What to Wear to a Great Gatsby Party (Men)

The invitation says Great Gatsby and now you have a question nobody answers: how period do you actually have to go?

Too little and you are the guy in a normal suit. Too much and you are in costume while everyone else is just dressed up. Here is the line, and the outfit that sits on the right side of it.

How period to go

Read the room before you read the decade. Almost every Gatsby party falls into one of three levels, and picking the wrong one is the only real mistake available to you.

If the invitation gives you no signal, go with level two. It reads correctly at a themed party and it does not embarrass you if half the room turns up in ordinary clothes.

The suit

The novel is set across a Long Island summer, which is why the party scenes are full of pale cloth. Ivory, off white, light grey and soft tan all sit correctly. A dark suit works but has to do more of the heavy lifting through the waistcoat and the accessories.

Look for a wider peak lapel and a slightly fuller trouser than a modern cut. The 1920s line is high in the waist and generous through the leg, so a very slim modern suit will fight the look no matter what you add to it. Check our sizing and measurement guide before ordering, because the waistcoat has to sit close for any of this to work.

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The details that carry it

The waistcoat is not optional. It is the single garment that separates a 1920s silhouette from a man in a two piece, and it is why a three piece suit does the job that no jacket and trousers combination will.

• Collar bar or pin. Pushes the tie knot forward and lifts the collar. Cheap, and it is the detail people notice.
• Braces, not a belt. Period correct, and they hold the high waist where it belongs.
• Pocket watch chain. Across the waistcoat, one end in the pocket. Do not add it and a tie bar and a lapel pin.
• Shoes. Brown or two tone oxfords. Two tone is the fastest way to move from level two to level three.
• Hat, only if you commit. A boater or a homburg reads as the party set. A flat cap reads as a different story entirely.

What to avoid

• The plastic costume kit. A paper boater and a clip on tie undo a good suit in one second.
• Gangster pinstripe. Heavy chalk stripe reads as the mob, not the party. That is a different theme and a different night.
• A very slim modern cut. The period line is fuller. Fighting it with accessories does not work.
• Every accessory at once. Pick two, leave the rest at home.

The verdict

Buy the suit, rent nothing. A pale three piece goes to a summer wedding, a garden party and a race day long after the theme night is over, and our guide on wearing suit pieces separately shows how the waistcoat works on its own. That is a better return than a costume you wear once.

Frequently Asked Questions

What do you wear to a Gatsby party?

A three piece suit in a pale shade with the waistcoat buttoned, a white shirt, and one or two period details such as a collar bar or braces. That covers almost every Gatsby party you will be invited to.

Do you have to wear a costume to a Great Gatsby party?

No. Most hosts want the era suggested, not recreated. A real suit worn well always beats a costume kit, and you can wear it again.

What colour suit is best for a Gatsby party?

Ivory, off white, light grey and soft tan all fit the period, because the parties in the novel are set across a Long Island summer. A dark suit works if the waistcoat and accessories carry the theme.

Is a pinstripe suit right for a Gatsby party?

A subtle stripe is fine, but a heavy chalk stripe reads as a gangster theme rather than a Gatsby one. If the invitation says Gatsby, go paler and softer.

Can I wear the suit again afterwards?

Yes, and that is the argument for buying rather than renting. A pale three piece works for summer weddings, garden parties and race days with the period accessories removed.