Men's “Evening dress” for museum show opening - what's that look like?

April 20, 2024 1:55 AM

I'm attending an exhibition opening in a major European Antiquities museum as an outside creative who worked on a display - does this require me to wear anything more than pressed slacks and a blazer? a tie? Talk to me like I'm an older guy who generally avoids formal-ish gatherings, has zero fashion sense, who's current wardrobe is strictly work-from-home and doesn't know anyone else attending well enough to ask advice.
posted by brachiopod to Clothing, Beauty, & Fashion (20 answers total)

Since you worked as a creative, if you have anything a bit colourful or playful (but still dressy), that might be appropriate to wear.
posted by chariot pulled by cassowaries at 2:37 AM on April 20

Best answer: Don't think you can ever go wrong with a blazer and slacks. Nice collared shirt would be ok. I would consider a bold and bright tie.
posted by JohnnyGunn at 2:50 AM on April 20

Maybe ask whomever was your contact person at the museum?
posted by Thorzdad at 4:10 AM on April 20 [3 favorites]

“Evening dress” refers to white tie. It’s extremely formal, and a blazer will absolutely not work.
posted by bowbeacon at 4:42 AM on April 20 [21 favorites]

I would get onto the museum’s social media pages and google, to see what people wore to the previous openings. If you could figure out who did your role for previous exhibitions, you could specifically look for that person.

Dressing more formally is usually better than dressing less formally so if you have the wherewithal to invest in a suit, maybe in a fun colour like deep blue, that would be better than a blazer and slacks if my opinion. If you go to the mall suit shop, you could probably get a suit for under $300, and you can get the shirt and tie from a budget store like Marshall’s.
posted by nouvelle-personne at 4:53 AM on April 20 [10 favorites]

I would say that evening wear implies dinner jacket, also known as a tuxedo to Americans. Imagine what a woman would be required as evening wear and what the male equivalent of that would be.
posted by Ardnamurchan at 5:35 AM on April 20 [5 favorites]

Yeah "evening dress" has a specific meaning: either black tie (tuxedo/dinner jacket) or white tie (sometimes called "full evening dress," pretty rare nowadays). The women's version is an "evening dress" or "evening gown" - i.e. a long formal gown. A formal suit in a dark color could also work, though it's on the informal side. Pressed slacks and blazer would be significantly underdressed.

Basically awards show dress. Or prom.
posted by mskyle at 5:51 AM on April 20 [4 favorites]

Best answer: Where did the "evening wear" bit come from -- was there an invitation that specified it, or was it something you assumed? If the former, yeah, you kind of need a tux. If the latter, I'd follow the advice to look at photos of previous openings and see what people are wearing.
posted by goatdog at 6:19 AM on April 20 [6 favorites]

Best answer: So, a few things here…

First consideration is whether the invitation/notification has any dress specifications. “Evening dress” would typically mean “black tie” which is considered semi-formal and calls for a tuxedo, whereas “full evening dress” or “formal evening dress” typically means “white tie” and calls for a cutaway tailcoat, etc. There is not a lot of room for (good) creativity when it comes to semi-formal evening attire and effectively none for full formal evening attire. Most people—even or perhaps especially Hollywood/celebrity types—who attempt to differentiate themselves by coloring outside the lines of the dress code, so to speak, look like fools who don’t know how to dress themselves. You have to understand the rules intimately before attempting to bend them. Go for the very most traditional.

It is absolutely not outside the realm of possible that an exhibition opening at a major arts institution would be full formal, or more likely, semi-formal. Especially if the majority of attendees is likely to be deep-pocketed donor types and board members. I would check the invitation/notification/description carefully to see what indications it has, if any, about dress.

nouvelle personne has a good idea in suggesting you check social media or the museum’s website for pictures of previous exhibition opening events at this museum to see what people are wearing. If it’s typically semi- or full formal, that should be pretty obvious. There are often still people who show up to these things in a suit, but you wouldn’t want to be one of those people. My suggestion would be to call the museum and ask to be connected to to the events contact/coordinator, then simply ask as to the level of formality and dress expectation for the event. These people want all the attendees to be comfortable and enjoy themselves, and will be happy to advise you. Often that person’s contact information is on the invitation/notification.

If it’s neither semi- or full formal nor entirely casual, I would recommend wearing a suit and tie. Even if many people are wearing slacks and an odd jacket, you wouldn’t stick out in a suit and tie. More than likely many of the donor/board member types will be coming from a work situation in which that is the expected level of dress when facing the public or meeting with clients, and so you won’t be alone. Also, a suit isn’t that far removed from slacks/jacket/tie or even, really, chinos and an odd jacket.

