The black tie dress code follows a specific set of rules.
Silk satin or grosgrain lapels, a satin or grosgrain stripe down the pant leg, and covered buttons are a few vital components of a black tie ensemble.
A shirt with cufflinks, a pleated or bib front, and a proper collar are also important aspects of the black tie code.
A black tie and a black suit won’t cut it here, champ. There’s more to black tie than you might have thought. With rich heritage and a practically unaltered silhouette, black tie is the quintessential attire for life’s more formal occasions.
Black tie doesn’t mean throwing on a black tie and calling it a day. It doesn’t mean a black suit, either, for that matter.
Black tie has a specific set of guidelines to which you must adhere. Your suit or tuxedo may fit perfectly. You might look like a million bucks. But failing to embrace these guidelines just simply means your outfit will not meet the black tie requirements.
So, if you’ve been wondering what black tie is all about and want to ensure you’re dressed appropriately for those formal occasions that require it, you’ve come to the right place.
Go on. Read ahead, and I’ll tell you everything you need to know.
A Bit of History
As we are focused on black tie for this article, know that it’s derived from the most formal, full-dress (or “white tie”) ensemble. Black tie was an option suited for more semi-formal events, with the black tie dinner jacket directly descending from the traditional tailcoat.
Of course, society has altered greatly. And events once considered semi-formal now fall into the formal category of today. As such, black tie is appropriate for modern formal occasions. Full-dress is much less common and you are unlikely to find yourself attending an event where it’s required.
Why?
“Why not?” I say. Black tie never fails to hold its place in the category of permanent fashion. You’re pretty much programmed to look your best in a well-tailored tuxedo. They’re timeless, elegant, and hard to beat.
Because of its sure-footed roots in menswear history, we still hold events sanctioned for black tie dress. This is another reason to consider building your own black tie ensemble. When you get invited to a proper black tie event, it’s simply bad manners not to adhere to the dress code.
How?
Though black tie is nearly unbeatable in its elegance—fit, proportions, and fabrics must be spot-on, or the entirety of the outfit falls to pieces. Traditional rules of black tie proceed as follows.
The Jacket
With black tie, the jacket is referred to as a dinner jacket. The dinner jacket can be single or double-breasted, with the former requiring one waist button to fasten, rather than the two or three you’ll find on less formal, single-breasted suits.
The fabric should be heavier than your typical suit as we are going for structure and drape with the tuxedo. A worsted wool between 300 and 400 grams (10-14 oz) is a great option. The base cloth should give off a matte finish so as not to compete with the shine of the silk-faced lapels (more on that in a moment).
Different weaves allow the fabric to play with light differently. A barathea weave is common amongst black tie fabrics as it adds surface interest without allowing the fabric to outshine the lapels.
As for color, only black and midnight blue are acceptable in a black tie tuxedo. Midnight blue came about as an option in the 1930s due to the fact that it looks blacker than black under candlelight and artificial lighting.
Black can come off as a dull grey and sometimes even a rusty brown color under artificial light. Don’t mistake midnight blue for navy. Midnight blue looks black and can really only be distinguished when compared to a true black fabric.
The jacket must feature either peak or shawl lapels faced in silk satin or grosgrain to distinguish themselves from the fabric of the jacket itself. Make sure the lapels of your jacket do not skimp on width. I’d recommend a minimum of 3.5 inches (at the widest point) with some variance being allowed for those of much smaller stature.
A notch lapel is not an acceptable option when black tie is in play. The notch lapel is meant for casual and business suits and should not be considered for a tuxedo.
Flap pockets are another embellishment of which you should steer clear. Again, lending themselves to the business suit, they simply aren’t suited for the formal nature of the dinner jacket. Instead, the pocket should be besomed and can be plain, or trimmed in the same material as the lapel.
The sleeve should feature closely set buttons that are covered in the same material as the lapels. Four sleeve buttons is the most timeless and commonplace option. However, the actual number of sleeve buttons is ultimately up to you.
Two or three buttons can look more proportional on shorter men, while five buttons can look more proportional on taller men.
Plain horn buttons in black are also acceptable, as there was a time during the war when silk-covered buttons were a rare commodity.
The last point to note on the subject of dinner jackets is the back vent. A single vent is too casual, leaving you with the option of either no vent or a double vent. I prefer the double vent option myself, but it must be cut just right.
The Trousers
Equally important as the dinner jacket is the trouser that accompanies it. As the tuxedo is a form of suit, the trouser must be cut from the same cloth as the jacket. The exception being warm-weather evening wear, which I cover below.
The black tie trouser will be trimmed with a moderately thick band that runs down the outside of the leg. This band should be made from the same material as the lapels.
The bottom of the pants should always be left uncuffed.
Lastly, when wearing a single-breasted dinner jacket, one must don a cummerbund or dress waistcoat over the trouser to keep the waist covered, which I will also discuss in more detail to follow.
The Shirt
There are two styles of dress shirt that are appropriate for black tie today, though some will say differently. The first, being borrowed from white tie attire, is an evening shirt with a detachable, starched wing collar. Today, an attached wing collar is also acceptable.
The shirt will feature a bib-style front that can be built-in or detachable. Studs are used to fasten the shirt front. It will also feature single starched cuffs to be fastened with cufflinks.
The second style is an unstarched, turndown collar with a pleated or Marcella bib front and French cuffs. The French cuff also fastens using cufflinks but is doubled over, adding thickness to the cuff, although it is unstarched.
Studs are also used to fasten the shirt front of this second style and should be kept to a number of two or three visible, depending on the height of the wearer.
