White tie and black tie are both formal evening dress codes. White tie is more formal with less room for interpretation, requiring a waistcoat, white bowtie, a pique wing collar, and pumps. Black tie requires a tuxedo, a black tie, and dress shoes. The daytime equivalent of white tie is morning dress. For black tie, it’s the stroller suit.
When I was ten, I attended the most formal, regimented wedding of my life in the English countryside.
My mother packed very specific outfits for each portion of the event. There was a tea, a grouse hunt, a black-tie ceremony, and a white-tie dinner.
I learned that the difference between black tie and white tie isn’t simply one’s neck ornamentation.
Even today, it’s paramount to know the differences. Unlike everyday office environments, formal dress codes remain traditionally inflexible. Plus, any hosts that would deign to throw a black or white tie will likely want their invitation respected.
Here’s everything you need to know.
Black Tie vs White Tie on the Formality Spectrum
Both white tie and black tie dress codes require tuxedos of some form, though white tie is more formal. That’s why there’s such a thing as black tie optional, but not white tie optional.
Both are technically evening dress codes, each with their own day-time equivalent.
These days, black tie events are more common than white tie events. Make no mistake about it though. If you get invited to a white tie event, you have to check all of the required boxes.
A Detailed Breakdown of a White Tie Formal Tuxedo
Pay close attention. There’s little room for interpretation when it comes to white tie tuxedos.
One of the biggest differences between white tie and black tie, other than the tie itself, is the double-breasted tailcoat. It adds an old world formality that further differentiates its silhouette from a formal professional suit.
Of course, you’ll need a white bowtie, as well.
The perfect dress shirt is a white one one with a pique wing collar, meaning the collar is stiff, high, with points that are pressed and stick out.
I’ve seen turn-down collar styles in white tie situations out in the wild. However, doing this is technically breaking the rules so tread carefully. Make sure the buttons are also white—most white tie tuxedo shirts feature mother of pearl studs.
Your shirt should also have single cuffs with cufflinks, which must be understated and white in color. At the very least, they should be mostly white. Think pearl cufflinks with subtle white gold accents for example.
You’ll then layer your shirt with a white waistcoat, and finish the look off with black leather pumps.
Another commonly broken rule is pairing them with patent leather oxfords, but again, tread carefully. If you’re close with the hosts of the event and know for a fact they wouldn’t mind, then you might consider them. Just stick to highly minimal ones, like shiny black wholecuts.
Or, just be proper. The ideal shoe is an opera pump.
You’re also welcome to accessorize with white gloves, a white pocket square (the only time your pocket square will ever match your tie), a tasteful, white lapel boutonniere, and even a top hat if that’s your thing.
Daytime Equivalent of White Tie: Morning Dress
If a white tie formal event takes place before 6pm, then the proper attire is morning dress.
Morning dress includes a morning coat, which isn’t as close-to-body as its white-tie equivalent. From there, you’ll wear a waistcoat and dress pants, which are usually gray. The trousers are often striped, as well.
Ideally, your tie, which doesn’t have to be a bowtie, is white or off-white. However, less formal events allow for other understated, muted colors.
Morning dress can be either more formal or equally as formal as black tie, but isn’t more or less formal as a rule.
Black tie is an evening dress code, and evening dress codes are naturally dressier–it’s why semi-formals are more casual than cocktail. Most people have cocktails in the evening.
However, morning dress is the day-time equivalent to white tie, which is definitely more formal than black tie. So there may be morning dress occasions that are expressly more formal-seeming than certain evening black tie occasions.
Black Tie and Black Tie Optional
Black tie attire is still highly formal. However, especially these days, there’s a lot more wiggle room here.
For example, a lot of black tie events allow for a crisp black business suit.
The most traditional black tie attire includes a tuxedo, a black bow-tie, black dress shoes, and a tuxedo shirt with a cumberbund.
You can go for a wingtip collar shirt, as you would with white tie attire, or a turndown collar with a pleated front.
Here are some common places on your outfit that you can be flexible with most of the time.
First, if you’re wearing a turndown collar, you can often get away with wearing a black silk tie.
Second, you can usually wear midnight blue instead of black. My black tie tuxedo is midnight blue with black velvet shawl lapels.
Third, if you do go for a blue tuxedo, you can pair it with dark, cool brown dress shoes. I wear wholecut oxfords in a brown so dark it almost looks black.
And if the invite says black tie optional, then all of the above is definitely allowed.
Additionally, you can wear a dark suit instead of a tuxedo, and you can even add splashes of color here and there. Don’t go for a red suit jacket or anything like that, but you can pick on-theme accessories.
Think a pastel pocket square for a spring gala or even a cumberbund in a red and green tartan for a Christmas party.
Daytime Equivalent to Black Tie: The Stroller
The daytime answer to a black tie tuxedo is the stroller. If you’re in the UK, you might call it a lounge suit, and if you’re in continental Europe, a Stresemann suit.
These are rare because most day-time formals allow for a full business suit.
A stroller includes a single or double-breasted lounge jacket, dress trousers that often feature stripes, a waistcoat, and usually a Homburg hat.
Winston Churchill was often seen in a full stroller.
Conclusion
The most common formal dress code is black tie. After that, I’d say it’s either white tie or morning dress.
Daytime equivalents to black and white tie dress are becoming rarer by the minute. However, old social clubs and even old universities often hold on to age-old ceremonies that often require old-world dress codes.
Moreover, most weddings I’ve been to in England usually requested morning dress.
You just never know if you’ll find yourself invited to one of these.
FAQs
Can I wear a white tie to a black tie event?
Typically no, though you can wear a white tie to a black tie optional event.
What should you not wear to black tie?
Even in the most informal interpretation of the black tie dress code, you want to avoid wearing a broken suit or loud colors.
