Does my DH need to wear a tie for a christening?

[fluffydressinggown]

He is planning on wearing his suit trousers and then a shirt and jumper. Does he need a tie or is that outfit ok without one.

Thanks

Absolutely fine, in my opinion. No tie needed.

I would expect men to wear a tie. IME, if you are invited, then it's a 'formal occasion' , and to me, for a grown man, that = a tie.

You hardly ever see anyone wearing a tie these days though Back - I insisted my DH wore a tie for my parents' golden wedding anniversary celebration meal & he was the only one formally dressed . Even my 80 year old dad dresses casually these days.

Smart clothes are fine - just not as casual as my brother who goes every where in shorts even though he is nearly 50 .

DH didn't even wear a tie for our wedding.

I think he has one for funerals and one for job interviews but that's it.

Yes but it's in a church. I would say tie, definitely.

Been to three christening in the last year, all the men had a tie on.

Christening during a church service only God parents may dress up. Everyone else can dress up if they like or look like ordinary congregation.

At our CofE church oldest men might wear ties, but jeans and sandals at 45 ish are not unknown. We very rarely have any young men, except to listen to their wedding bands.

Ask the babies parents how formal they and the God parents intend to be?

Generally I think nice smart coloured shirts and black work trousers covers a multitude of occasions, when white shirt, tie and jacket risks being OTT

I would say yes to tie.

just depends what's normal in your family/circle I spose.

Mixed replies here! The parents are pretty casual people so maybe they will be ok with no tie.

All the men have worn toes at all the Christenings I've been to. I would dress as you would for a wedding.

I'd say yes.

Honestly, I go to Church every week and hardly anyone wears a tie and it is a fairly formal Church, if your DH is not comfortable wearing a tie, then for goodness sake don't just put one on because it is 'the right thing to do'. Attending Church is not the same as a formal job interview.

I think 'attending church' for a weekly service (where, incidently at our Church the majority, but by no means all of the men wear a tie) is different from 'being invited to a Christening'.
Sometimes I put a dress on to go to church, sometimes I wear jeans - both are acceptable, but as and when I get invited to a Christening, I'd put a dress on, and the male equivalent is a tie, IMVHO, regardless of what the rest of the congregation wear.

At the Churches I have been involved with (we move around a lot ) the Minister/Vicar/Priest has always made a point of wanting people to be comfortable in Church, particularly for those who are not used to going to Church - so if people are comfortable wearing a tie, then wear a tie, but not to worry about the dress code when, hopefully, there are more important things to be thinking about .

I agree it's not the church that is relevant. It's the invitation to a formal occasion as has been mentioned.

Men are nearly always wearing ties at the christenings I have been to. That said I don't think I'd notice if someone didn't have one on.

DH didn't wear a tie to our DC's baptisms, much to MIL's horror...

It varies hugely IME. You can only take your cues from what you know of the parents.

We wore jeans to the only christening we ever attended and everyone else was dressed similarly except for the parents and the godparents - I was really surprised by how casual it was, I suppose I only ever attend church for weddings and funerals.

As the priest I've seen a lot of baptism families and their friends. Some seem to be dressed for the nightclub and I see some very cold women who had not appreciated how chilly churches can be.

If the baptism is part of the morning service then be aware that most of the church goers will be in comfy to smart casual with a smattering of ties and blazers amongst the older men.

If it is an afternoon service with a number of different babies being baptised then there will be everything from almost wedding style formal to shorts and sandals.

Be guided by the family. If they are informal then go with informal and vice versa.

I gave been to a few christenings recently, it's a hard occasion to dress for IMO. There always seems to be a fairly mixed bag, DH has ended up wearing a suit without a tie. I think as long as you're fairly smart it will be ok.

Can't he take one in his pocket and put it on if everyone else has one on?

I'd say tie for the godfather(s), not for other male guests.

We had DD christened 3 weeks ago. We had immediate family only and no one wore ties.

Some seem to be dressed for the nightclub and I see some very cold women who had not appreciated how chilly churches can be - quite agree, at a recent christening in our church many non regular church goers clearly struggled with the occasion, one of them just couldn't leave her phone alone and the look of sheer incomprehension when the collection plate came round almost made me giggle.

I hardly ever see anyone under 60 in church wearing a tie. Really, he doesn't need one.

I have seen the nightclub clothes in church as well, and people fiddle with their phones, and one young man chew gum all the way through the service, which I found a little off.

Well the Christening was this morning and DH didn't wear a tie and it was fine. I would say it was 50/50 on wearing/not wearing a tie.

Thanks for all of the advice.