Does the Apple Watch Sport go with formal wear ?

[Willc99]

I own a 42mm Space grey S4 Apple Watch. I’ve never really felt attracted to the other bands and watches which is why I’ve always had sports Apple Watch. I wear my watch Everyday.

Would you say the Apple Watch Sport goes with a suit or smart casual/formal wear. I think it does.

Thoughts ?

 

[QCassidy352]

I don’t really think it does... But I wear mine with a suit every day anyway. 😂 I just use a black leather band with a suit.

 

[Apple_Robert]

Wear whatever you want. If you are overly concerned, get a black or saddle brown leather loop.

 

[staggerlee41]

I have shared this many times in different threads on the forum. The stigmas associated with traditional watches go out the window with smart watches. I attend company functions, conferences and see many professionals, VPs, Presidents, board members wearing Apple watches, other smart watches with standard issued bands. These people are wearing suits, sport coats, pant suits, dresses--formal wear. I'm talking stock sport bands with aluminum cases. Many of these people make 6 figures and above, could afford to wear any watch they want, and they choose to wear a smart watch. Granted this is only one company but many others here have noted similar experiences within their company or other organizations.

I agree, if you want to dress it up a bit, get a leather loop, leather band, metal band--Apple or knock off. Ultimately, if you are happy wearing it, that's the only thing that truthfully matters.

 

[Willc99]

I saw one of the presidents (can’t remember what country) in a picture wearing sports Apple Watch, I think it looks fine with a suit, well the sports space grey definitely does since it’s stealthy.

 

[MacManiac76]

I think it goes well with anything. Just change up the face to something simple and classic when it turns on to tone down the smart watch effect. Just because it is matte doesn’t make it less formal to me.

 

[Strangedream]

Personally I think even the SS doesn't go well with formal suits ... yet. While the AOD on the Series 5 makes the AW more suitable it still lacks something. Nothing beats a mechanical dress watch for formal occasions, and it doesn't need to be expensive, even a Timex with white dial would do.

At the end of the day what you wear is up to you tho and most people would not judge you unless you're sporting something very flashy (which the Alu Apple Watch is not).

 

[44267547]

I feel like this thread comes up every year. You make the watch what you want it to be. The aluminum, stainless, ceramic, ect can be paired with formal wear. I prefer the link band personally, but in the end, it’s a smart watch. It can be dressed up or down, it should be based on your personality with whatever band you find suitable.

 

[akash.nu]

I feel like this thread comes up every year. You make the watch what you want it to be. The aluminum, stainless, ceramic, ect can be paired with formal wear. I prefer the link band personally, but in the end, it’s a smart watch. It can be dressed up or down, it should be based on your personality with whatever band you find suitable.

This ! I completely agree with.

I’ve just bought a few extra bands off amazon to go with my aluminium space grey S4. A black and a brown leather to go with formal attire depending on the colour combination and have got a few other rubber bands to go with casual day to day attire. Job done.

 

[The Game 161]

sure it goes well with anything. I certainly wouldn't care about others opinions anyway

 

[Steve121178]

I own a 42mm Space grey S4 Apple Watch. I’ve never really felt attracted to the other bands and watches which is why I’ve always had sports Apple Watch. I wear my watch Everyday.

Would you say the Apple Watch Sport goes with a suit or smart casual/formal wear. I think it does.

Thoughts ?

Yes, no question about it. Especially space grey & darker bands.

 

[richard13]

Personally, I think the SG watches look plastic and therefore not formal. That said, the Milanese band is nice in all colors and would dress up the sport SG to where it is less casual. Ultimately, it depends on how formal and what the occasion is. Use your best judgement.

 

[chanerz]

I have S4 and have different bands for different occasions.

 

[QCassidy352]

Several comments here along the lines of, “it doesn’t matter what other people think.” I respectfully disagree.

We are talking about situations where you’re wearing a suit. Those are, pretty much by definition, situations where it matters what other people think. If it didn’t, you wouldn’t be wearing a suit in the first place - you’d be wearing sweatpants or something.

