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I recently asked this question to get some general consensus on an answer, as I had been thinking about this question for the last few days. However, it was closed because someone didn't "truly believe anyone is really considering this." I was however considering doing this, as dressing nicely helps give me a confidence boost for interviews, and after watching a Ted Talk on how body language and posture can help give you more confidence and help you succeed in interviews, I was wondering if it would be okay to wear a tuxedo for the added boost in confidence it gives me while wearing it. If the answer to the question is "No." that's completely fine by me. I just would like an answer and an explanation.

Now, it's obvious that some people are not taking this question seriously from the mocking comments and answers stating things to the effect of "you can point out that you have never heard whether or not wearing pajamas would be considered inappropriate or not and as about that", however asking if wearing pajamas is okay is non sequitur. Tuxedos are considered formal wear, pajamas are considered sleepwear. I don't see why asking if wearing a tuxedo (formal wear) is okay is outrageous in a setting where you typically wear other formal wear. If I was asking about wearing bathing suits, pajamas, clown suits, etc, then I can see why people would think that was outrageous.

Update: it was reopened, but now has been closed as primarily opinion based. I don't see how it is primarily opinion based as there are expected norms for dressing for interviews. It could be a little subjective, but not anymore so than the question I linked in my own question. It and a number of other questions here could be considered opinion based, but can be answered by experts' experience.

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    Have you ever seen anyone show up for an interview in a tuxedo in your part of the world? Don't you think you already got the answer you were looking for ("No") ? – Joe Strazzere Apr 12 '17 at 23:46
  • @JoeStrazzere i havent really seen anyone show up for an interview ever, as interviews are generally held in private, and I have never given an interview in a professional setting, so i have no experience to go off of. And to the point of that I got an answer, yes I got an answer. That doesn't mean I agree with the post being closed. The post was closed because people thought it wasn't a real/serious question. I believe that it is a perfectly fine/real/serious question and on topic here under the section of advice for finding employment. – Dragonrage Apr 13 '17 at 0:27
  • I hope you flagged inappropriate comments. Mocking people is not ok. – Monica Cellio Apr 13 '17 at 2:58
  • @MonicaCellio I flagged a few of them. – Dragonrage Apr 13 '17 at 3:01
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    I'm almost tempted to start another meta thread here, because why is the fact that OP already got some answers a reason to keep a question closed? As far as I know we close or reopen questions based on their quality and value, not existing answers. I can see that line of thinking making sense for questions that would require a lot of work to salvage and have limited utility to others but that doesn't seem to be the case here. – Lilienthal Mod Apr 13 '17 at 8:37
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    @bugs The fact that the question has been answered already is just not a reason to keep it closed. And for this particular question I'd like to see an answer that's matter-of-fact instead of the forced attempts at humor it currently has. None of the two current answers actually reference the real issue, which is that a tuxedo is evening wear for social occasions.The issue is not that a tuxedo would be overdressing or too formal. So, I'd like to see a no answer that gives better reasons. – Lilienthal Mod Apr 13 '17 at 9:10
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    @MaskedMan would it be worth the OP stating what part of the world they are interviewing in whilst wearing this tuxedo? – Bugs Apr 13 '17 at 10:03
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    @Bugs Generally there are no questions that are too simple on SE. The network is intended to be a repository of information even for simple stuff. There are plenty of discussions about the pros and cons on this meta and the network one if you want to look into that further. As for location, rightly or wrongly, we tend to answer questions from a Western perspective when none is specified. For semi-canonical questions like this we then normally encourage answers for different cultures to prefix their location in the answer and leave the location unspecified in the question. – Lilienthal Mod Apr 13 '17 at 10:24
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    @Lilienthal "The fact that the question has been answered already is just not a reason to keep it closed" - it's a reason not to waste any more time on it. – Joe Strazzere Apr 13 '17 at 10:38
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    @JoeStrazzere Whether anyone wants to put time and effort into a question is a personal decision. You are certainly allowed to think "this isn't worth my time" and move on, just like I'm allowed to argue that this question has merit and deserves to be reopened. And I feel like this question in particular does deserve some extra effort, if only to make up for the incredibly hostile and misplaced reaction it got on the site. We regularly get simple and naive questions and I hope that we won't treat all of those the same way just because of a few highly visible fake questions in recent history. – Lilienthal Mod Apr 13 '17 at 11:17
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    @Lilienthal - I understand. If the question were turned into one about "appropriate business attire" in the general sense, I'd vote to reopen. But if a specific question about a tuxedo is okay, then specific questions about prom dresses, top hat and tails, miniskirts, shorts and sneakers, etc - all should be treated the same. – Joe Strazzere Apr 13 '17 at 12:25
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    It has been reopened. – Joe Strazzere Apr 13 '17 at 12:33
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    @Bugs - I saw it. I have to say I laughed at your Step Brothers example. But I think the Dumb & Dumber tuxedos would have been a more effective example. – Joe Strazzere Apr 13 '17 at 12:41
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    @JoeStrazzere I almost went there with that but felt others would think I wasn't being serious. The Step Brothers example is on-topic to interviewing so went with that, minus the quote of course. – Bugs Apr 13 '17 at 12:43
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    @JoeStrazzere Hmm, maybe. You could rephrase this to "formal wear" which seems to be the catch-all term for everything more formal than a suit (black tie / tuxedo, white tie, evening gown, ...) but then you risk causing even more confusion with "business formal". Perhaps if we start getting questions on beachwear and flip flops we'd instead need a canonical "what qualifies as business attire?". :) – Lilienthal Mod Apr 13 '17 at 13:29
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I suggest that this be left closed.

