Tie with a Prince Charlie

[Tobus]

1. It's your's and, especially, your bride-to-be's wedding. Wear whatever you want. There are no fashion police who will give you a ticket for wearing a "regular" tie with a PC. In future years your wedding pictures will look just as lovely and invoke the same sentimental memories "cum or sans" the bow tie.

Yes, but it's also entirely possible that one day he will come to appreciate the proper rules of men's wear, and will then be embarrassed to look at his wedding photos. There are a lot of guys out there who got married in their kilts, not knowing (or not caring) if they were "doing it right", only to look back later and cringe at what they were wearing in their wedding photos. So for that reason, I'd really recommend being as correct and appropriate as possible.

[M. A. C. Newsome]

If you have not seen this done before, count your blessings. I see it done frequently and it never looks right to me. Sean Connery is one of the worst offenders.

I agree with Jock. Go with a black barathea Argyle jacket, worn with or without a 5 button waistcoat. You will also likely find more occasions to wear it after your wedding. Plus you can wear this style of jacket equally well with bow-tie and 3 button formal waistcoat.

[creagdhubh]

Yes, but it's also entirely possible that one day he will come to appreciate the proper rules of men's wear, and will then be embarrassed to look at his wedding photos. There are a lot of guys out there who got married in their kilts, not knowing (or not caring) if they were "doing it right", only to look back later and cringe at what they were wearing in their wedding photos. So for that reason, I'd really recommend being as correct and appropriate as possible.

***

[RockyR]

Yes, but it's also entirely possible that one day he will come to appreciate the proper rules of men's wear, and will then be embarrassed to look at his wedding photos. There are a lot of guys out there who got married in their kilts, not knowing (or not caring) if they were "doing it right", only to look back later and cringe at what they were wearing in their wedding photos. So for that reason, I'd really recommend being as correct and appropriate as possible.

A BIG ***. I was going to post the exact same thing as it's the same advice I give to customers in the shop.

[mookien]

Yes, but it's also entirely possible that one day he will come to appreciate the proper rules of men's wear, and will then be embarrassed to look at his wedding photos. There are a lot of guys out there who got married in their kilts, not knowing (or not caring) if they were "doing it right", only to look back later and cringe at what they were wearing in their wedding photos. So for that reason, I'd really recommend being as correct and appropriate as possible.

Your point is well taken, but I stand by my two coupled "thoughts".

If, after N years of marriage, a person is seriously embarrassed by what they were wearing in a picture taken N years ago, when their mindset may have been entirely different, then there are bigger problems lurking than "fashion irregularities". You clearly haven't seen my wedding pictures with my bell bottoms and Nehru jacket.

[imrichmond]

A PC worn with a long tie has always looked wrong to me. I have seen a number of pipe bands that adopted the PC in the 1970s as a uniform jacket, worn usually without a vest and with a long tie. Maybe I'm too traditional, but this always looked to me like a makeshift version of highland dress. Fortunately, most bands that had adopted this style abandoned it by the mid 1980s in favour of the argyll jacket, now most often worn with a 5-button vest. Those few that have persisted with the PC and long tie -- I can think of at least two in my own region -- now look as though they are stuck in a 1970s time warp, as well as looking wrong.

[Tobus]

If, after N years of marriage, a person is seriously embarrassed by what they were wearing in a picture taken N years ago, when their mindset may have been entirely different, then there are bigger problems lurking than "fashion irregularities".

Well, I wasn't implying that it meant something would be wrong with the marriage itself! Just that it has happened many times, where people look back at what they were wearing and say, "man, what was I thinking?" It's understandable with fashion trends like the 1970s, but when someone is wearing something incorrectly or inappropriately for the event, that's different. Like white trainers with a tux, for an extreme example.

At least the OP had the good sense to ask here first so he'd know for sure whether it was appropriate or not. Now, armed with the answer, at least he can make an informed decision one way or the other.

But on this subject, I would offer a suggestion (and it would be interesting to hear what the rabble have to say about the idea). The usual choices seem to be either a PC with a bowtie, or an Argyll with a long tie. What about a different look that dresses up the Argyll a bit, without going to the level of the PC? One could still wear a long tie with the Argyll/waistcoat, but with a winged collar. I take the inspiration from Downton Abbey. Imagine this, as shown below, but worn with a black Argyll jacket. It hasn't been in style for about a hundred years, but so what? Might be a unique look for a wedding, especially if the bride doesn't like the looks of a bowtie. And it doesn't go to the extreme of a silly ruche tie, either.

[Llama]

To me, that actually looks like a ruche or a different style of cravat.

[usonian]

And I wonder if the future bride has seen a real, hand-tied black silk bow tie (especially the larger styles) or is thinking of those dreadful small pre-tied waiter things?

I came in to say this exact thing. There's a big difference between an actual self-tied bow tie and the awful pre-tied, clip-on things that lot of tux shops offer because so many guys are too lazy to learn how to tie one. (Bow ties are not hard. They take a little practice like any kind of tie, but learning by video is much, much easier than trying to decipher written instructions with a diagram: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VJv4Qh7zR3E)

[Alan H]

Well, there are a number of good points made here.

- a PC with a long tie is sort of not how it's done.
- it's your wedding, so wear what you bluidy well want
- if you decide to wear something that looks odd, you might look back at the pictures in a few years and wince. Or....not.

- and finally, while you absolutely should work with your lovely bride-to-be about what clothes are going to be worn, as well as lots of other things about the wedding, there's a limit to this. There comes a point where it's YOUR neck and YOU decide what's going to go around it. Now, for some women, "The Wedding" is such an overwhelming, incredibly emotional time that us males need to be a bit more flexible than usual. Can do. However, if she's beyond all reason on every detail of the event, and MUST HAVE HER WAY in every single tiny detail, NO MATTER WHAT...

If she informs you in no uncertain terms that your opinion on the matter is irrelevant and that you WILL NOT wear a bow tie to HER WEDDING.....

....then I, personally would inform her that it's off, and run like hell the other direction.