I’m a lawyer and wear suits every day, and yes it matters what people think of how I dress. Like it or not, the way people think of us and respond to us does depend, in part, on how we dress and otherwise present ourselves. If I look like I got dressed in the dark, it could alter the way a judge, juror, witness, or other attorney responds to me, and that could, ultimately, make a real difference in what happens with my case. Should it be that way? I don’t know, but it is. Appearance does matter.

Now all of that said... I think AW with a suit is Ok. Not great, probably not the prototypical business-wear look, but Ok. It’s not going to stand out unless someone is REALLY looking. As I said before, I do it every day (with a conservative band choice).

 

[staggerlee41]

Your choice in clothing is not quite the same as which watch are you wearing and I guess that'd be my counter to your comments. Based on what you've stated, you believe AW to go well enough with a suit to wear it, right?

 

[QCassidy352]

Your choice in clothing is not quite the same as which watch are you wearing and I guess that'd be my counter to your comments. Based on what you've stated, you believe AW to go well enough with a suit to wear it, right?

Yes, I wear my AW with suits. I don't think it looks great, but it's also not the end of the world. It's just a little thing either way. And I find a lot of value in wearing it, so I'm totally fine with that tradeoff.

I guess my broader point is that, particularly in formal settings where a suit is appropriate, what other people think very often does matter.

 

[NYCValkyrie]

Yes, I wear my AW with suits. I don't think it looks great, but it's also not the end of the world. It's just a little thing either way. And I find a lot of value in wearing it, so I'm totally fine with that tradeoff.

I guess my broader point is that, particularly in formal settings where a suit is appropriate, what other people think very often does matter.

If it matters *to you* then you do you. I know other lawyers, lawyers who wear suits that work at prestigious law firms. Lawyers who have made partner. They don't care about your Apple Watch and they don't care what band they are wearing with the Apple Watch. With regular watches, or should I say, timepieces, it does matter as that is part of the status symbol of a Patek Philippe, Jaeger-LeCoultre or the Fifty Fathoms. My friend breaks out the Chopard for black tie events. But not because he cares what other people think, it's because he loves that watch and if it's a special occasion, he wears the special watch.

But honestly, if it matters that much that you're bothered with the band on an Apple Watch and what people will think, you're better off getting a Rolex so you can tell people it's a Rolex. Otherwise, people don't care about the bands of smart watches, no matter their profession. That's just the culture now. People understand it's an extension of your phone and more utility than accessory. Yes, I've also seen JUDGES wear Apple Watches. The horror. They must not be serious about being a judge.

Or just buy the Hermes edition if you care that much about status but want to keep an Apple Watch.

 

[iCorz87]

I had an AW3 in SB aluminium and felt that for me it was more suited to casual wear, that being said I still wore it for formal occasions as I wear it every day but I just used a dark band. At the end of the day if you like it, wear it

 

[QCassidy352]

If it matters *to you* then you do you. I know other lawyers, lawyers who wear suits that work at prestigious law firms. Lawyers who have made partner. They don't care about your Apple Watch and they don't care what band they are wearing with the Apple Watch. With regular watches, or should I say, timepieces, it does matter as that is part of the status symbol of a Patek Philippe, Jaeger-LeCoultre or the Fifty Fathoms. My friend breaks out the Chopard for black tie events.

But honestly, if it matters that much that you're bothered with the band on an Apple Watch and what people will think, you're better off getting a Rolex so you can tell people it's a Rolex. Otherwise, people don't care about the bands of smart watches, no matter their profession. That's just the culture now.

It's funny you say that because I would never own a Rolex or anything of that type. I think they're pretentious and wouldn't wear one if it was given to me.

BUT, I still think an AW looks like a cheap accessory that doesn't go well with a nice suit in a professional setting. Especially when it's worn with a bright, cheap-looking strap (which includes sport bands and sport loops). Just because people do something doesn't mean it looks good. Tons of lawyers wear cheap, poorly-fitted, out-of-date suits.

So I'm drawing a distinction between my personal taste, which is for AW or no watch at all, and what I see in the business-attire world that I live in every day.

