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{{Short description|Semi-formal Western dress code}}
{{Redirect-several|Black tie|Tuxedo|Tux}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2025}}
[[File:Man wearing black tie.jpg|thumb|upright|A man wearing a dinner [[Suit (clothing)|suit]] with [[lapel|shawl lapel]]s, a [[cummerbund]], a black [[bow tie]], and [[Oxford shoe]]s]]
{{Western dress codes|semi}}

'''Black tie''' is a [[Semi-formal wear|semi-formal]] [[Western dress code]] for evening events, originating in British and North American conventions for [[clothing|attire]] in the 19th century. In [[British English]], the dress code is often referred to [[synecdochically]] by its principal element for men, the '''dinner suit''' or '''dinner jacket'''. In [[American English]], the equivalent term '''tuxedo''' (or '''tux''') is common. The dinner suit is a black, [[midnight blue]] or white two- or three-piece [[Suit (clothing)|suit]], distinguished by [[satin]] or [[grosgrain]] jacket [[lapel]]s and similar stripes along the [[Seam (sewing)|outseam]] of the [[trousers]]. It is worn with a white [[dress shirt]] with standing or turndown [[Collar (clothing)|collar]] and link [[cuff]]s, a black [[bow tie]], sometimes an evening [[waistcoat]] or a [[cummerbund]], and black [[patent leather]] [[dress shoes]] or [[court pumps]].<ref>{{cite dictionary |date=1993 |entry= |dictionary=Random House Unabridged Dictionary |edition=Second |editor1-first=Stuart Berg |editor1-last=Flexner |editor2-first=Lenore Crary |editor2-last=Hauck |publisher=Random House |publication-place=New York |isbn=9780679429173 }}{{Title missing|date=November 2025}}<!--The template is "title missing", but in this case we really need to know the dictionary entry that supports these claims.--></ref> Accessories may include a semi-formal [[Homburg (hat)|homburg]], [[Bowler hat|bowler]], or [[boater hat]]. In Britain, some individuals may rebel from the formal dress code by wearing coloured socks or a bow tie that is not black, such as red. For women, an [[evening gown]] or other fashionable evening attire may be worn.

The first dinner jacket is traditionally traced to 1865 on the then Prince of Wales, later King [[Edward&nbsp;VII]] (1841–1910). The late 19th century saw gradual introduction of the [[lounge jacket]] without [[Tailcoat|tails]] as a less formal and more comfortable leisure alternative to the  [[frock coat]]. Thus in many non-English languages, a dinner jacket is still known as the [[false friend]] "smoking". In [[American English]], its synonym "tuxedo" was derived from the village of [[Tuxedo Park, New York|Tuxedo Park]] in [[New York State]], where it was introduced in 1886 following the example of Europeans. Following the [[counterculture of the 1960s]], black tie has increasingly replaced [[white tie]] for more formal settings in the United States, along with cultures influenced by [[American culture]].

Traditionally worn only for events after 6&nbsp;p.m., black tie is less formal than white tie, but more formal than [[Informal attire|informal or business dress]].<ref name="DebrettWeb">{{Cite web |url=https://www.debretts.com/expertise/etiquette/dress-codes/black-tie/ |title=Black Tie |website=Debretts.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171129011520/https://www.debretts.com/expertise/etiquette/dress-codes/black-tie/ |archive-date=29 November 2017 }}</ref> As semi-formal, black tie is worn for dinner parties (public, [[Fraternity|fraternities]], private) and sometimes even to [[Ball (dance party)|balls]] and [[wedding]]s, although etiquette experts discourage wearing of black tie for weddings. Traditional semi-formal day wear equivalent is [[black lounge suit]]. Supplementary semi-formal alternatives may be accepted for black tie: [[mess dress uniform]], [[religious clothing]] (such as [[cassock]]), [[folk costume]]s (such as [[highland dress]]), etc.

== Name ==
''Dinner jacket'' in the context of menswear first appeared in the United Kingdom around 1887<ref>" Dinner-jackets have for some years been worn in country houses when the family are en famille" ''Huddersfield Chronicle'', 20 September 1887 quoting ''Vanity Fair''</ref> and in the United States around 1889.<ref>"Fastidious Englishmen don't seem to be able to get along without a dinner-jacket" ''The Inter Ocean'', 8 October 1889</ref> In the 1960s it became associated in the United States with white or coloured jackets specifically.{{Original research inline|date=November 2025}} In modern British English, ''dinner jacket'' may be abbreviated to simply ''DJ''.<ref>{{Cite dictionary |url=https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/dj?q=DJ |entry=DJ |dictionary=Cambridge Dictionary }}</ref>

