# Is a green suit dressy or odd? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 13, 2013, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-a-green-suit-dressy-or-odd/650207 "2013-02-13T19:53:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2013, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-a-green-suit-dressy-or-odd/650207/1 "2013-02-13T19:53:49Z")
A few years ago I went shopping for a nice suit. Being the “individual” that I am, I decided I wanted to stand out, without considering that “standing out” might not be advantageous in a suit-wearing environment. Therefore I purchased a dark green suit and felt quite pleased. Nowadays I’m in the job market and have a few interviews coming up, and I have only my green and a black suit to wear. Is the green suit a bad idea? Is it just too “off” to wear anywhere and be considered normal business attire? ---
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2013, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-a-green-suit-dressy-or-odd/650207/2 "2013-02-13T19:56:01Z")
A very dark green or olive suit is fine, in my experience. A lime green or Kelly green suit would get you noticed but not in a good way. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2013, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-a-green-suit-dressy-or-odd/650207/3 "2013-02-13T19:57:53Z")
Agreed. My only suit is green, but it’s a pretty conservative shade of green. I don’t want to look like the Riddler. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2013, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-a-green-suit-dressy-or-odd/650207/4 "2013-02-13T19:59:52Z")
I love a dark green suit. I think it looks nice and just enough off the norm. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2013, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-a-green-suit-dressy-or-odd/650207/5 "2013-02-13T20:00:42Z")
This depends entirely on what species of green we’re talking about. [OK](http://www.ahfashion.com/products_pictures/Slive.jpgM.jpg). [Not OK](http://www.the-isb.com/images/RiddlerTV.jpg). ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2013, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-a-green-suit-dressy-or-odd/650207/6 "2013-02-13T20:11:20Z")
Yeah, mine’s not supervillian-y (though I’d wear the hell out of a purple suit just for fun). It’s more [this color](http://www.mensusa.com/products.aspx?id=222). I’d rather look a little “off” than headed for a funeral though. ---
**Author:** ![FrankJBN](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f0a364/32.png) [@FrankJBN](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FrankJBN)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2013, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-a-green-suit-dressy-or-odd/650207/7 "2013-02-13T20:23:34Z")
Based on the picture, it would be fine at a funeral, though I wouldn’t want to be caught dead in it. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2013, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-a-green-suit-dressy-or-odd/650207/8 "2013-02-13T20:23:34Z")
That looks fine to me. It’s almost more charcoal than green. ---
**Author:** ![lisiate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f05b48/32.png) [@lisiate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lisiate)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2013, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-a-green-suit-dressy-or-odd/650207/9 "2013-02-13T20:46:35Z")
I’d usually say too odd, but the linked suit looks pretty good to me as well. My personal rule of thumb with suits is to avoid anything too trendy, as I intend to get far more years use out of a suit than any current trend will ever last. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2013, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-a-green-suit-dressy-or-odd/650207/10 "2013-02-13T20:49:02Z")
> [@Love\_Rhombus](#): > > Yeah, mine’s not supervillian-y (though I’d wear the hell out of a purple suit just for fun). It’s more [this color](http://www.mensusa.com/products.aspx?id=222). I’d rather look a little “off” than headed for a funeral though. I love it. ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2013, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-a-green-suit-dressy-or-odd/650207/11 "2013-02-13T21:01:53Z")
On second examination mine’s a bit darker. I think I’ll hold off on the green bow-tie, though. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2013, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-a-green-suit-dressy-or-odd/650207/12 "2013-02-13T21:06:04Z")
That depends. Are you in the business of guarding a pot of gold? ---
**Author:** ![black\_rabbit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f19dbf/32.png) [@black\_rabbit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/black_rabbit)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2013, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-a-green-suit-dressy-or-odd/650207/13 "2013-02-13T21:15:59Z")
Even a deep green seems a little too baptist preacher or car salesman-y to me, if it’s in regular all-season worsted wool. You might be able to get away with a deep olive herringbone if it’s a) winter, and b) you’re interviewing for a job as a groundskeeper for an English baron or something. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2013, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-a-green-suit-dressy-or-odd/650207/14 "2013-02-13T21:27:52Z")
You can get away with it if it’s quite dark. I’d avoid wearing highly contrasted colors. Do not wear a red tie or an orange tie or really any color that will highlight the green hugh. Wear muted silver or medium grey tie. White shirt is perfect. A light grey shirt would go as well. Black shoes would go well. A deep rich dark brown shoe would be better. When you get the job, spend some of the first paycheck on a classic grey suit. ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2013, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-a-green-suit-dressy-or-odd/650207/15 "2013-02-13T21:32:04Z")
I like them if only for the wordplay they afford my writing: “Then there was A. P. Narr in a spinach-green suit.” (A. P. Narr—spinach—get it?) ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2013, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-a-green-suit-dressy-or-odd/650207/16 "2013-02-13T21:38:09Z")
> [@QuickSilver](#): > > You can get away with it if it’s quite dark. I’d avoid wearing highly contrasted colors. Do not wear a red tie or an orange tie or really any color that will highlight the green hugh. Are you kidding? I wear a red shirt with my green suit. Of course, I only wear it in late December. ---
**Author:** ![GreenElf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9de053/32.png) [@GreenElf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreenElf)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2013, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-a-green-suit-dressy-or-odd/650207/17 "2013-02-14T00:20:47Z")
A green suit isn’t odd at all if your interview is in the Emerald City in the merry old land of Oz. ---
**Author:** ![carnut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnut/32/3531_2.png) [@carnut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnut)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2013, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-a-green-suit-dressy-or-odd/650207/18 "2013-02-14T00:47:30Z")
Dark, muted green is fine for most jobs that require a suit. It depends a bit on your industry. I see lots of guys come in for an interview in just a shirt and tie, even in cooler weather, but the atmosphere I work in is often business casual. Take a look at the attire of the people coming in and out of the office to get an idea of what’s appropriate. I have done this when scouting out how to get to the job interview when I knew it was in a big corporate complex. I wanted to know my way there before I actually had to be there. ---
**Author:** ![Tollhouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e99b99/32.png) [@Tollhouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tollhouse)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2013, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-a-green-suit-dressy-or-odd/650207/19 "2013-02-14T02:40:33Z")
Green suits are the shit . ---
**Author:** ![Scribble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scribble/32/3317_2.png) [@Scribble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scribble)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2013, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-a-green-suit-dressy-or-odd/650207/20 "2013-02-14T03:28:24Z")
> [@Johanna](#): > > I like them if only for the wordplay they afford my writing: > > “Then there was A. P. Narr in a spinach-green suit.” > > (A. P. Narr—spinach—get it?) Umm…maybe I’m dense, but I don’t get it. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-a-green-suit-dressy-or-odd/650207.md?page=2)