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Do you really need a tuxedo & patent leather shoes for TAL Awards ceremony as a law student? Yes, I know "Black Tie" traditionally means tux or no-show; however, I don't have one that fits anymore while I have a couple perfectly elegant black suits & ties. Even buying a whatever tux on sale at Macys I'll be dropping at least $450 w/ shirt/bow-tie (which probably just means borrowing it down the line when I'm short on rent in April on credit or stafford), and if I need patent leather, who knows how much more.

Can anyone who has attended in years past comment on how shitty/uncouth it would be to attend in 1) fit black suit/white shirt/black tie/polished leather, or 2) tuxedo dress but polished (not patent/shiny) shoes?

Yes, I recognize this is a silly question but I need to decide before next week, I'm too much of a pleb to really know how stickily attorneys are about the distinctions within black tie and I don't want to make my firm look overly gauche.

you're a law student and you're already getting a lifetime achievement award. i think you can probably wear whatever you want.

didn't go to this, but to tux events, I have always worn a $200 macys Tux with super buffed up office shoes. I highly doubt anyone can tell the difference

White tux, tophat, highly-polished cane.