In message , at 17:08:13 on Fri, 13
Mar 2015, Neil Williams remarked:
The decision was a suit but no tie, and the result was that of the
men in the meeting: the chair and one other attendee were wearing a
suit and a tie, and myself and another were wearing a suit and no
tie. Two other men were wearing something more casual, which in the
case of the most casual was commented by other attendees on in a
jokey, but not necessarily positive, way.

Convention no doubt, but I totally fail to understand why an
ill-fitting piece of old fashioned dress

My suits fit better than my other clothing.

and a bit of fabric constricting your breathing

It doesn't.

is superior

Looks smart and has lots of pockets.

to, say, a neat company-branded polo shirt

I don't have any of those branded with my company, and all the ones
branded with other people's company have been over-used for my DIY
escapades.

or a short-sleeved shirt without tie, and a pair of chinos.

That's what I'd wear as "smart casual", but not every meeting is
appropriate for that.

--
Roland Perry