''Tuxedo'' in the context of menswear originated in the United States around 1888.<ref>"The Tuxedo coat has become popular with a great many men who regard its demi train as a happy medium between a swallow-tail and a cutaway." ''Chicago Daily Tribune'', 19 August 1888</ref>  It was named after [[Tuxedo Park, New York|Tuxedo Park]], a [[Hudson Valley]] enclave for [[New York (state)|New York]]'s social elite where it was often seen in its early years. The term was capitalized until the 1930s and traditionally referred only to a white jacket.<ref name="BlackTieGuide 04">{{cite web |url=http://www.blacktieguide.com/History/04-Victorian_Late_Etiquette_%26_DJ.htm |title=History: Late Victorian Era |website=Black Tie Guide |archive-date=10 November 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181110210837/http://www.blacktieguide.com/History/04-Victorian_Late_Etiquette_%26_DJ.htm }}</ref>  When the jacket was later paired with its own unique [[trousers]] and accessories in the 1900s the term began to be associated with the entire suit. Sometimes it is shortened to ''"tux"''.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://blog.blacktieguide.com/2013/11/27/tux-britannia/ |title=Tux Britannia |date=27 November 2013 |website=Black Tie Blog |archive-date=28 November 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131128180636/http://blog.blacktieguide.com/2013/11/27/tux-britannia/ }}</ref>

In a number of European and other languages the style is referred to by the [[pseudo-anglicism]] ''smoking''. This [[Genericized trademark|generic colloquialism]] comes from its similarity to the 19th century [[smoking jacket]]. In French the dress code may also be called "cravate noire",<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=HmZYDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT197 | title=27000 English-French Words Dictionary with Definitions: 27000 Dictionnaire des Mots Anglais-Français Avec Définitions| last1=Nguyen| first1=Nam H.| date=26 April 2018}}</ref> a term that is sometimes adopted directly into English.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.fashionbeans.com/2016/complete-guide-mens-dress-codes/ |title=The Complete Guide to Men's Dress Codes |last=Millar |first=Jamie |date=1 February 2016 |website=FashionBeans.com |access-date=10 June 2016}}</ref>

The suit with accompanying accessories is sometimes nicknamed a ''monkey suit'' and, since 1918, ''soup and fish'' – a term derived from the sort of food thought to be served at black tie dinners.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Korach |first1=Myron |last2=Mordock |first2=John |date=17 July 2008 |title=Common Phrases: And Where They Come From |publisher=Globe Pequot |isbn=978-1-59921-683-6 |pages=167, 182 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=sm0TCk5fSpYC&pg=PA167 }}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Ayto |first1=John |last2=Simpson |first2=John |title=The Oxford dictionary of modern slang |date=2010|publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=978-0-19-923205-5 |page=296 |edition=2nd |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KT-cAQAAQBAJ&pg=PA296 }}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last=Hollander |first=Anne |date=1993 |title=Seeing through Clothes |publisher=University of California Press |location=Berkeley |isbn=978-0-520-08231-1 |page=384<!--California paperback printing--> |edition=1 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CSItqzbG9nIC&pg=PA384 }}</ref>

== History ==

=== British origins in the 19th century ===
[[File:Dinner Jackets, 1898..jpg|thumb|left|upright|Illustration of British peaked lapel and [[shawl collar]] dinner jackets, 1898. As substitutes for [[tailcoat]]s, dinner jackets were originally worn with [[white tie|full dress]] accessories, including white [[waist coat]].]]

In the 1860s, the increasing popularity of outdoor activities among the middle and upper classes of the UK led to a corresponding increase in the popularity of the then [[casual wear|casual]] [[lounge suit]] as a country alternative to the more [[formal wear|formal]] day wear [[frock coat]] that was traditionally worn in town. Men also sought a similar alternative to the formal evening [[tailcoat]], then known as a "dress coat", worn every evening.<ref name="BlackTieGuide 04" />

The earliest record of a tailless coat being worn with evening wear is an 1865 [[midnight blue]] [[smoking jacket]] in [[silk]] with matching trousers ordered by the [[Prince of Wales]], later [[Edward VII]] of the United Kingdom, from [[Savile Row]] tailors [[Henry Poole & Co.]]<ref name="Henry Poole">{{cite web |url=https://henrypoole.com/hp/history-of-henry-poole-tailor-of-savile-row/the-tuxedo |title=The Tuxedo |website=HenryPoole.com |publisher=Henry Poole & Co. |access-date=6 March 2019 }}</ref>  The smoking jacket was tailored for use at [[Sandringham House|Sandringham]], the [[British royal family]]'s informal [[country estate]].<ref name="BlackTieGuide 04" /> Henry Poole never saw his design become known as a dinner jacket or cross the Atlantic and be called a tuxedo over there; he died in 1876 leaving behind a well-respected business to be run by his cousin Samuel Cundey.

