- Traditional suit jacket (with our without lapels). Black is obviously the color of choice for black tie event jackets, although you shouldn't rule out the use of other colors.
- Trousers (note: the trousers should match your jacket).
- Cummerbund or waistcoat
- White dress shirt
- Black silk bow tie
- Shirt studs and cufflinks
- Black dress socks
- Black dress shoes (e.g. loafers or leather Oxfords).
Black Tie Fashion Etiquette
So, you've been formally invited to a black tie event, and now you're faced with trying to find the right clothes to wear. It should come as little-to-no surprise that "black tie events" are somewhat dressy, meaning you can't -- or at least shouldn't -- wear your casual clothes like a shirt and pair of jeans. If you want to fit in and look your best, you'll need to follow the appropriate dress code, which we're going to discuss further in this blog post. While no one knows who exactly is responsible for creating the black tie fashion code, it's believed to have originated from evening parties and social gatherings involving British and American costumes during the 1800s. Back then, people would host parties in which the dress code wasn't quite formal but not quite casual either. This led to the term "black tie" being used, which has stuck ever since. While the parties and events have changes since then, the general concept behind black tie etiquette remains the same: it's a semi-formal style that offers a greater level of customization than strict formal-only events. Of course, this is one of the reasons why black tie events are so popular, because guests aren't required to wear their Sunday Best. What's the dress code required for black tie events? See below
