What to wear?

Read your invitation to give you an indication of what is appropriate to wear - it should state the formality of the dress you are expected to wear.

There are different levels of formality...

Black Tie / Formal

If the event is Black Tie or Formal, this indicates a Dinner Suit, Wing Collar shirt and Bow Tie, with optional waistcoat, or a more contemporary formal suit such as the Picasso, Boston, Cairo or Venice with wing collar shirt bow tie or straight tie and top it off with a waistcoat. A business suit is not suitable for a Black tie.

White Tie

White tie is very formal, if an invitation states White tie the standard of dress required is Evening Tails, Marcella shirt and waistcoat and white bow tie and black cummerbund, white gloves are also expected. This is a very strict state of dress and must be worn in this manner.

School Ball

School balls are still formal events. A School ball invitation will state the required dress and will often give a theme Suggested outfits for a school ball include Dinner suits, the Cairo, Picasso or Venice, with a great range of shirts and waistcoats to put some personality into it. Formal but fun is the way to go.

Wedding Guests

The Father of the Bride and Groom should dress as formally as each other, and preferably as formally as the Groom.
Traditionally the Fathers dress the same as the groom but with minor differences such as a different tie or waistcoat, so they can clearly be identified as part of the wedding party.
Other family members of the wedding party if not in the wedding party itself, should wear a business suit or at least Jacket and tie unless the wedding is Black tie or Formal, where a Dinner suit or similar applies.

Black Tie Optional

It is not mandatory to wear a formal suit, a business suit would be the minimum dress required.
Remember you can never be over dressed. Dress to the same formality as your partner, if they are making an effort, you should too.

Black Tie Preferred

The key here is Preferred, the host would like to see all guests dressed formally, in Dinner suits or formal fashion suits such as the Orient or Venice.

Graduation Balls

Graduation balls are usually more formal than the mid year school balls, but the fashionable formal suits should not be ruled out, formal does not mean boring with such a great range of waistcoats, ties and shirts to choose from.

For attending Parents, a Dinner suit may be more your style, team it up with a waistcoat and bow tie for a look that suits you.

Guests

If the invitation states Black tie or a Formal Dinner suit or similar is the correct state of dress, a business suit is not acceptable in this situation.

If however, the invitation states Lounge suit or Semi Formal then a Business Suit or a Jacket and Tie is the appropriate outfit to wear.

Remember you can never be overdressed.

Please do not hesitate to phone or call into any of our stores if you have any further queries.

We are here to help you, phone or call into any of our stores to speak to one of our staff who will guide you through your suit hire needs.