Other accounts of the Prince's experimentation appear around 1885, referring variously to "a garment of many colours, such as was worn by our ancestors" and "short garments coming down to the waist and made on the model of the military men's jackets". The suit jacket with tailcoat finishes, as is most commonly known, was first described around the same time and often associated with [[Cowes]], a seaside resort in southern [[England]] and centre of British [[yachting]] that was closely associated with the Prince. It was originally intended for warm weather use but soon spread to informal or stag winter occasions. As it was simply an evening tailcoat substitute, it was worn with all the same accoutrements as the tailcoat, including the trousers.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://blog.blacktieguide.com/2013/11/08/tuxedo-origins-english-beginnings/ |title=Tuxedo Origins: English Beginnings |date=14 November 2018 |website=Black Tie Blog |access-date=10 January 2019 |archive-date=8 November 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131108053935/http://blog.blacktieguide.com/2013/11/08/tuxedo-origins-english-beginnings/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> As such, in these early days, black tie, in contrast to formal [[white tie]], was considered [[informal wear]].<ref name="Safire 1985 p436">{{cite magazine |last=Safire |first=William |date=5 May 1985 |title=On Language; Come as You Are |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1985/05/05/magazine/on-language-come-as-you-are.html |magazine=The New York Times Magazine |access-date=1 March 2017 |page=436 }}</ref>

In the following decades of the [[Victorian era]], the style became known as a dinner jacket: a fashionable, formal alternative for the [[tailcoat]] which men of the [[upper class]]es wore every evening. Thus it was worn with the standard accompaniments for the evening tailcoat at the time: matching trousers, white or black waistcoat, white [[bow tie]], white detachable wing-collar formal shirt, and black formal shoes. [[Lapel]]s were often faced or edged in silk or [[satin]] in varying widths. In comparison with a full dress such as a cutaway tailcoat, etiquette guides declared dinner jacket inappropriate for wear in mixed company, meaning together with ladies.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.blacktieguide.com/History/04-Victorian_Late_Etiquette_%26_DJ.htm |title=History: Late Victorian Era |website=Black Tie Guide |access-date=2 February 2017 |archive-date=10 November 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181110210837/http://www.blacktieguide.com/History/04-Victorian_Late_Etiquette_%26_DJ.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref>

During the [[Edwardian era]], the practice of wearing a black waistcoat and black bow tie with a dinner jacket became the convention, establishing the basis of the current black tie and white tie dress codes. The dinner jacket was also increasingly accepted at less formal evening occasions such as warm-weather gatherings or intimate dinners with friends.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.blacktieguide.com/History/06-Edwardian.htm |title=History: Edwardian Era |website=Black Tie Guide |access-date=2 February 2017 |archive-date=3 May 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170503011437/http://www.blacktieguide.com/History/06-Edwardian.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref>

[[File:Coctail party - 1936.tif|thumb|Cocktail party in 1936]]

After [[World War I]], the dinner jacket became established as a [[semi-formal]] evening wear, while the evening tailcoat was limited to the most formal or ceremonial occasions. During this interwar period, [[double-breasted]] jackets, turndown-collar shirts and [[cummerbund]]s became popular for black tie evenings as white jackets were experimented with in warm weather.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.blacktieguide.com/History/07-Jazz_Age.htm |title=History: Jazz Age |website=Black Tie Guide |access-date=2 February 2017 |archive-date=25 December 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161225172524/http://www.blacktieguide.com/History/07-Jazz_Age.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.blacktieguide.com/History/08-Depression_Era.htm |title=History: Depression Era |website=Black Tie Guide |access-date=2 February 2017 |archive-date=20 April 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170420170151/http://www.blacktieguide.com/History/08-Depression_Era.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref> Since then, black tie is often referred to as being semi-formal.<ref name="Wright 2014 p202">{{cite book |last=Wright |first=Stephen E. |date=15 July 2014 |title=Air Force Officer's Guide: 36th Edition |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KpHyAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA202 |publisher=Stackpole Books |page=202 |isbn=9780811713771 }}</ref>

In the decades following the [[World War II]], black tie became special occasion attire rather than standard evening wear. In the 1950s, some experimented with coloured and patterned jackets, cummerbunds and bow ties. The 1960s and 1970s saw the colour palette move from muted to bright day-glow and pastel, as well as ruffled-placket shirts as lapels got wider and piping was revived.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.blacktieguide.com/History/09-Post_War.htm |title=History: Postwar Period |website=Black Tie Guide |access-date=2 February 2017 |archive-date=26 December 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161226194856/http://www.blacktieguide.com/History/09-Post_War.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.blacktieguide.com/History/10-Jet_Age.htm |title=History: Jet Age |website=Black Tie Guide |access-date=2 February 2017 |archive-date=21 January 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170121184630/http://www.blacktieguide.com/History/10-Jet_Age.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.blacktieguide.com/History/11-Counterculture.htm |title=History: Counterculture Era |website=Black Tie Guide |access-date=2 February 2017 |archive-date=26 December 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161226194906/http://www.blacktieguide.com/History/11-Counterculture.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref> The 1980s and 1990s saw a return to traditional styles, with black jackets and trousers again becoming nearly universal. Some insist the 21st century has seen increased variation and a relaxation of previous strict standards; midnight blue once again became popular and lapel facings were sometimes reduced to wide edging.<ref name="BlackTieGuide 14">{{cite web |date=November 2011 |url=https://www.blacktieguide.com/History/14-Millennium.htm |title=Millennial Era: Black Tie Optional |website=Black Tie Guide |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170206112041/https://www.blacktieguide.com/History/14-Millennium.htm |archive-date=6 February 2017 }}</ref>

