Is a green waistcoat and grandad shirt acceptable attire for a formal wedding (as a guest)?
Posted by twitchy-the-clown@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 38 comments
Its days away in May and I'm cash strapped, its a family wedding, fairly low key affair and all I have to wear is a formal green plaid waistcoat (the one with the shiny fabric on the back), a collarless shirt and blue linen trousers. People I've spoken to have told me I should wear a tuxedo or at the very least a suit. Thanks in advance I'm totally clueless.
Grenache@reddit
It depends entirely on the wedding and your role in it. A tuxedo to a low key wedding sounds a bit over kill. Are you going to the actual marriage ceremony or just the evening?
If that's what you have and you can't afford anything else then wear that, do you have any money at all? You can pick up suits pretty cheaply.
twitchy-the-clown@reddit (OP)
I'll be attending the wedding ceremony and reception, no formal role, just making up the numbers. Alas I would have picked up something from Temu however size-wise I'm very limited (tall and wide). Appreciate the reply.
clanshephard@reddit
If you want a suit for a taller and wider person then "big dude clothing" is very good and reasonable with accurate measurements on their website. Got my son a suit there after was quoted over £400 in John Lewis. Have a look it might help your search
Grenache@reddit
You can get suits in a variety of sizes from Asda for sixty quid and Tesco for £75, M&S £85. You could try and find a blazer from a charity shop?
TBH it will be difficult to answer your question. No one I know would really give a toss they'd just understand that's what you had and that was fine but some people are prickly about this kind of thing. Who is telling you you need a tuxedo? That's a bit extreme even for a lot of weddings.
CicadaSlight7603@reddit
In the UK a tuxedo is not normal wedding clothing - that’s an odd American habit.
What does the invitation say? Morning suits — wear a morning suit (rare these days) Lounge suit - wear a lounge suit Black tie - tuxedo Smart casual - chinos and a shirt or a suit maybe without the tie (and I reckon what you describe would also be fine here as long as it’s ironed)
If it doesn’t state any of the above and you know it’s fairly low key then what you describe is fine. Plus any nice couple will rather have you there than not at all just due to lack of specific clothing. A family member arrived at my wedding looking like she’d come direct from the stables and we love her and we’re just glad she’d managed to find her way to the venue.
DigitalAmy0426@reddit
Nah, tux is not the norm in the US anymore unless specifically noted black tie etc. In the wedding party is another matter but I've never been to a wedding where guests wore them.
Based on pics I've seen feels like a drastic drop off happened in 70s - 80s.
CicadaSlight7603@reddit
Let’s hope so. Dinner jackets in the day, what were they thinking?
ErrantBrit@reddit
Just find a jacket that pairs with the trousers and your own colours. This is often quite a good look! Be careful not to be too flashy though. Oxfam online often has many jackets for relatively cheap. On the grandad shirt might work with this but I’ll let you decide, a tie looks much better with a jacket.
terryturbojr@reddit
Any wedding that wants your in a tux should say it on the invite.
I went to one recently and it said black tie/formal so I wore a tux. I was deffo in the minority, most just had suits or trousers, shirts and jackets.
Personally unless they point out it's black tie or formal I'd think your outfit sounds fine.
CelDidNothingWrong@reddit
I had no idea this was a thing in the UK
terryturbojr@reddit
I've been to two in my life, once as teenager 35 years ago and then that one recently. So not common for me.
I'm not a fan (and I own my own black tie for work events, do don't have hire), but Google says they're on the up here.
Thats_my_nirnroot@reddit
Worst case scenario,, just wear a white shirt with dark trousersz and the. See if you can borrow off something..
If you can't afford a jackets then so without on?
Dimac99@reddit
A tux is ridiculous overkill, to the point I think someone is winding you up. A green waistcoat and blue linen trousers is not a good combo though, yikes. If you can't get yourself a suit, which is something that will be handy for future weddings, funerals and formal events, then some plain black formal type trousers would be better. You don't have to spend a lot and you don't have to dress to the nines, but try not to look like you dressed in the dark or you'll feel very uncomfortable and self conscious.
Throwaway91847817@reddit
Ask the people getting married.
bbgun24@reddit
Tux is a big no but depending on your relation to the wedding party, what you’re suggesting may be ok. You could get a cheap suit on Vinted or in a charity shop.
Spiritual_Tie3348@reddit
Sounds fine for the weddings I've been to. There's usually a few that just go in jeans and a shirt. As long as you look tidy, being there is the important part.
SmudgedReddit0r@reddit
You can only piss with the cock youve got. Dont get into debt for someone elses' wedding.