I do think the culture is starting to change. At some point, if the market keeps going like this, smartwatches will be so commonplace that they won't look out of place. After all, fashion is all subjective anyway. But I don't think we're there yet. Again, my personal opinion based on what I see on a daily basis.

edit: I see you edited your post to say:

Or just buy the Hermes edition if you care that much about status but want to keep an Apple Watch

you seem very hostile about this, and I’m not sure why. When did I say I care about “status”? I have an aluminum AW, thanks very much. The one mechanical watch I own is a citizen that cost about $100 ten years ago. But the question in the thread is does AW go well with a suit. My opinion is that it doesn’t (but I do it anyway). Not sure how, from that, you’re concluding that I care about status all that much.

 

[NYCValkyrie]

It's funny you say that because I would never own a Rolex or anything of that type. I think they're pretentious and wouldn't wear one if it was given to me.

BUT, I still think an AW looks like a cheap accessory that doesn't go well with a nice suit in a professional setting. Especially when it's worn with a bright, cheap-looking strap (which includes sport bands and sport loops). Just because people do something doesn't mean it looks good. Tons of lawyers wear cheap, poorly-fitted, out-of-date suits.

So I'm drawing a distinction between my personal taste, which is for AW or no watch at all, and what I see in the business-attire world that I live in every day.

I do think the culture is starting to change. At some point, if the market keeps going like this, smartwatches will be so commonplace that they won't look out of place. After all, fashion is all subjective anyway. But I don't think we're there yet. Again, my personal opinion based on what I see on a daily basis.

Well I can tell you that the lawyers at Cravath, Swaine & Moore don’t care about your watch. The clients don’t care either. Lol

 

[QCassidy352]

Well I can tell you that the lawyers at Cravath, Swaine & Moore don’t care about your watch. The clients don’t care either. Lol

No, actually, you can’t tell me that. Cravath has hundreds of lawyers and thousands of clients. You have no idea what more than a handful of them think, at most. I’ve lived in that world for many years, and the people in that world care tremendously about status. Whether a particular lawyer or client cares about watches is besides the point. The entire world of which you speak proves my point that appearances matter.

 

[NYCValkyrie]

No, actually, you can’t tell me that. Cravath has hundreds of lawyers and thousands of clients. You have no idea what more than a handful of them think, at most. I’ve lived in that world for many years, and the people in that world care tremendously about status. Whether a particular lawyer or client cares about watches is besides the point. The entire world of which you speak proves my point that appearances matter.

If you say so.

 

[NYCValkyrie]

I own a 42mm Space grey S4 Apple Watch. I’ve never really felt attracted to the other bands and watches which is why I’ve always had sports Apple Watch. I wear my watch Everyday.

Would you say the Apple Watch Sport goes with a suit or smart casual/formal wear. I think it does.

Thoughts ?

the only people I know personally who still have a weird thing are like 60+ and you know what to say to them if they get all “back in my day” about it. Haha. And even then, it’s only a few people because they can’t figure it out. Smart watches are so common now I haven’t seen anyone give them a 2nd look since probably Gen 2. With the exception of black tie formal attire, a simple switch of bands can make it aesthetically appropriate. It’s like AirPods when they first came out. Everyone hated how they looked but now they’re everywhere and no one cares. People who do are a little out of touch.

 

[x-man]

A matter of taste really, I personally don't think so and that is why I have had the S0 and now S4 in steel.
I use the link bracelet for work and sport bands for weekend and sports.

 

[ScottNWDW]

Personally, I only wear the sport bands with my space gray aluminum S4 watch. I have a collection of the bands (26 bands) in various colors and I match the band with what I am wearing. Recently went to a wedding and the bride was wearing an Apple Watch with a White sport band while the groom had one with the black band. I wore a dark grey suit and wore a dark grey band. There were many others wearing Apple Watches and most had sport bands. I don't think there is any issues, nor should there be, if you wear a sport band in more formal attire. I think the darker colors like the Midnight Blue, Brown, Black or Grey are in tune with formal wear. The bright colors with sports/casual wear and the more pastel colors in almost any environment.