Prom outfit for teenage boy

[AphraBehn]

My 16 year old has his prom in a couple of weeks and has chosen to wear a black dinner suit, white shirt and black slim tie (hired not bought).

However, his girlfriend has asked that he wear a deep purple silk tie to coordinate with her dress. My husband insists that this won't look right and he has to wear a black tie with a dinner suit, I think that no one will care and if it makes his girlfriend happy then go with it.

Can anyone give me some advice one way or the other before he commits some kind of sartorial faux pas at his first formal event!

Many thanks.

I agree with you. I don't think many 16 year old boys will be sticking to the dinner suit formality of our younger years. When I was in my 20s and 30s, coloured ties with matching cummerbunds and frilly dress shirts were definitley old fashioned. They are probably coming back again now.

There will be all sorts of attire, including dark business suits, and fashion suits, worn with normal ties of all colours.

If your DH really winds up your DS, then he can wear the purple tie and tuck a traditional black bow tie in his pocket just in case.

I'm glad my 16 year old DS hasn't got a girlfriend, and isn't going to his prom.

What does your ds want to wear?

As chopstheDuck says ... It's up to him really .
Black tie is much better IMHO

Carrying on from above ... DS went last year in hired dinner suit , as did all his friends , but not one of them had a girlfriend to coordinate with !

My son had his prom last night. Bearing in mind that this is Scotland and they were all in kilts, all the boys had their cravats matching their dates' dresses. It is expected and I think your son should do it.

Thanks for your input everyone. My son doesn't mind, he just doesn't want to look "stupid" (hence him wanting a tie rather than a bow tie!). I do think a black tie looks better but it's not the end of the world if he wears a coloured one with a dinner suit.

I'm just grateful his outfit is only costing about £70!

I would tell him to do what ever he likes. He has got the rest of his life to be following correct dress codes he might as well have a bit of fun now.