=== Introduction to the United States ===
[[File:Tuxedo or Dinner Jacket, 1888.JPG|thumb|upright|1888 American tuxedo/dinner jacket, sometimes called a ''dress sack'']]

The earliest references to a dress coat substitute in America are from the summer and fall of 1886 and, like the British references from this time, vary between waist-length mess-jacket style and the conventional suit jacket style.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://blog.blacktieguide.com/2013/11/10/tuxedo-origins-the-tailless-dress-coat-puzzle// |title=Tuxedo Origins: The Tailless Tailcoat Puzzle |date=14 November 2018 |website=Black Tie Blog |access-date=10 January 2019 |archive-date=10 November 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131110054415/http://blog.blacktieguide.com/2013/11/10/tuxedo-origins-the-tailless-dress-coat-puzzle/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> The most famous reference originates from [[Tuxedo Park, New York|Tuxedo Park]], an upstate New York countryside enclave for Manhattan's wealthiest citizens. A son of one of the community's founders, Griswold Lorillard, and his friends were widely reported in society columns for showing up at the club's first Autumn Ball in October 1886 wearing "a tailless dress coat".<ref>reprinted in {{cite web |url=https://archive.org/details/sagaofamericanso008728mbp |title=The Saga Of American Society: A Record Of Social Aspiration 1607–1937 |date=1937 |publisher=Charles Scribner's Sons }}</ref> Although it is not known whether this garment was a mess jacket or a conventional dinner jacket, it has no doubt cemented the tailcoat substitute's association with Tuxedo Park in the mind of the public.

An essay in the Tuxedo Park archives<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tpfyi.com/events/JES-PRINCE%20&%20MRS.%20POTTER003.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130502070733/http://www.tpfyi.com/events/JES-PRINCE%20&%20MRS.%20POTTER003.pdf |archive-date=2 May 2013 |url-status=live |title=The Prince and Mrs. Potter |publisher=Tuxedo Park FYI}}</ref> attributes the jacket's importation to America to resident James Brown Potter, a merchant banker who had worked in London for [[Brown Brothers Harriman|Brown Brothers]]. However, this claim for Potter cannot be verified through independent sources.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://blog.blacktieguide.com/2013/11/14/tuxedo-origins-formal-sundries/ |title=Tuxedo Origins: Formal Sundries |date=14 November 2018 |website=Black Tie Blog |access-date=10 January 2019 |archive-date=14 November 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131114060149/http://blog.blacktieguide.com/2013/11/14/tuxedo-origins-formal-sundries/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> Period newspaper accounts indicate that at first the jacket was worn by young mavericks to gatherings considered strictly formal. This led the American establishment to reject it out of hand. It was only by 1888 that polite society accepted its role solely as summer and informal evening substitute, at which point it became very popular.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://blog.blacktieguide.com/2013/11/12/tuxedo-origins-american-backlash/ |title=Tuxedo Origins: American Backlash |date=14 November 2018 |website=Black Tie Blog |access-date=10 January 2019 |archive-date=12 November 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131112055851/http://blog.blacktieguide.com/2013/11/12/tuxedo-origins-american-backlash/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>

=== 20th century changes ===
[[File:StateLibQld 1 106448 Celebrations at the Belle Vue Hotel, Brisbane, January 1940.jpg|thumb|left|Black tie worn at a dinner party in the 1940s]]

The earliest dinner jackets were of the same black material as the dress coat with one, two, or no buttons, and a shawl collar faced in satin or ribbed silk. By the turn of the twentieth century, the peaked lapel was equally popular and the one-button model had become standard. When trousers were sold with the jacket they were of the same material. Edwardian [[dandy|dandies]] often opted for Oxford grey or a very dark blue for their evening wear.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.blacktieguide.com/History/06-Edwardian.htm |title=History: Edwardian Era |website=Black Tie Guide |access-date=1 April 2011 |archive-date=1 March 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110301005348/http://blacktieguide.com/History/06-Edwardian.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref>

