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Sartorial advice - dinner jacket hire

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 FrankBooth 10 Jun 2013
I'm off to a black tie charity do next week that one of my biggest clients is throwing. I'm likely to be mixing it up with some of their senior bods, so I need to lok the part. My old DJ was fine in my student days 25 years ago, but wont cut the mustard anymore so I need to sort one out for the evening. So, buy or hire?

So, as far as I can see my choices are:
Hire a suit - but they're almost exclusively polyester, which might be okay but will feel like a cheap suit. £60ish inc suit/shirt/tie
Buy one from M&S - again £60. Again polyester/viscose. Plus shirt/tie
Bite the bullet and buy a wool one one for around £180 (there's a half price sale on in a nearby department store), plus shirt/tie. More expensive but wil look/feel much better.

Not sure when I'll next wear it, so bit reluctant to buy, but there again don't really want to turn up in a cheap suit...

I did look on ebay for ex-hire ones, but it's the kind of thing i think you need to try on.

Advice, gentlemen (and ladies), please...
What Goes Up 10 Jun 2013
In reply to FrankBooth: Charity shop. They've always got a few kicking around.
 nniff 10 Jun 2013
In reply to FrankBooth:

It's costume, so I wouldn't go overboard, but I wouldn't go really cheap either - middle of the road M&S.

No matter how expensive your DJ, if you wear a pre-tied tie and a wing collar, it will look cheap and nasty.
OP FrankBooth 10 Jun 2013
In reply to What Goes Up:
I did think that, but realistically, I'm just not going to have the time
OP FrankBooth 10 Jun 2013
In reply to nniff:
> No matter how expensive your DJ, if you wear a pre-tied tie and a wing collar, it will look cheap and nasty.
Indeed!

 Ramblin dave 10 Jun 2013
In reply to nniff:
Also, don't obsess over material: fit is much more important.
 Ramblin dave 10 Jun 2013
In reply to Ramblin dave:
Sorry if that's teaching my grandmother to suck eggs...
 Philip 10 Jun 2013
Buy a decent DJ, but go for traditional and then it won't get old fashioned. I would always choose single button with a medium width pointed lapel - I've had to change mine for trouser size rather than style. Given you rarely rarely wear them in a cold environment you'll appreciate a thin pure wool over anything synthetic.

Most people I know tie their own bow-tie but we did have one chap who would bring a proper tie to swap for his pre-tied in the bar afterwards.

For style advice there is a website of Suits of James Bond. The undoubtedly best dressed villain is Kamal Khan.

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