# 3-piece suit sans tie?



## joshmitra (Jun 6, 2009)

I'm curious as to what the forum's consensus is on wearing a 3-piece suit without a tie. I'm thinking of purchasing my first 3-piece suit, but I hardly ever wear a tie. To be honest, I rather like the look of an open collar on a 3-piece, but I wouldn't want to commit a sartorial faux-pas if it is one.


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## Cruiser (Jul 21, 2006)

It's only a matter of time until the _Saturday Night Fever_ picture arrives so I won't go there; however, it is true that this was a popular look in the late 70's-early 80's. The trick is to not do it with the traditional full cut business suit. Then it just looks stodgy to me, and I don't even know what stodgy is.

Of course if you just don't like traditional neck ties you can go for the Leonard Cohen look and get a bolo tie to go with your three piece. But then again, maybe Leonard Cohen can make it look good and we can't. :icon_smile:



















Cruiser


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## Jovan (Mar 7, 2006)

I must go with the crowd who says to wear a tie with a suit, three piece or not. Save the tie-less looks for a sport coat.


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## Earl of Ormonde (Sep 5, 2008)

A 2 piece w/o a tie, no problem, I like the look. but a 3-piece w/o a tie...no way!


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## eagle2250 (Mar 24, 2006)

I agree with the majority on this one...if you are going to wear a three piece suit, wear a tie with it. Otherwise, you look unfinished!


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## VictorRomeo (Sep 11, 2009)

A 2 piece w/o tie as a sort of lounge lizard look to it - a look I quite like.:icon_smile_wink:

A 3 piece w/o tie looks as if you had a crappy day in the office. Not a good look.


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## PMRuby (Jan 13, 2010)

Personally, I think it's a look that models and movie stars (who would look good in anything) have tricked many members of the public into thinking looks good. On most people, it simply looks a) bad and b) out of place. A three-piece suit is typically a bit more on the formal side, so wearing it without a tie again seems a bit off.

In any event, this is something that you're going to get plenty of opinions on, in both directions.


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## sickinthebin (Oct 24, 2008)

If you like the look then go for it. Personally I think it can look very stylish, but you shouldn't worry what people think either way if you like it.

Plus, if you buy it and either decide you don't like it after all or you bottle it due to people saying it's not the done thing, you can just abandon the waistcoat until you do have occasion to wear a tie.


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## Grayson (Feb 29, 2008)

IMO, if the 3-piece in question is a modern slender cut in a fabric with some texture (as shown above is worn by Simon Baker in "The Mentalist"), a shirt of similar softness and fit can work if open. The result is one notch above sportcoat and half-notch below the traditionally suited -- and a distinctive retro/fashion-forward look that avoids being weird. I wear it myself in the same way I wear odd vests with a sportcoat occasionally, and consider it viable day-wear in my corporate sales environment.

However, if the 3-piece suit in question is the typical fine worsted wool with elegant drape and precise tailoring, then open shirts without a tie just don't cut it for me. In such cases if I drop the tie I lose the vest from the outfit as well. That way it approaches the level of that first look, but is a good choice for evenings out on the town.

Your mileage may vary... :icon_smile_big:


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## Master-Classter (Jan 22, 2009)

as has been said, when it's done right, it can look great. But it's very tricky to do this sort of thing well... Then again the average Joe will still be impressed that you're even wearing a 3P. 

You can try swapping out the pants for something more casual like jeans, or adding a tie but a silk knitted tie... basically take what's normally quite stuffy and formal and make it a bit more relaxed.

PS - let's be honest, Simon Baker pic above, that guy looks good wearing anything...


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## CuffDaddy (Feb 26, 2009)

I'm not personally a fan, but pictures of it highlight that vests are flattering on nearly everyone.


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## DavidLeoThomas (Jan 18, 2010)

I'm not really a fan of any suit without some kind of tie...


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## eddiel (Feb 9, 2010)

Rules are nice but the reality is that if you can carry it off go for it.

But make sure you can otherwise, well quite frankly, you will look like a doofus.

Non traditional looks like this require a certain level of confidence.

My next suit will likely be a three piece and I'm hoping that when I look in the mirror I can work it without a tie. If not well I'll be doing some more shopping!

Eddie


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## rsmeyer (May 14, 2006)

And why wear a shirt? After all, anything goes on AAAC.Oh, and skip the shoes, too.


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## VincentC (May 23, 2008)

Ive seen this guy david dimbleby on tv a lot recently and although he is not wearing a 3 piece, he looks kind of OK without a tie i think. 
Maybe he thinks it as well, and that is why he doesnt wear a tie everytime i saw him.


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## PJC in NoVa (Jan 23, 2005)

Much depends on you and the suit, of course, but I'd say in general that unless you really and truly know what you're doing you should not skip the tie.

As a disclaimer, I must confess to a pronounced pro-tie bias. To my eye, a well-chosen and well-tied piece of neckwear really pulls an outfit together.


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## Cruiser (Jul 21, 2006)

rsmeyer said:


> And why wear a shirt? After all, anything goes on AAAC.Oh, and skip the shoes, too.


I don't see the correlation. Shirts and shoes are essential, functional elements of men's clothing whether they are wearing a suit or not. I would expect that 99 and 44/100 percent of men in the Western world still put these items on each day for functional reasons.