BaldPleaser@reddit
If you need a Tux then I’m happy to let you have mine. Worn once for my nephews wedding. Jacket is 42/44 and trousers are 36 inch.
Happy to send you a pic of me wearing at the wedding recently.
ResplendentBear@reddit
If you want to look like Samwise Gamgee it's great.
Quick point of order. Wedding tuxedo's are fucking American. No one here wears them to weddings, so whoever is telling you that is a moron.
You probably could have got a cheap suit in a charity shop or online secondhand. If you've left it too late for that, you'll have to go hobbitcore anyway.
Odd-Diamond-4035@reddit
If they're your friends, no one will care what you wear, as long as you're there. If they do care, then sod them move on and meet nicer people.
rcp9999@reddit
Blue and green should never be seen.
Difficult_Egg_4350@reddit
We had a more formal wedding in that most men wore suits, but some didn't and that's fine - most couples will not be particularly focused on what guests are wearing unless it is totally crazy or offensive.
If you feel under dressed or worried, are there elements you can pick up elsewhere? Not necessarily a whole outfit, but say a collared shirt and tie? Charity shops for example around me are inundated with that sort of thing and often in a range of sizes? Or borrow something? But personally I think you'll be fine unless there is a specified dress code or the couple are very image conscious or something.
JoeDaStudd@reddit
If it's a summer wedding or your only going the night party then you'd be fine with just the shirt and trousers.
MonsieurGump@reddit
Forget the shirt and trousers, just wear the waistcoat.
Donald Duck that butchered!
R3ddit300@reddit
I am very, very surprised that lots of people are saying it sounds fine. Of course it somewhat depends on the type of people whose wedding it is and how much they care about formality, but I would imagine you will stand out, and not in a good way. Sounds like an absolutely mental outfit. I am certainly no fashion expert, but sounds like it would be a dodgy outfit for a night out, let alone someone's wedding day! Suit or at least smart shirt and trousers I say. And smart shoes!
BoopingBurrito@reddit
If the dress code is smart casual, then what you're suggesting is fine. If the dress code is smart, or formal, or specifies suits then what you're suggesting is not fine.
Visit some charity shops and see what you can find? Or go to primark and get some black trousers and a white shirt, won't cost much at all.
GlumAd9856@reddit
You can buy smart trousers and a shirt and tie from Primark for like £20 all in.
Lopsided_Snower@reddit
You can but you’ll look exactly like you’ve spent £20 in Primark, which is fine but sounds like OP might like to make a bit more effort with how they dress
Mr-Incy@reddit
If you aren't a key part of the wedding, shirt and trousers will be fine, a tie will make it look a smarter.
What colour is the shirt, and how bright is the waistcoat and trousers? If they are pastel shades it might not be too bad but anything too bright will look a bit odd and eccentric.
Agreeable_Archer_210@reddit
If you go to most weddings in a tux as a guest you will be massively overdressed. You will be fine -you will clearly be “smart”. People aren’t going to be focused on what you are wearing
Odd-Paramedic-3826@reddit
you mean like this?
spiderplant94@reddit
If you'd come to my wedding - you would have fitted in perfectly! Low key, registry office. But I went to a wedding a few month ago where all the men wore suits (lots were 3 piece).
A tuxedo is definately overkill unless otherwise specified on the invite!
Can you grab a shirt from a supermarket or something (probs the same price as it would be from Temu) I think a collared shirt with linen trousers would be OK for a warm spring/summer wedding. Even without a tie etc.
PianoMiddle346@reddit
Are we in the US? It's dinner jacket, not tuxedo for a start. And no, you defo don't need one of those unless specifically told to. What you describe wearing sounds bad. You will stand out like a sore thumb. You need a collared shirt, suit and tie. Beg, borrow or steal if you value your relationship with your family 😂
bramley36@reddit
With that outfit, you’re going to need a black top hat.
Ok_Aioli3897@reddit
It seems like it's going to look like a mish mash of clothes
newbracelet@reddit
If it's a family member getting married can you reach out to someone close to the couple and check what level of formality is expected?
Alternatively you could possibly post on a local group asking if anyone has a shirt with collar you could borrow because that would probably smarten your look up a lot. Someone might even have a suit/suit jacket you could borrow.
Someone came to my wedding in a smart coat and dark jeans because he didn't have a suit and he didn't look at all out of place in the photos.
BulkyAccident@reddit
No, a tuxedo isn't required unless it specifically is a black tie wedding, which it sounds like it isn't.
I don't think your outfit's too out there really but I would be checking out charity shops and vintage shops nearby to see if you can pick up a blazer/jacket/trousers.
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