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Am in the unfortunate situation where I need to buy a suit for a funeral.

Currently own 2 suits but one is way too big for me and the other is a pale grey.

What are peoples thoughts on this situation?

Do I buy a good/expensive (say 200+) suit knowing I will very rarely wear it again, or pile down to matalan and get something for 50 that will do the job and possibly never come out again for a long time?

Fwiw its a funeral for an army friend, did 22 years service and was killed 3 months before getting out while on a bike ride. There will be a lot of uniformed attendents saying goodbye on the day.

And at the moment money is pretty tight, but he did write the reference that helped get me my current job

You don't have to pay £200 to get a decent presentable suit, nor do you need to go to Matalan.
I bought a couple of suits from M&S outlet for everyday use at work and they were £50-£75 each and are perfectly fine.
It's a funeral not a fashion competition so a nice presentable suit should be fine imo.

Black is ideal, but pale grey is fine, absolutely fine, just so long as you wear a white shirt & a black tie.

I'd say the white shirt & black tie are far more important than the suit colour - almost mandatory, imo.

Doubt I could ever attend a funeral without a white shirt & black tie, & shiny black shoes, but times are changing.

The bold bit for me. You could wear a black jacket (even leather, if it is basic, rather than full of designs) with trousers but the white shirt and black tie is a strong suggestion.

Asda or M&S will sell you a perfectly serviceable suit if you don't wear them often. No point spending huge money if it is going to sit in a wardrobe.

Tal put it better than I did as to the white shirt & black tie - strong suggestion.

The suit, not so much, does not even have to be a suit, but the shirt & tie are necessary to show the due respect, imo.

Next suits are also good quality at an affordable price.

thanks for the replies folks

much appreciated

I never wear a suit jacket to funerals way too uncomfortable white shirt black tie everytime.

and will def go for the white shirt black tie

thanks all again

You should wear whatever you like, within reason. Your attendance is more important, and your friend wouldn't want you skinting yourself, just to conform. Ties are no longer a necessity IMO. Especially black ones.

Quite acceptable and usually the norm for us to wear regimental tie.

Geo

Fair point Geo, I had quite forgotten there was a Services connection. I can imagine a Regimental Tie would be very right & proper.

Thats a very good point there Geo, however i kind of fell out of love with my Corps (REME) after picking up the injury that caused my eventual medical discharge, and injury that happened very early in my career, but ended up stopping promotions etc due to not being medically FE (fit for all duties), it never stopped me servicing the aircraft, a job i loved doing, but it stopped me being promoted, which really annoyed me. I could do my job, but not be the soldier, medical downgrading, offer of a desk/base job and no further promotions was the offer they made, or a medical discharge.

Obviously i took the discharge.

I have a couple of old berets, my wife had a nice frame made and put a set of rank chevrons, cap badge and medals in it, a single plaque from a unit i served in, and a network of friends who would do anything they could do to help me if i ever needed it (the most important thing to me), is all i have from my MOB days.

So no Regimental tie, i'll go with the black i think.

Mick

Teamonkey, whatever your beef with the Army(which I can understand) I still think you should wear a regimental tie, as a nod to your friends life in the Army.


regards,
Cpl Jones RAF(ret'd)

Could you not, if money is tight, and by the sounds you'll not wear it again, just hire a suit?

This, or do go to Matalan and get a suit for £40.  It's then in your wardrobe for next time.

I went to a black-tie do a few years back, and didn't have a dinner jacket.  Looked at hiring one, but buying a suit and shirt at Matalan worked out cheaper, and I got to wear it again at another do.  It's not something I wear too often, and I honestly couldn't tell the difference between mine and the people wearing hired suits from Moss Bros.

Knowing my friend as i do, he'd understand, possibly approve if we all turned up in clown outfits!

But he would have been disappointed if i'd have turned up in something i didn't want to wear

I do however understand what you are saying, and get the reasoning behind it.

Anyway, bought a suit from Tesco, white shirt , black tie, all for a reasonable amount (plus 20% off till sunday on all clothes), just need to get some shoes next week once my min cash from the GP hits my bank.

Mick