Neck ties, on the other hand, are purely decorative and whether we like it or not, more and more of the suit wearing men of the world are leaving them at home. All one needs to do is to thumb through a Forbes magazine and see how many CEOs are photographed in a suit without a tie. I have yet to see any without their shirts or shoes, nor do I think that we will any time soon.

Cruiser


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## amplifiedheat (Jun 9, 2008)

Cruiser said:


> I would expect that 99 and 44/100 percent of men in the Western world still put these items on each day for functional reasons.


Reminds me of the scene in _The Manchurian Candidate_ where the Senator's wife is inspired by Heinz ketchup to allege "57 communists in the State Department."


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## williamson (Jan 15, 2005)

PJC in NoVa said:


> I must confess to a pronounced pro-tie bias. To my eye, a well-chosen and well-tied piece of neckwear really pulls an outfit together.


I agree a thousandfold, and repeat what I have written many times - to my eye, suit with open-necked shirt = sloppy and unfinished (and this includes David Dimbleby and other similarly-dressed television presenters).


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## Sean1982 (Sep 7, 2009)

A classic three piece without a tie? I'd say no. Dpending on your look/style you may get away with something more contemporary.

Mr Cohen looks good, but he is wearing a tie (and is simply a cool customer anyway), a bolo tie. Americans in the right areas are welcome to wear this, and I think it can look great.


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## Jovan (Mar 7, 2006)

If this is meant as a defence of the look, it isn't a good one. He has great hair yet looks like he slept in his clothes. The pinstriped fabric and exposed shirt at the bottom doesn't help either.



PMRuby said:


> Personally, I think it's a look that models and movie stars (who would look good in anything) have tricked many members of the public into thinking looks good. On *all* people, it simply looks a) bad and b) out of place.


Fixed that for you.


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## ChicagoTrad (Feb 19, 2007)

Grayson said:


> IMO, if the 3-piece in question is a modern slender cut in a fabric with some texture (as shown above is worn by Simon Baker in "The Mentalist"), a shirt of similar softness and fit can work if open. The result is one notch above sportcoat and half-notch below the traditionally suited -- and a distinctive retro/fashion-forward look that avoids being weird. I wear it myself in the same way I wear odd vests with a sportcoat occasionally, and consider it viable day-wear in my corporate sales environment.
> 
> However, if the 3-piece suit in question is the typical fine worsted wool with elegant drape and precise tailoring, then open shirts without a tie just don't cut it for me. In such cases if I drop the tie I lose the vest from the outfit as well. That way it approaches the level of that first look, but is a good choice for evenings out on the town.
> 
> Your mileage may vary... :icon_smile_big:


This is pretty close to my thinking. I have a Golden Fleece Pinstripe that I would never wear without a tie. however, I also have 2 Pal Zileri 3pc suits that I often wear without a tie. However, I deliberately make it even more casual and will wear a sporty shirt with cufflinks, etc.

as you say, your mileage may vary


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## WhereNext (Aug 16, 2009)

In general, I'm in the crowd of "suits should be worn with ties" and I think this applies to 3- piece suits as well. My one caveat would be if the suit in question was a very "country" tweed it might be easier to justify it being worn without a tie. Maybe. Sometimes. By some people. But not me.


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## Gurdon (Feb 7, 2005)

*Trashy*

IMHO this looks trashy. As others noted some actors look good in anything. This actor looks good, but the look is, well, trashy.

All the best,
Gurdon


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## Mute (Apr 3, 2005)

Not a fan.


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## beherethen (Jun 6, 2009)

Only when going to a disco


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## GBR (Aug 10, 2005)

It would look odd.


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## VincentC (May 23, 2008)

But what about when wearing a linen, or linen blend suit san ties? Is it more acceptable?


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## Ay329 (Sep 22, 2007)

With a turtleneck, I would do it

A matching vest adds a heightened sense of formality...but when you have a collared shirt with no tie, it deconstructs it in an unpleasant way


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## Matt S (Jun 15, 2006)

VincentC said:


> But what about when wearing a linen, or linen blend suit san ties? Is it more acceptable?


A linen suit is more acceptable sans tie, but only a 2-piece suit. A 3-piece suit needs a tie.


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## Jovan (Mar 7, 2006)

Cruiser said:


> It's only a matter of time until the _Saturday Night Fever_ picture arrives so I won't go there; however, it is true that this was a popular look in the late 70's-early 80's.





beherethen said:


> Only when going to a disco


Come on, man! Given that post, couldn't you have done something less predictable? :icon_smile_big:


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## VincentC (May 23, 2008)

Matt S said:


> A linen suit is more acceptable sans tie, but only a 2-piece suit. A 3-piece suit needs a tie.


Good. Because i havent really a need to wear a tie really, not that i dont like the look of them though.

But i have got a cream linen blend suit that i plan to wear tieless.


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## KenR (Jun 22, 2005)

Absolutely not.


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## 3holic (Mar 6, 2008)

joshmitra said:


> I'm curious as to what the forum's consensus is on wearing a 3-piece suit without a tie. I'm thinking of purchasing my first 3-piece suit, but I hardly ever wear a tie. To be honest, I rather like the look of an open collar on a 3-piece, but I wouldn't want to commit a sartorial faux-pas if it is one.


Sure, if you want the Tony Montana (Scarface) look. Just don't forget the gold chain and medallion.


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