What about the tie though?

Could have had your jacket cleaned (right shoulder's looking bad)!

i wore a light grey suit to the races last month, with a white, pinstripe (feint) shirt and a tie that was a mixture of those colours.

finished the outfit with a brown belt and pair of brown shoes, looked great.

Rain. (it was in Cumbernauld)

Rains in a mild vomit colour there does it!?

I know Minty burnt her bra a long time ago so I'm assuming you ironed that shirt?

Have you considered grey shoes?

Fair point, each to their own.

I'm happy either way when it comes to other people, I'm just not a tie fan myself. Ties do look smart, but they don't serve a purpose, hence why I can't be bothered with them. I'd never suggest ties should never be worn.

I would if it was just the night do. In the day I'd consider wearing a tie depending on who's wedding it was, and if I was an 'important' guest, so to speak. Obviously if I was 'told' to wear a tie as part of a dress code (or if I was taking orders from my OH), then I'd do it. I'd have to buy one first though, because I don't think I own one any more, except a black one for funerals.

Do you go along with jacket lapels and working-cuff buttons, shirt collars, double cuffs and links?
None serve a purpose, as such.

... and what purpose do underpants serve?

To stop you getting skid marks on your trousers

Pretty much my attitude. I haven't worn a tie since I turned 40 (ten years ago) except for weddings and funerals.

I should have added "for clean people?"

Back to the original question about shoes, depending on the shade of grey you could also think of burgundy coloured shoes.

You could, but in these austere times black is best as you can use them with anything.

Well, ... if you've got to ask ...

Just playing Devil's Advocate here ... a tie offers the opportunity to accessorise, the chance to add contrast and colour to an ensemble that may be a little plain without it.
As does a pocket handkerchief ... as do cufflinks.

Despite saying all that (and meaning it, I guess), I rarely wear one myself despite owning many.

I draw the line at pocket handkerchiefs.

Chestnut shoes & charcoal suit, my usual work armour of choice.

As for ties, hate them. Can only assume whoever invented them was into erotic asphyxiation. If I wanted to spend my time feeling so restricted and choked, I'd let the wife plan every minute of my life.

I'll wear a tie on a client visit but never with colleagues (neither do any of my colleagues, regardless of seniority). I'll wear a tie to a wedding/funeral but it comes off soon after the main event.

A good open-necked shirt can look far more fashionable and appealing than any tie.

Like a p i k e y in court...

Racist.



If it's good enough for mensflair.com, it's good enough for me. Black shoes are boring.

I'm with Sally, black cherry boots go with most things and are far more interesting than plain old black.

I haven't worn a suit for any occasion in 20 years +. I don't require one for work, so I'll be damned if I'm buying a suit just to wear once every few years to events I don't really wish to be at.

Now I'm reluctantly attending a wedding in early September. My original plan was to attend in my black cherry Redwing 9011's, chino's, a pale green shirt, dark green tie, and top it off my Goodwear J A Dubow A-2 27998 in seal brown horsehide. However I've now been advised by my sister in law that I can't attend in the above, not if I wish too feature in the wedding photo's. Which I don't wish too, but my bother insists I do. So as not to rock the boat in comes a change of plan.

I still decided to not go down the suit route but rather buy a sports jacket that I can where time and time again and get some mileage out of. So out goes the A-2 and incomes a green Harris tweed jacket. With the only other change being dependent on the weather. Fine, and it'll be chino's. Anything but fine, and it'll be British racing green moleskin trousers( I'm going very much down the green route this year, with the key too it being different shades of green). This has thankfully been approved by all concerned.



I am however taking my capeskin A-1 for the reception. I'll wear a leather jacket at some point that day if it kills me.

Im the same as the above poster, I dont have to wear a suit for work or anything so its only the usual where I have to wear one, weddings and funerals.

Looks like everyones got varying tastes as well. Im going to check out the site that tb recommends and then ill decide.Thanks everyone!

Polished DM boots look good with a single breasted suit for some reason. But not with a tie, maybe a polo shirt or similar.