Fashion Advice 42
Is It Dressy Casual to Wear Suit without Tie

Question:

I've purchased your e-book, and find it very useful. I have a question. On one of your sites, you answer a question about the wearing of a suit and dress shirt without a tie. I am going to a class reunion, which is described as "dressy casual." I've looked this up and find conflicting views. I would like to wear my favorite Armani suit, with a Zegna dress shirt with French cuffs and cloth cuff links. I don't want to wear a tie. I would also like to wear Prada boots. Am I dressed appropriately for dressy casual? One site says that wearing a suit will make one look silly. I'm confused. Please tell me if my plans are OK. (I really love this suit.) Thank you.

Answer:

As for your question, I think your Armani suit + Zegna dress shirt with French cuffs + cloth cuff links will look really good. It is actually very suitable as a "dressy casual". Just keep in that most men might not be as well-dressed as you do and might seem that you are over-dressed relatively. But in my opinion, it is not and the combination is fantastic especially without the tie. I can not understand why the website states that wearing a suit will make you look silly. In actual fact, it is always better to be over-dressed than under-dressed. If you find yourself over-dressed, at least you can still take off your suit jacket.

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