By World War I, the grey option had fallen out of favour but the "midnight blue" alternative became increasingly popular and rivalled black by the mid-1930s. Notch lapels, imported from the ordinary business suit, were a brief vogue in the 1920s.<ref name="BlackTieGuide Blog">{{cite web |url=http://blog.blacktieguide.com/2014/03/06/spotlight-the-notched-lapel/ |title=Spotlight: The Notched Lapel |date=6 March 2014 |website=Black Tie Blog |access-date=10 January 2019 |archive-date=22 July 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140722114214/http://blog.blacktieguide.com/2014/03/06/spotlight-the-notched-lapel/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>  A single stripe of braid covering the outseam on each leg was an occasional variation at first but became standard by the 1930s. At this time double-breasted jackets and white jackets became popular for wear in hot weather.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.blacktieguide.com/History/08-Depression_Era.htm |title=History: Depression Era |website=Black Tie Guide |access-date=1 April 2011 |archive-date=29 April 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110429071838/http://www.blacktieguide.com/History/08-Depression_Era.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Colour, texture and pattern became increasingly popular in warm-weather jackets in the 1950s.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.blacktieguide.com/History/09-Post_War.htm |title=History: Postwar Period |website=Black Tie Guide |access-date=1 April 2011 |archive-date=29 April 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110429054322/http://www.blacktieguide.com/History/09-Post_War.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref>  In the 1960s, these variations became increasingly common regardless of season or climate. Notch lapels were once again a fad.<ref name="BlackTieGuide Blog" /> By the 1970s, mass-market retailers began offering white and coloured versions of the entire suit to its rental customers.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.blacktieguide.com/History/10-Jet_Age.htm |title=History: Jet Age |website=Black Tie Guide |access-date=1 April 2011 |archive-date=29 April 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110429054424/http://www.blacktieguide.com/History/10-Jet_Age.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.blacktieguide.com/History/11-Counterculture.htm |title=History: Counter-culture Era |website=Black Tie Guide |access-date=1 April 2011 |archive-date=1 March 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110301005027/http://blacktieguide.com/History/11-Counterculture.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref> The 1980s vogue for nostalgic and retro styles returned evening wear to its black tone.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.blacktieguide.com/History/13-Yuppie_Pt2.htm |title=History: Yuppie Years |website=Black Tie Guide |access-date=1 April 2011 |archive-date=29 April 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110429072023/http://www.blacktieguide.com/History/13-Yuppie_Pt2.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref> Notch lapels returned for good in the 1980s, and in the 1990s dinner jackets increasingly took on other traits of the business suit, such as two- and three-button styling, flap pockets, and centre vents. These trends have continued into the early 21st century, and midnight blue is now once again a popular alternative.<ref name="BlackTieGuide 14" />

== Composition ==
[[File:Museo del Bicentenario - Traje de gala de Carlos Menem.jpg|thumb|The elements of gentleman's black tie]]

The dinner suit's accompaniments have also evolved over time. The most traditional interpretations of these elements&nbsp;— [[dress shirt]], low cut waistcoat (in the "V" or "U" shape), black bow tie, [[oxford shoe|oxford]] [[dress shoe]]s&nbsp;— are incorporated in the black tie dress code.

Unlike white tie, which is very strictly regulated, black tie ensembles can display more variation. More extensively, the traditional components for men are:

* A dinner jacket, also called a tuxedo jacket in the United States, is primarily made of black or midnight blue wool. Dinner jackets in an off-white colour are also considered appropriate for some occasions, but are traditionally associated with warmer climates and differ from other dinner jackets in that they are self-faced and can be made of fabrics including linen and cotton.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.gentlemansgazette.com/tuxedo-black-tie-guide/classic/off-white-dinner-jacket/ |title=Off White Dinner Jacket Warm-Weather Black Tie | date=29 November 2018 }}</ref> [[Silk]] Jacket lapels and facings, usually [[grosgrain]] or satin, are a defining element of the jacket and can be seen on every type of lapel. The dinner jacket may have a peaked lapel, a shawl lapel, or a notched lapel, with some fashion stylists and writers seeing shawl lapels as less formal and notched lapels as the least formal,<ref name="BTG_tuxedo">{{cite web |url=https://www.blacktieguide.com/Classic/Classic_Tuxedos.htm |title=Classic Black Tie: Tuxedos (Dinner Suits) |website=Black Tie Guide |access-date=1 April 2011 |archive-date=24 March 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110324234046/http://www.blacktieguide.com/Classic/Classic_Tuxedos.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref> despite the fact that they, like peaked and shawl, were used (though somewhat rarely) in some of the early forms of the garment.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.gentlemansgazette.com/tuxedo-black-tie-guide/classic/tuxedo-dinner-suit/ |title=Classic Tuxedo |date=27 November 2018 }}</ref>
* Trousers with a single silk or satin braid covering the outer seams, uncuffed and worn with braces
* A black low-cut waistcoat or a cummerbund
* A white [[dress shirt]], with a [[Piqué (weaving)|marcella]] or pleated bib being traditional, with double or "French" [[cuff]]s and a turndown [[Collar (clothing)|collar]]. While the turndown is most appropriately [[semi-formal]], the attached [[Collar (clothing)|wing collar]] has been popular with American men since the 1980s. However, many style authorities argue that the attached version now typically offered is insubstantial with minuscule wings and inappropriately paired with soft pleated fronts.<ref name="BTG_shirts">{{cite web |url=https://www.blacktieguide.com/Classic/Classic_Shirts.htm |title=Classic Black Tie: Shirts |website=Black Tie Guide |access-date=2 February 2017 |archive-date=8 February 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170208160308/http://www.blacktieguide.com/Classic/Classic_Shirts.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref>
* A black silk bow tie matching the lapel facings
* [[Shirt stud]]s and [[cufflink]]s. Some classic etiquette authorities limit studs to stiff-front marcella shirts only and prescribe pearl buttons for soft-front models instead.
* Black dress [[sock]]s, usually of silk or fine wool. Some style guides recommend that the socks should come up to the knee.<ref>{{cite news| url = https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-12-16/how-to-wear-a-tuxedo-ten-easy-rules-for-black-tie-events| title = The 10 Commandments of the Tuxedo| website = [[Bloomberg News]]| date = 16 December 2016}}</ref>
* Black shoes – traditionally [[patent leather]] [[court shoe]]s or pumps; now often highly polished or patent leather [[Oxford shoe|Oxford]] [[dress shoes]] instead, without [[Brogue shoe|brogue]]ing

