Black Tie Dress Code: The Rules

Table of Content

• Black Tie Optional Dress Code, Explained
• Rarer Dress Codes
• The Difference Between Black Tie & Coat & Tie Events
• Colorful Socks

The general rule of formal shirts is “never buttons” on the front, only formal studs or a fly front to hide your buttons. It is important to invest in the quality of your black-tie garments as well as the fit. You want to keep your look modern, simple, and clean. Nothing is worse than looking like you just threw on your grandfather’s old dated tuxedo from the attic. Your elegance lies in the way you accessorise yourself.

If you want to style a navy suit with accessories, the best thing to do is to use a white shirt and black shoes. In the outer jacket pocket, you can add a handkerchief. Eveningwear scholars have traced the origins of black tie attire to when donning tails for dinner was de rigueur.

Black Tie Optional Dress Code, Explained

It is more common for dinner suits shirts to be equipped with studs rather than buttons. To complete the look, team up your white dinner shirt and a white pocket square. A traditional tuxedo shirt, with features like a wing collar, pleats, or bib front, should not be worn as part of the Black-Tie Optional dress code unless worn with a full tuxedo.

Finally, regardless of your choice – a classic style black-tie outfit or a more modern and relaxed one – just remember to have fun. Wearing a black dickie bow, shawl lapel jacket in midnight blue, and a midnight blue satin detailing, Sean Connery looked out of this world. In the past, cummerbunds were worn with double-breasted tail coats but nowadays are worn with single-breasted dinner jackets .

Rarer Dress Codes

Some like to show off their waistcoats, but as with any tailored jacket, you should fasten it up unless seated – and just the top button if there are two . Get inspiration for your daily outfits with the latest fashion lookbooks. Although rentals usually come with quick shipping, it’s tough to solve problems right away if something arrives damaged. Unless you can do a try on ahead of time, selecting fabrics and styles from afar can prove challenging. It seems that you can do just about anything with the internet at your fingertips, and renting a tux is one of them.

A dinner jacket is different from a business suit jacket in that it has satin lapels. Dress tails will be required if you have a dress code that requires a white tie. For the fabric, it is best to choose a wool-based or wool blend suit. This suit is more comfortable and does not wrinkle easily.

The Difference Between Black Tie & Coat & Tie Events

You can either have a plain non-textured formal white shirt or opt for a dressy white-on-white with fancy textures. A bow tie tells about the occasion you are going into and your confidence level. When the host demands black tie outfits for men as a dress code, you got to abide by the rule. Regardless of the suit colour, you are wearing; keep the bow ties colour black only.

Waistcoats enhance the look and provide a sense of formal outfit. You have to pick up the waistcoat that matches the flow of your attire. It is best to suit the colour of the jacket and trousers. On the other hand, you can wear suits at almost any time of day. Never show a glimpse of your legs on black-tie events.Go for something other than the standard evening socks, and just make sure your shoe still fits. Black-tie is a classy event so stick with a pair of clean and classic black socks.

Many newbie make a common mistake i.e. overdoing the look with a belt. You ought to have well-fitted shirts and trousers to make you look modish. Opt for satin scarves for a vintage look that’s not too prominent. A couple of flowers worn on the left lapel of a tuxedo or suit. Designer sneakers have also been making regular cameos at black-tie events recently, especially on the red carpet. It’s not an easy look to don, but it marks you out as a sartorially daring guest if you do it well.

This mode of dress is suitable for just about any occasion—business casual and below—so it is typically recommended for informal social events. Find the best party dresses and clothing for a range of occasions by shopping through a Jovani retailer online or at your nearest stores. Get quick shipping and delivery on any purchase including bridesmaid and wedding dresses. Make an order through our website if your favorite isn't in stock. Get any silhouette or neckline to highlight your beauty, including strapless sweetheart and off the shoulder.

