<p>With the end of the school year in sight, my son has quiet a few Senior events coming up. I have a (probably) silly question. If the dress code for an event - a senior dinner, senior class day, etc - says “jacket and tie” do you think he could wear a vest and tie? It’s not a huge deal, he does have a suit, but he likes the look of a vest, tie and dress shirt…and I do think it looks just as “formal”…and a little more comfortable in the warmer weather. He’s going to ask at school this week, I was just wondering. Thanks!</p>
<p>It depends on the school. My S wore Converse black patent leather Chuck Taylors with his tux and almost didn’t get in to senior prom…you could hardly tell until you were scrutinizing. They did end up letting him in - and it turns out that he was crowned Prom King, haha.</p>
<p>Are there photos from past events on the school website, Facebook, etc? Maybe you could look at those and see if other kids wore something similar. If nothing else, wear the vest/tie and throw a jacket over it. He can then take the jacket off at the event.</p>
<p>If it specifies jacket and tie and the kid has a jacket and tie then that is what he should wear.</p>
<p>The reason they call one a “jacket” and the other a “vest” is that they are two different things. If a jacket and tie have been requested as the dress code, then he should wear a jacket and tie. If he’s in love with the vest, I’m sure they’d have no problem with him wearing it under the jacket…</p>
<p>Agree w/ wear the vest if he must and a jacket over it…though the vest might make it overly warm.</p>
<p>Go to Goodwill and find a navy sportcoat for $7 bucks. He’ll wear it again and again. Most times by the end of the evening the jacket is on the chair back, the tie is loosened and the sleeves are rolled up.</p>
<p>Please do him the favor of teaching him to just follow the dress code and not push the boundaries or feel like he should be an exception. You should see how difficult it is to deal with my employees who can’t grasp that business casual doesn’t include fish net stockings, micro mini’s, spandex pants, hoodie sweatshirts, etc. I hear about the discussions my office manager has with people asking her about the dress code and you’d think she was making some of this stuff up.</p>
<p>IME, the jackets will get taken off pretty quickly. He’ll look cute in the vest he’s worn under the jacket. My kiddo got a pretty darn nice jacket at Goodwill when he was in high school - though he now owns a real suit as well.</p>
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truth…</p>
<p>Vest and tie sounds okay, especially if that’s what your son wants to wear.</p>
<p>Wear the jacket over the vest and take it off and leave it on the chair within the first 10 minutes. Everybody wins. :)</p>
<p>Stradmom’s idea sounds good.</p>
<p>Thanks for the suggestion Steve…I pulled up the online album from last year’s events and all the boys were wearing jackets, so that’s what he’ll do. I second the motion on Goodwill jackets…In September my younger son will be a freshman at a boarding school with a jacket/tie dress code and I’ve already collected three beautiful jackets…I don’t think I spent more than $25 for all of them! One of the many great things about Manhattan…no shortage of rich folks donating clothes!</p>