=== Jacket ===
[[File:Dinner Jacket cuff button detail.jpg|thumb|Covered cuff buttons on a dinner jacket]]
[[File:Dinner Jacket Lapel Boutonnière.jpg|thumb|left|upright|alt=Dinner jacket peak lapel|The [[peak lapel]] of a dinner jacket featuring a working [[Boutonnière|buttonhole]] and [[Grosgrain|silk grosgrain]] facings]]

The original and most formal model of dinner jacket is the [[single-breasted]] model. The typical black tie jacket is single-breasted with one button only, with [[wikt:besom pocket|jetted, or besom, pockets]] and is of black or midnight blue; usually of wool or a wool-[[mohair]], or wool-[[polyester]] blend, although other materials, especially silk, are seen. Although other materials are used, the most appropriate and traditional for the dinner jacket are wool [[barathea]] or superfine [[Herringbone (cloth)|herringbone]].<ref name="DebrettWeb" /> Double-breasted models have become less common, but are generally considered equally appropriate for most black tie occasions. Dinner jackets were commonly [[Vent (tailoring)|ventless]] before World War I, but in the 21st century come ventless, with [[Vent (tailoring)|side vents]], or, less commonly, with [[Vent (tailoring)|centre vents]]. The ventless style is considered more formal, whilst the [[Vent (tailoring)|centre vent]] is the least formal. The lapels, traditionally pointed and shawl, are usually faced with silk in either a grosgrain or a satin weave, but can also be silk [[barathea]]. A notched lapel is usually considered more appropriate for a business suit than a dinner jacket but is commonly seen on inexpensive [[off the rack]] dinner jackets.<ref>{{Cite web |date=1996 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=P5cnAQAAIAAJ |title=Esquire: The Magazine for Men }}</ref> According to the Black Tie Guide, the peaked lapel and shawl collar are equally authentic and correct, with the latter being slightly less formal.<ref name="BTG_tuxedo" /> The [[Button (clothing)|button]]s are covered in similarly coloured material to the main part of the jacket, which would typically be either self-faced or covered with the same material as the lapels. Some higher-end single-breasted jackets, both new and vintage, tend to be fastened with a link front closure which is visually similar to a cufflink; this traditional method of closure is common in the United Kingdom.

[[Pocket#Types|Besom welts]] can be of self fabric or trimmed with the lapel's silk facing, though classic menswear scholar Nicholas Antongiavanni suggests that for the English this latter touch "is a sure sign of hired clothes".<ref>{{Cite book |title=The Suit: A Machiavellian Approach to Men's Style |last=Antongiavanni |first=Nicholas |publisher=Harper Collins |date=2006 |isbn=9780060891862 |location=New York }}</ref> The dinner jacket also has a welt breast pocket to hold a [[Handkerchief|pocket handkerchief]], which is generally self-faced rather than covered with silk.

[[File:Dinner Jacket Link Front Closure.jpg|thumb|upright|alt=Dinner jacket link front|An example of a link front style closure of a dinner jacket, featuring silk grosgrain]]

[[Emily Post]], a resident of Tuxedo Park, New York, stated in 1909 that "[Tuxedos] can have lapels or be shawl-shaped, in either case they are to have facings of [[silk]], satin or grosgrain". She later republished this statement in her 1922 book ''Etiquette'', adding that only single-breasted jackets are appropriately called ''tuxedos''.<ref name=":5">{{cite web |url=https://emilypost.com/advice/attire-guide-dress-codes-from-casual-to-white-tie/ |title=Attire Guide: Dress Codes from Casual to White Tie |publisher=The Emily Post Institute |access-date=12 May 2011 }}</ref> There is a fashion movement suggesting that a man's appearance when wearing the wider and higher peak lapel is superior to the narrower notch lapel.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://law.indiana.edu/students/activities/barrister/doc/black_tie_101_20110120.pdf |title=Black Tie 101 |publisher=Indiana University Bloomington |access-date=12 May 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110310070809/https://www.law.indiana.edu/students/activities/barrister/doc/black_tie_101_20110120.pdf |archive-date=10 March 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref>