These things are becoming harder to navigate with confidence as knowledge of dress traditions, and the traditions themselves, continue to erode. There was a time when every male attorney at a big city law firm or bank, for example, would wear a suit and tie to work, and that just isn’t the case any more. I work at one such place and it’s not uncommon to see men in jeans and a sweater—although it’s also not uncommon to see them in a suit. I myself sometimes wear casual clothes and sometimes wear a suit, and every level in-between. Looking great in casual wear is actually a lot more challenging and expensive than one might think.

TL;DR: Call the museum and ask, then dress to the highest appropriate level.
posted by slkinsey at 6:24 AM on April 20 [13 favorites]

Oh, and if you need to buy a suit and have time to have the alterations made (do NOT skip that) buy either navy blue or charcoal with no pattern. Black only works at its best for funerals and Guy Ritchie villains, and the bolder shades of blue won’t stay in fashion forever (they’re also often employed on cheaply made suits). Navy and charcoal cloths without a pattern offer maximum versatility over all others.
posted by slkinsey at 6:37 AM on April 20 [2 favorites]

Also what European country? In Poland, for example, you'd maybe wear a tuxedo to a wedding and only as the groom. For a Polish museum, slacks and blazer would be fine, maybe even with a thematic t shirt if you're edgy. Evening wear would be a dark suit and white shirt. Dress conventions aren't culturally universal.
posted by I claim sanctuary at 7:23 AM on April 20

Response by poster: Thanks for the answers! There was no dress code on the invitation. When I asked my museum contact about a suit jacket or blazer, they wrote back to simply say yes, the dress code was evening dress. English isn’t their first language so perhaps they didn’t intend to imply the full formality of “evening dress”….but then, they did use that particular term and they speak pretty excellent English. I'd like to ask again but don’t want to alienate this very, very busy person. No luck finding a previous museum events on their website and image results are all from gatherings that booked the facilities.

I've got almost no time and somewhat limited funds…so I'm off to buy a dark blue or charcoal suit! Thanks to all.
posted by brachiopod at 7:59 AM on April 20

I take the OP as referring to an “ European Antiquities museum,” which is to say, a museum displaying antiquities from Europe but not located in Europe, rather than an “European antiquities museum,” being an antiquities museum located in Europe.

ETA, apparently I was wrong. :-)
posted by slkinsey at 8:00 AM on April 20

Response by poster: I hate to be so round-about but yes, a Western European antiquities museum.I'm a Canadian who's managed to avoid formal gatherings in the last 20 years.
posted by brachiopod at 8:13 AM on April 20

Is the museum in North America, or Europe?
posted by slkinsey at 9:24 AM on April 20

When I asked my museum contact about a suit jacket or blazer, they wrote back to simply say yes, the dress code was evening dress.

This would lead me to believe that “evening dress” means “what you would wear on a nice date.” So, yeah, jacket or blazer and a tie.
posted by Thorzdad at 9:25 AM on April 20

Best answer: It doesn't sound great that you [without whom the exhibition would have been diminished] should go out and rent a tux [or a tricorn hat, for that matter] for this one occasion. otoh, if you do use the occasion as an excuse to buy a smart charcoal suit, then it will do for court appearances, interviews, weddings and funerals, until you use it for your own. That's my experience anyway.
posted by BobTheScientist at 9:41 AM on April 20

Response by poster: I decided it would be crazy to buy or rent a single occasion outfit. I asked a friend who's a very serious about clothes to join me for an outlet mall expedition but he convinced me to come over and go through his thrifting treasures. I got loan of a beautiful black cashmere blazer, Hermes silk tie, Corneliani shirt, Pal Zilari boots, etc. I'm feeling 1000% more confident right now, so marking this resolved.

Thanks again to all. The 3am email about the dress code rattled me, so it was wonderful to be able to ask the question here and then get to sleep knowing that sensible people would be on the case.

To properly answer slkinsy, the museum is in Europe.

For now, I'm marking the “blazer and slacks is fine” answers as best but if I get there and and feel underdressed, I'll revisit that.
posted by brachiopod at 12:18 PM on April 20 [15 favorites]

Response by poster: Confirming that blazer and tie was perfect. It turns out that in academia, men's “evening dress” can be interpreted very widely. I saw government types in very nice suits and others in not-as-nice suits, blazers with and without ties, nubbly old sweaters, a couple guys with Indiana Jones affectations and one guy in a long black cape. It was all glorious.
posted by brachiopod at 8:17 PM on April 28 [1 favorite]

cufflinks helps to bring some classy looks on outfit.
posted by stephenscaoata at 9:31 AM on May 15