Black Tie Attire

Traditional Black Tie Attire

There are quite a few aspects of black tie dress. Men today sometimes take their style cues from celebrities, who often show up on the red carpet in less than formal clothing. Even occasions calling for black tie find many men not adhering closely to all of the details. What exactly does black tie call for?

• Dinner jacket: This staple item needs to be black or midnight blue.
  • Can be single or double-breasted
  • Lapels can either be peaked or a shawl collar; traditional black tie adherents frown on the popular notch collar.
  • Satin or grosgrain facing on the lapels is appropriate.
• Trousers: These should match the jacket in color and material and can be cut for suspenders.
• Waist covering: This can be a cummerbund made to match the jacket facings or a waistcoat made in the same material as the jacket; silk is equally acceptable.
• Shirt: Must be white to be true black tie wear. The collar can be wing, usually seen as the most formal, or turndown. The front of the shirt can be pleated or piqué style and contains eyelets for studs. The French cuffs allow for cufflinks.
• Neckwear: This is a black bow tie in silk to match the lapel.
• Footwear: Shoes should be black, in either patent leather or oxfords polished to perfection.
• Accessories: Socks should be black, in a fine material, while suspenders can be black or white silk. Cufflinks should match the attire in style and tone and are acceptable in black, gold or mother-of-pearl. Also, don’t forget the handkerchief, which should be white silk or linen. A dress scarf in white silk with tassels is also appropriate.
• Outerwear: A chesterfield coat is considered the most conventional, but other dressy coats in a dark color are suitable; however, a casual coat such as a trench coat is not.

Warm Weather Black Tie

For men who live in tropical climates or during the summer, there are acceptable variations to the black tie code. These include:

• Dinner jacket: This can be white, but ivory is better.
• Accessories: A colored handkerchief is suitable in silk or linen.

While there aren’t many variations, fashion experts want men to understand that the rules of black tie attire are basic guidelines that allow men to choose their style. Not every man will want to don an evening scarf and that's acceptable. At the same time, proper black tie does call for a certain style of shoe and shirt.

Proper Occasions

Many men will have the opportunity to dress in black tie attire at some point in their lives. The times when this formal dress code will be requested are usually:

• Evening events: Typically, the evening starts at six o’clock, so black tie should only be worn after that time or after dark. This can include opera performances or weddings.
• Cruise ships: Although modern cruise ship goers have all but abandoned formal dress for most evening dinners, in some places, this custom is still practiced.
• Invitations: Tradition used to dictate that stating a dress code on an invitation was not appropriate, but due to changing customs and modes of dress, etiquette experts usually give hosts a pass to include this information on invitations, to cut down on confusion.

Dress Well

Because so many people dress casually the majority of the time, formal dress rules have largely been forgotten. However, it’s always a good idea to familiarize yourself with what constitutes proper dress. You never know when you’ll receive an invitation that requires black tie. If you do, you’ll know how to coordinate the right outfit and look as elegant and classic as the occasion merits.