[[File:Ken White dinner jacket.jpg|thumb|upright|A white dinner jacket]]

White dinner jackets are often worn in warm climates. They are [[Ivory (color)|ivory]] in colour rather than pure white, and have self-faced lapels (i.e. made of the same fabric as the jacket) rather than silk-faced lapels. They are generally worn with the same types of shirts and accessories as black dinner jackets, though the turndown collar and cummerbund are preferred to the wing collar or waistcoat. Similarly, the shawl lapel is more common in white dinner jackets. In the United Kingdom, the 20th-century etiquette was that white dinner jackets were never worn, even on the hottest day of summer, but were reserved for wear abroad.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.blacktieguide.com/Classic/Warm_Weather.htm |title=Classic Black Tie: Warm-Weather Black Tie |website=Black Tie Guide |access-date=1 April 2011 |archive-date=24 March 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110324234057/http://www.blacktieguide.com/Classic/Warm_Weather.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref> In the 21st century, white dinner jackets are frequently seen at [[wedding]]s, formal beach events, and high-school [[prom]]s, in the United States and at some concerts, famously for instance the [[Last Night of the Proms]], in the United Kingdom. In tropical climates, such as in Imperial Burma, the desert fawn was historically used as the less formal colour. At one time, the civilian [[Mess jacket (civil)|mess jacket]] was also an option in warmer climates.

It is generally considered inappropriate for a man to remove his jacket during a formal social event, but when hot weather and humidity dictate, the [[Social rank|ranking]] man of the [[royal family]] or the guest of honour may give men permission by noticeably taking off his jacket. In anticipated hot weather, [[Red Sea rig]] is specified in the invitation, although this dress is esoteric in civilian circles, and is particular to certain [[expatriate]] communities.

=== Black bow tie ===
Traditionally, the only neckwear appropriate is the black bow tie that is a self-tie and it always matches the lapel facing of the dinner jacket and braiding of the trouser seams. The bow tie is tied using a common [[shoelace knot]], which is also called the bow knot for that reason.

=== Trousers ===
[[File:Galon.JPG|thumb|upright|alt=Black tie [[trousers]] with a side stripe|Black tie trousers with a side stripe]]

Black tie trousers traditionally have no [[Cuff#Trouser cuffs|turn-ups]], also called cuffs in [[American English]], or belt loops. The outer seams are usually decorated with a single braid of silk or a material that matches or complements the lapel facing. Traditionally, [[suspenders|braces]], called suspenders in US English, hidden by the waistcoat, are used to support the trousers. [[Belt (clothing)|Belts]] are never worn with black tie trousers. Evening trousers may be flat-fronted or pleated, with pleats first coming into fashion in the 1930s. Whilst flat-fronted trousers have become more fashionable, pleated trousers may be considered more comfortable by men who have wider hips and a narrow waist.

=== Waist coverings ===
A waist covering is generally worn as part of a black tie ensemble. Either a low cut waistcoat or cummerbund may be worn, but never both at the same time. Although the English authority [[Debrett's]] consider that wearing a waistcoat is smart, they no longer consider either waist covering to be essential.<ref name=":6">{{Cite book |title=Debrett's Handbook |last=Wyse |first=Elizabeth |publisher=Debrett's Limited |date=2015 |isbn=978-0-9929348-1-1 |location=London, United Kingdom |pages=188 }}</ref> The American authority, [[The Emily Post Institute]], considers them to be an essential component of proper black tie attire.<ref name=":5" /> Waist coverings are not matched to wedding theme colours.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |url=http://www.blacktieguide.com/Supplemental/Weddings.htm |website=Black Tie Guide |title=Supplemental: Formal Weddings |access-date=29 May 2016 |archive-date=5 June 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160605191225/http://www.blacktieguide.com/Supplemental/Weddings.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref>

[[File:Black Tie Waistcoat Gold and Black Studs.jpg|thumb|left|upright=0.6|alt=Black tie waistcoat with studs|Waistcoat with shawl collar, closed with studs]]

==== Waistcoat ====
A low cut waistcoat should be worn when wearing a single-breasted coat.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.debretts.co.uk/etiquette/special-occasions/dress-codes/black-tie.aspx |title=Special occasions – dress codes – black-tie |publisher=Debretts |access-date=23 December 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120119162643/http://www.debretts.co.uk/etiquette/special-occasions/dress-codes/black-tie.aspx |archive-date=19 January 2012 |url-status=dead}}</ref> The waistcoat plays an important part in black tie's refined minimalism by helping to conceal its working parts by discreetly covering the trousers' exposed waistband and the shirt bosom's bottom edge. Waistcoats come in the 'V' or rarer 'U' shape, in backless or fully backed versions, double- or single-breasted, with or without lapels. Single-breasted styles typically have three buttons, and double-breasted ones three or four rows. Before World War II, while black tie was still gaining acceptance, men would wear a white waistcoat, along with other details now associated primarily with white tie, such as stiff fronted shirts. However, this style, though increasingly viewed as an affectation,{{by whom|date=January 2024}}{{citation needed|date=January 2024}} is still acceptable in the United States. The waistcoat may be made from either the same fabric as the dinner jacket, as is traditional, or the same silk as the jacket's lapels, which is more popular. When a waistcoat has lapels, they are faced in the same silk as those of the jacket; in this case it is considered more refined if the body is made from the same fabric as the jacket. The buttons may be self-faced or covered in the same silk as the lapels. Vintage waistcoats were sometimes closed with studs made from [[onyx]] or [[Nacre|mother-of-pearl]], which were often surrounded by a setting of silver or [[gold]].

