what not to wear?

I don’t wear suits to work and consequently don’t own any—except for one, the perfect suit for the summer wedding season: a crisp blue-and-white seersucker. Weddings are the only occasions where I wear a suit, so it’s perfect, and cheap to replace every few years when the wine spills will no longer wash out.

This summer a friend is getting married in an outdoor ceremony with a lawn party theme. He’s wearing his seersucker and has floated out there his desire that his friends wear something else. He wants to stand out. Well, I can’t afford and don’t want another suit just for this wedding. What should I do? Can I ignore his request?

—Haberdasher

The Sales Guy says: Well sometimes you may need an option when it comes to formal wear especially for the party season. My suggestion would be a dark blue sport coat or blazer. I find this extremely utilitarian, it is a great match with either tan or grey pants and good for any season. Lighter ties for spring /summer darker colors for fall & winter. You will find occasions when a jacket is appropriate. These will be covered with a Blazer as well. Even for the most casual dude...it works.

The Practical Cogitator says: If your friend is having a lawn party theme, then perhaps you can dress in a patchwork madras plaid pants and a golf shirt, or how about showing up in cut-offs with a case of bud light, a frisbee and Kan-Jam?

Seriously, I think you should buy another suit. Attractive as seersucker is, it’s really only useful three months out of the year...between Memorial Day and Labor day, beyond that, seersucker should be tucked away with all your white shoes and linen shirts. One more suit in your wardrobe is a completely worthwhile investment. Head to any men’s clothing store and the sales folks can help you find a suit versatile enough to wear the other nine months of the year.

Just keep in mind, the graduations are all over, you’ve moved on to weddings, and next on the rite of passage ladder is funerals...and seersucker just will not do in any season. Buy the suit.

The Photographic Memory: Who says you have to wear a suit at all? Its a summer wedding, so I think there is a little more room for versatility. Especially if it is in a garden setting. Maybe something slightly more casual would work.

I think a pair of light linen pants with a nice shirt can look very nice. Plus you will feel cool and comfortable. You can always add a matching linen vest and fun little bow tie if you feel like dressing it up a little more.

Be a trend setter and break the suit & tie tradition!

to sit, or not to sit?

Shakespeare in the Park is coming up and I’m already getting worked up about people who come early and claim great swaths of real estate in prime spots with their blankets...often much more room than they wind up needing. Is there something to do about these hogs without myself coming off like a petty jerk?

The Practical Cogitator says: Short of showing up extra early and staking out your own ground, you’re out of luck until intermission. See, by intermission all the little picnic piggies have eaten all their snacks, downed all their wine, and gobbled up the crumbs; they were much too preoccupied to actually watch the performance. They will all be packing up and trying to scurry off before the donation hats, bags and baskets are passed around by the cast. Since they have no concept of plot, generosity, and/or manners (and are probably still hungry), they will all be heading off to Mighty Taco... and that is when you can move up to get a good space for Act II. The season begins anon.

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