Formal Dress Forum

[Anon.]

Don't St Andrews hoods copy Cambridge in their design? I seem to remember reading that somewhere.

Maybe the answer to the hood sliding off your shoulders should be just to wear it actually as a hood, i.e. over your head.

[Mr Comedy]

Does that not just mean that you look like a member of the Klu Klux Clan, albeit with a nice fur trimmed hood?

[hr]

"I am in no way interested in immortality, but only in the taste of tea. " -Lu Tung

[Imago]

Quoting Mr Comedy from 20:46, 28th Feb 2007
Does that not just mean that you look like a member of the Klu Klux Clan, albeit with a nice fur trimmed hood?

I think when the ancient MA hood which I had in mind first came into being they had not quite got round to the concept of science degrees, hence no need for embellishments deriving from small animals....

[exnihilo]

Least of all the poor, endangered, acrylic.

[Jos Dad]

Quoting Imago from 23:26, 28th Feb 2007
I think when the ancient MA hood which I had in mind first came into being they had not quite got round to the concept of science degrees, hence no need for embellishments deriving from small animals....

The distinction is not between arts and science, but between Master and Batchelor.
BSc, BD, BPhil etc are rabbit,
MA, MSc, MPhil etc are "Silk".

[Mr Comedy]

Yes, mine was rabbit. I was sort of hoping it was snow leopard or something, but unfortunately not.

[hr]

"I am in no way interested in immortality, but only in the taste of tea. " -Lu Tung

[Imago]

The distinction is not between arts and science, but between Master and Batchelor.

I thought Batchelors were largely famed for the manufacture of mushy peas?

[Imago]

Quoting Jo's Dad from 13:28, 2nd Mar 2007

The distinction is not between arts and science, but between Master and Batchelor.

I thought Batchelors were largely famed for the manufacture of mushy peas?

[OhhMy]

I need a suit; for interviews and the like. I can however only afford to buy one suit in the next few years. I thefore need a suit that I can wear at graduation which can also be worn for the odd wedding.

Any suggestions would be very very welcome.

(Ohh £200ish is my price limit)

[Imago]

Quoting ohhmy from 13:40, 3rd Mar 2007
(Ohh £200ish is my price limit)

Quick trip to T K Maxx in Dundee might help you if you hit lucky with regard to style and size on the day you visit. In last 18 months we have managed to find a very nice Duffer of St James interview suit (allegedly orig £400+) and a slightly less grand Pierre Cardin for just a little more than the price you mention. The same amount will get you something really boring in M & S.

[Al]

Quoting Imago from 13:06, 3rd Mar 2007
I thought Batchelors were largely famed for the manufacture of mushy peas?

Yes. They make each pea by hand. And then the newly made peas go off to the mushing room.

[Jos Dad]

Quoting Al from 14:19, 3rd Mar 2007

Quoting Imago from 13:06, 3rd Mar 2007
I thought Batchelors were largely famed for the manufacture of mushy peas?

Yes. They make each pea by hand. And then the newly made peas go off to the mushing room.

My apologies, in old age my brain is failing and, with it, my spelling. I must point out, however, that the august patrons of this message board are, if bachelors, more likely to copy the EU Commissioner for Trade and, with tea, to have guacamole rather than mushy peas.

To return to the subject of the thread: is a tartan Cummerbund an abomination on a 61 year old?

[exnihilo]

On pretty much anyone.

[Mr Comedy]

Quoting ohhmy from 13:40, 3rd Mar 2007
I need a suit; for interviews and the like. I can however only afford to buy one suit in the next few years. I thefore need a suit that I can wear at graduation which can also be worn for the odd wedding.

Any suggestions would be very very welcome.

(Ohh £200ish is my price limit)

You can do worse than getting a £200 suit from Moss Brothers. Whilst us style denziens may get a little snooty about these, this will do you fine and will certainly not look like a disaster.
The key thing to remember when you are shopping for an off-the-peg suit is to get a close a fit to your shape as possible. A badly fitting suit looks atrocious, but with a bit of thinking and in my case, often a helpful shop attendant, you can get something that looks fairly good.

Bespoke or made to measure suits are excellent, but cost a good amount of money, so until you can afford one of these (and I strongly reccomend getting one when you can) this should be fine. I interviewed in a £150 suit, and wore it for the first 6 months in my job, so it will serve you just fine. We certainly ask questions when graduates come in wearing bespoke suits! No-one would reasonably expect anything else.

Couple of points for a first suit:
1) Black is the best colour to go for with your first suit, as this suits any situation, be it formal, informal or academic.
2) Take your time choosing one that fits your body shape - don't get taken with a certain label or anything else. It's better to have a properly fitting M&S suit than a Hugo Boss suit that doesn't look right.
3) If you don't know what you are doing, ask a shop attendant
4) If possible, get an extra pair of trousers, as they tend to be the first thing to go.

Happy shopping Rob!

[hr]

"I am in no way interested in immortality, but only in the taste of tea. " -Lu Tung

[Mr Comedy]

Quoting exnihilo from 12:36, 5th Mar 2007
On pretty much anyone.

Agreed - tartan cummerbunds are an abomination.

[hr]

"I am in no way interested in immortality, but only in the taste of tea. " -Lu Tung

[exnihilo]

On the suit issue - do try Slater's Menswear which has now opened in Dundee. An old, established, Glasgow company with an excellent reputation and a superb range of suits, you'll easily find something smart for £150 - or less. They also do free alterations on all their suits to get that perfect fit.

Failing them, round the corner on (possibly) Reform Street, you'll find Cooper & Mackenzie who are also very attentive, helpful and knowledgeable and who will be able to provide you with a good suit at a good price.

As Mr Vinton says, don't be lured by a flashy label, go for a quality fabric and a cut that looks good on you, I'm heartily sick of people in bag-like designer label suits for which they paid hundreds, when they could have had something so much better for the same or less.

Finally, if you do go for black, for God's sake avoid shiny black, you don't want to look like you're the manager of a small branch of Dixons. Personally I always prefer charcoal, as versatile and less likely to look like bin bag material.

[Dickie]

I am wondering how this years board are going to dress. Since there is a substantual overlap with last years board, hoodies will probably be the order of the day. This saddens me since they are not even allowed in some shopping centres never mind LPH.

I am sure that the days of Black tie Boards are over, I wish to be proved wrong.

[hr]

http://facebook.com/p.php?id=37106107&l=217e435e0a

[Jason Dunn]

I am trying to imagine how Mr Cahn's gold waistcoat is going to look with the blue of the convener's gown and am wondering whether the sight will have an effect of attendance.

[Mr Comedy]

Quoting Dickie from 11:22, 23rd Mar 2007
I am wondering how this years board are going to dress. Since there is a substantual overlap with last years board, hoodies will probably be the order of the day.
[hr]

Perhaps they are hoping that they'll get a hug from a Cameroon?

[hr]

"I am in no way interested in immortality, but only in the taste of tea. " -Lu Tung

[Guest]

I've been to debates a couple of times this year and as i remember, everyone at the front was very smartly dressed? Don't think i saw anyone wearing hoodies except people in the audience and if you started imposing a dress code just to get in, i for one wouldn't bother turning up, which is unfair as everyone has a right to go to the debates.