After the initial excitement of being invited to a black tie event wears off, questions of what to wear begins to arise. What exactly is black tie? Do I have to wear a tux? Do I need a special shirt? What are the proper tuxedo shoes? What the heck is a cumme*rbund anyway? Thankfully, the rules for black tie are very easy to follow.
The Jacket
Usually reserved for momentous occasions, a tux is similar to your everyday men’s suit but with a few important differences. A tuxedo jacket has satin or grosgrain lapel stripes that contrast with the base fabric. The buttons should match the lapel strip in grosgrain or satin. Tuxedo jackets traditionally have three types of lapels: notch, peak, and shawl. The tuxedo jacket you choose is a matter of personal preference, although for black tie, the shawl lapel is considered the most formal of the three.
The Pants
The first thing you’ll notice about any tuxedo trousers is that they don’t have belt loops. That’s because… you guessed it; they’re never worn with a belt. Tux pants should also have a stripe down the exterior seam that matches the jacket’s lapel, grosgrain with grosgrain, satin with satin.
The Shirt
For tuxedo shirts, white is the standard and safest bet. The shirt should have a turn-down collar (not a wing-collar) and French cuffs for cufflinks. Some tuxedo shirts have hidden buttons, while others are worn with formal studs, some have a flat front and others are pleated. Again, the style of the tux shirt is a matter of personal preference.
The Tie
For a black tie event, wear a bow tie. Matching it to the jacket is the safest bet. You can make it easy on yourself and wear a pre-tied bow tie but really you should make the effort to tie your own. There are plenty of videos online explaining how to do it, and if you’re renting a tux, the sales associates where you rented it from can surely give you a tutorial.
cumme*rbunds & Waistcoats
Though they’ve come in and out of favor over the years, true black tie requires either a cumme*rbund or a vest. The reason is that the bottom of your shirt should not be visible beneath your jacket. A cumme*rbund also has the advantage of creating a smooth line at your belly, making you look thinner and it keeps your shirt tucked in. It should be worn with the pleats facing upwards with half of it over the pants and the other half over the shirt. For black tie, black is the traditional color, although today sometimes a color is chosen to match the color worn by the counterpart.
The Accessories
If you are not sure, keep simple. You can never go wrong with a plain white pocket square. The same basic principle applies to cufflinks: use a simple design and color that matches the tux. Silver, gold, mother-of-pearl, or onyx are always solid choices.
The Shoe
Black tie occasions call for men’s formal shoes and that means patent leather shoes are the best option. When looking for tuxedo shoes, the simpler the better. Proper tuxedo shoes can be an oxford or slip on but true formal shoes should aim to have little to no brogueing. These are some of our favorite tuxedo shoes.