Traditional rules disallow the wing collar with black tie and reserve it strictly for white tie, a rule with which I tend to agree. Thus, for those adhering to traditional rules, the turn down collar shirt is the only acceptable style for black tie.
The Waistcoat and Cummerbund
The dress vest/waistcoat and cummerbund are designed to cover the exposed waistband of the dress trousers as well as clean up the front portion of the shirt where it tucks in.
The cummerbund itself features large pleats in place of pockets, meant to hold theater tickets, requiring its wearer to don the accessory with folds upward-pointing.
Traditionally, it’s suggested that the waistcoat pairs best with the single-breasted, peak lapel dinner jacket (shown below). Whereas a jacket with shawl lapels can be worn with either a waistcoat or cummerbund.
However, I love the cummerbund with a peak lapel (my preferred lapel style) dinner jacket and would likely wear that rather than a waistcoat, myself.
The waistcoat and cummerbund are unique in the black tie ensemble as they are the only part of the whole that can be accepted in differing colors and patterns.
There are still rules, however, so as not to allow one to wander into the territory of the non-sophisticate. Keep the colors rich to match the elegance of the black tie code. Plum, scarlet, or deep bottle-green would be examples of rich colors accepted here.
If you desire a pattern, keep it extraordinarily simple in a design consisting of no more than two colors. Ensure that one of those two colors is either black or white and you’re good to go.
The Tie
A bow tie is the only acceptable neckwear for black tie and should be of the same silk as the jacket’s lapels. It should neither be too narrow nor too wide, the width not exceeding the width of the wings on the dress shirt collar.
If you are serious about black tie attire, you must own a self-tie bow tie. Tying the bow tie by hand allows for geometrical imperfection, adding a human and individual element to the black tie ensemble.
The Pocket Square
A plain, white pocket square in either linen or silk is the only style to be worn with black tie and must not be omitted.
I recommend the presidential/tv fold for black tie, as it is the most formal. However, other folds such as the one, two, or three-point, or a conservative puff fold are also acceptable.
The Footwear
The formal dress shoe is distinct and should not be substituted by footwear of inferior formality.
More like a slipper than a shoe, the classic opera pump is the premier way to finish off the black tie ensemble. The pump is made of patent leather and will always feature a silk bow.
In the 1930s, the patent leather Oxford was introduced as an acceptable alternative to the slipper-like pumps. Today, a black wholecut Oxford in calf leather is also accepted. Tradition requires silk laces, although they are rarely seen today.
The only other acceptable formal shoe is the Prince Albert slipper. Made of a dark velvet color, you’ll often find these embroidered with the wearer’s family or club crest or their own initials.
Compliment the shoes with a black silk or ribbed cotton over-the-calf sock, and never go without.
Warm-Weather Dinner Jacket
As I mentioned in my article Sports Jacket vs Blazer vs Suit: What’s The Difference?, a suit is a pairing of a jacket and pants both cut from the same exact cloth. The tuxedo is a type of suit.
But this leads us into the discussion of warm-weather formal wear. As a suit, black or midnight blue are the only acceptable options for black tie.
However, warm-weather formality allows for the introduction of white, cream, and even tan-colored dinner jackets, commonly referred to as “odd-jackets” due to the fact that they’re no longer a match for the trouser’s fabric.
Also available in shawl or peak and single or double-breasted variants, the odd-jacket is a wonderful way to express noteworthy panache.
When?
Black tie should be worn at any event where it is required or requested. Failure of notification on the host’s part is as bad a show of manners as attending a black tie event with no regard for the proper attire.
Events where black tie is common can include galas, weddings, balls, ballets, and operas, as examples.
Conclusion
Black tie events are not as common as they once were. Even events that should be (such as weddings) often omit the code and settle for much less formal attire. This is understandable as most men are bereft of the appropriate wardrobe and would likely consider the cost-to-use ratio unreasonable.
However, I believe every man should acquire their own black tie ensemble that can be worn with confidence when occasion presents itself. When done right, this need only be done once—provided that the wearer does not fluctuate a great deal in stature.
I strongly advise against renting black tie. The common practice of renting a tuxedo often results in the unfortunate affair of the wearer looking ill-informed and improperly fitted.
I often state at the end of my articles that style is individual and in the end you should wear whatever you love. That is true, but it does not apply as well in this instance. Black tie is a dress code, not a style choice. There’s a reason it has remained mostly unaltered and unequivocally timeless since its inception.
Stick to the rules, and you’ll be sure to impress at your next formal gathering.
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FAQs
What is “black tie optional”?
Black tie optional means you can wear a tuxedo, but are not required to do so. Instead, you’ll find most men wearing dark-colored suits (navy or charcoal) with a white shirt and tie.
What accessories for black tie?
The black tie attire will require simple studs and cufflinks for fastening a shirt as well as a bow tie for your neckwear. A white linen pocket square is also a must. Those are not optional.
Any other accessories (think signet ring, earrings, or bracelets) you decide to wear with your formal dress must be subtle and carefully considered.
If wearing a watch, the ideal choice for black tie would be a minimal dress watch with a black leather band, such as the Cartier Tank. Gold casing and hardware is the traditional and suggested choice, though I personally opt for silver as gold does not suit my complexion.
Is there a black tie etiquette?
More or less. Be yourself, but remember, it is a formal event. Some formal behavior will be expected. Be kind and respectful of others. Refrain from shouting. Don’t attempt to make yourself the center of attention. Basic rules of general etiquette, basically.
Overall, don’t take things too seriously. You can come off stiff and a bit obnoxious. Formal events are meant to be a fun celebration. So relax and have some fun.