The question itself is more appropriate for chat and already has definitive answers. Leaving it open could invite a host of imitators to post similar questions. Does X qualify as business attire? The possibilities are endless.

If the OP had asked something along the lines of "What would be considered appropriate business attire?" then we might have helped (or might have pointed to other duplicate answers).

Sorry if it wasn't intended as trolling, but it comes across that way. IMHO we would be silly to reopen it.

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In all honesty I thought it was a joke and an attempt at trolling. Given that you've now gone to META I appreciate that isn't the case at all. The question however already has two answers which should give you what you are looking for.

Is it worth reopening? No because the answers will remain the same. A Tuxedo is basically a dinner jacket:

Etiquette

The tuxedo is a form of evening wear and as such is intended to be worn only in the evening.

A quick Google shows Can I wear tuxedo for interview?:

Tuxedo is classified as a highly formal, evening wear outfit. You will be considered a dandy, if you wear it to an interview.

I would have thought before asking the question you did some research into this. I assume that's why people didn't take the question seriously.

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I'd vote to reopen. I think this question can be edited down to a simple "Does a tuxedo qualify as business attire?" and I've gone ahead and made that edit.

Just because everyone here knows that of course it isn't, that doesn't mean that someone unfamiliar with professional norms would. Thinking "the more formal I dress the better" and not knowing that a tuxedo is evening wear for social occasions, rather than business wear is a mistake I could easily see a graduate making, even if would admittedly be a hilarious one for the people in that office.

This seems like a fine question for the site and while I've made some edits to lower the emphasis on your situation and remove your personal take on it, even the original version seemed of high quality to me. I'm not sure I get the reasons behind the downvotes, the close votes or the arguments made here to keep it closed.

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  • As I mentioned in the comments; I didn't know and I'm long past graduate. Plenty of people go through a number of jobs without ever wearing any kind of formal gear, and might at some moment be required to interview in one. This seems like a valid question (Especially if they happen to own a tuxedo, but not a suit), even if the answer is straightforward. – Erik Apr 13 '17 at 12:25
  • @Erik I took your comment on board about the differences and incorporated that into my answer (with a link). I hope it gives you some insight. I want you to know I wasn't being rude in my earlier comments. – Bugs Apr 13 '17 at 12:51
  • @Erik Indeed, I'm just using graduates as an example. – Lilienthal Mod Apr 13 '17 at 13:35
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    I honestly didn't know there WAS a difference between a tuxedo and a suit until I read this question. – A. McDaniel Apr 13 '17 at 19:26
  • @Lilienthal do you think you could explain why people think that the question is primarily opinion based? I've tried asking some of the people that voted to close it, but they haven't responded. – Dragonrage Apr 17 '17 at 19:41
  • @Dragonrage Well they're not required to and I can't do more than guess at the reason behind people's votes. It does seem like this particular close reason doesn't really apply given how there seems to be universal consensus on the answer but people sometimes tick the wrong close reason by mistake which is why we don't automatically reopen over that. There should be some agreement that the question deserves to be reopened (and wouldn't be closed again immediately) and it seems like that would be unlikely given the feedback in this meta thread. – Lilienthal Mod Apr 18 '17 at 8:31
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I would still suggest it should remain closed. Interviews for most organisations expect a suit. There are some exceptions, especially in the IT space, which allow more casual dress, but arriving in a tuxedo will have the effect of making you stand out for reasons not related to your skill and experience at the job. You'll just look like you have no cultural awareness.

All the answers already told you this. Reopening is not going to benefit you in any way.

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  • Rory, as one of the people who voted to close my question as primarily opinion based, could you please explain what makes it anymore opinion based than the other question I linked in it? – Dragonrage Apr 16 '17 at 16:17

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