Black Tie Dress Code: Our Comprehensive Guide

Table of Content

• Black Tie Trousers
• Terminology: the terms to know when shopping for black tie tuxedos or suits
• ? 13 – Midnight Blue Dinner Jacket
• What Is a Black Tie Event?
• Suit (Or Tux) Up

Semi-formal evening wear exudes timeless elegance, and no brand does it better than David Donahue. If you’re inclined to want to bet on a sure thing, visit us at to peruse our inventory of David Donahue luxury men’s evening wear and accessories. You will want to wear a pair of men’s dress shoes that are a step up from your everyday dress shoes. Wear black and patent leather shoes as these are classic and pairs well with the suit.

You can also glean additional information from the location of the event. Receptions held in the ballrooms of luxury hotels, historic halls, or country clubs will likely draw more from the tuxedo and evening gown set. Conversely, receptions held in converted barns, dance halls, or social venues might be more appropriate for guests in a dark suit or cocktail dress. A simple square or puff fold will be in keeping with the formality of the evening. It's important to treat black tie events with a certain amount of formality, consideration, and respect.

Black Tie Trousers

But when you do get one of those invitations, you want to do it right. You want the tux to fit you well, for it to be a modern, fashionable style, and maybe—possibly—you want to stand out and snag a few compliments. That has typically been a… difficult combo to find in a tux rental, and renting is really the best option for so many of us. A wood sole on patent leather is a high-low move, so it’s interesting. The wood grain adds just a Whisper of Ruggedness™ to your otherwise perfect outfit.

You could get away with an ordinary white shirt in a wardrobe crisis, but you’ll look distinctly less studly. A dinner suit jacket will feature contrast lapels, while the trousers have ribbon down the leg – both will usually be made from a lustrous material such as satin, grosgrain or faille. The smoking jacket favourite is breaking out of the drawing room. As well as being “advantageous for less formal events, and more fun,” as with cocktail attire, Cundey also points to the spectrum of styles that can work in a more formal rig. Your black tie-appropriate timepiece isn’t the only hardware that will require synchronisation.

Terminology: the terms to know when shopping for black tie tuxedos or suits

A gold watch with a black strap looks effortlessly chic. If you do not get a gold watch, the metal coloured watch can work too. Keep the strap tight and fitted well on your wrist.

Black tie dress pants don’t come with a belt loop and for good reason, you can’t wear a belt. If your pants are a tad loose, keep them held up with suspenders. A cummerbund is essential for a proper black tie affair.

? 13 – Midnight Blue Dinner Jacket

You'll also want to skip going out-of-the-box with suede or velvet shoes, which can quickly get dirty before you even arrive at the venue. The exception, however, is if you opt to wear a suede or velvet dinner jacket. Then you should match your shoe material with your dinner jacket.

Scottish Highland Dress has semi-formal, Black Tie, and White Tie equivalents, and what we describe below is only one of the many variations of the aforementioned variations. Traditionally worn to dinners at the homes of elite members of society, the smoking jacket is where the black tie ensemble values comfort just as much as nattiness. While most black tie occasions call for a tuxedo, there are some interesting variations on the dress code that are worth mentioning. A black, dark blue, or charcoal suit is a good place to start. Just be sure to match your jacket to your trousers. Nevertheless, there are brands out there offering affordable dinner jacket options.

The classic black-tie event is an occasion that is special and allows you to raise the suit bar in Perth.

Unless you’re never, ever going to wear it again, then hiring a DJ is a false economy. And if it’s a special occasion, you want to look – and feel – right. Once tailored, a dinner suit will fit like a glove , look more expensive than whatever it cost, and pay for itself after a couple of wears.

These subtle rules of the game seem negligible, but they stand out like a sore thumb at your black tie event if ignored. While “Black Tie” was originally used to describe the color of a gentleman’s tie, it also applies to the ladies. Men’s fashion is all about the nuances and the details, which should be paid close attention to when dressing for a black tie event.