go to. That's the nearest I got; I think there was an inverted snobbery about being able to explain how cheaply you'd bought it. 

Sassafras

Aren't there any catering suppliers that sell cheap waiter outfits?

Funkfingers

Keiko said:

funerals and weddings

You omitted the traditional third reason - court appearances.

Snap

tbh, I'd hire. Black tie is one of those things that is rare and IMO unless you are into it, not worth shelling out on for one wear.

Just don't wear a novelty bow tie - black is only allowed.

And for the record, we in the UK refer to it as black tie, not tuxedo. That is an Americanism that seems to have crept into the lexicon here.

Shirt - tuck it in round your back, keep your jacket on. Don't get a wing collar either, go for normal collar

Wing collar isn't strictly black tie, more white tie tbh. Common mistake is calling it "wing tip" collar - wing tips are shoes.

I'd cry off sick. Save on the hassle and worry and expense. Go out with your wife instead, you'll enjoy it more.