A waistcoat is never worn with a double-breasted jacket. Since this style of jacket is never unbuttoned, the waist of the trousers is never exposed, and therefore does not need to be covered,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.blacktieguide.com/Classic/Classic_Waist.htm |title=Classic Black Tie: Waist Coverings |website=Black Tie Guide |access-date=1 April 2011 |archive-date=24 March 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110324234051/http://www.blacktieguide.com/Classic/Classic_Waist.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref> though before World War II an edge of the waistcoat was often shown between the jacket and shirt.

==== Cummerbund ====
[[File:Cummerbund1950.JPG|thumb|Black [[Ottoman (textile)|ottoman]] silk cummerbund]]

A cummerbund may be worn with a dinner jacket in lieu of a waistcoat and, although it is considered slightly less formal, it is equally correct. It looks especially well with a shawl collar dinner jacket but may be worn in conjunction with peak lapels. The material of the cummerbund should be silk satin, grosgrain, also called faille, or [[barathea]] to match that of the bow tie. It features upward-facing folds, which were originally used to store theatre or opera tickets, and are now considered to be more decorative than functional. Just like the waistcoat, cummerbunds are not worn with a double-breasted jacket.<ref>{{cite book |last=Clayton |first=Nicholas |date=10 April 2025 |title=A Butler's Guide to Gentlemen's Grooming |url=https://www.rizzoliusa.com/book/9781849943703/ |publisher=Pavilion Books |isbn=9781849944144 }}</ref>

As the cummerbund is seen as an extension of the trousers, traditionally it is the same colour (i.e. black).<ref>{{cite book |last=von Adlerstein |first=Marion |date=2 April 2007 |title=The Penguin Book of Etiquette |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZwnGDuQIad8C&pg=PT204 |publisher=Penguin UK |isbn=9780857967800 }}</ref> However, the ''Black Tie Guide'' endorses deep and rich colours as a tasteful way to introduce some colour into an outfit that is otherwise [[Monochrome|monochromatic]].<ref name=":4">{{Cite web |url=https://www.blacktieguide.com/Classic/Classic_Alternatives.htm |title=Black Tie Guide {{!}} Classic Alternatives |website=Black Tie Guide |access-date=29 May 2016 |archive-date=9 June 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160609075625/http://www.blacktieguide.com/Classic/Classic_Alternatives.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref> Bright colours, such as those often worn by members of wedding parties, should be avoided<ref name=":3" /> and the bow tie must remain black in any case. Some higher quality models feature a hidden pocket and an elastic loop to fasten to the trousers.

=== Shirt ===
[[File:PajaEsmoquinII.JPG|thumb|A modern attached wing collar, of the half-collar shape, with longer wings than a typical attached wing collar, and pre-tied bow tie]]

[[Dress shirt]]s designed to be worn with black tie are sometimes called "tuxedo shirts" in American English.<ref>Gavernas, Mary Lisa, ''The Fairchild Encyclopedia of Menswear'', Fairchild Publications, New York, 2008</ref> Traditionally, the shirt is white, has a bibbed front that is either marcella or pleated, a turndown collar, and double, or "french" cuffs. In the early-20th century, a [[Piqué (weaving)|piqué]] shirt with a [[Detachable collar|detachable]] wing collar and single cuffs such as is worn with white tie was used, and in the 1960s and 1970s ruffled bibs were popular, but have since become uncommon. The wing collar originally disappeared in black tie after the 1920s when the appropriately [[semi-formal]] attached turndown collar shirt became preferred, but it has been popular with American men in a less substantial, attached form since the 1980s. However, many style authorities argue that the wing collar should remain the domain of white tie for aesthetic reasons. Etiquette maven Miss Manners is one of those who feel that while the bow tie's uncovered band is fine in a white-on-white scheme, "gentlemen with their black ties exposed all-around their necks look silly".<ref name="BTG_shirts" />

[[File:Cufflinks and Studs.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.15|alt=Gold and cuff links and shirt studs|A vintage set of shirt studs and double-sided cufflinks with a smoke [[Nacre|mother-of-pearl]] inlay in a gold setting]]

Although some style authorities consider the wing collar to be an acceptable option for black tie shirts, they are not worn with double cuffs or a pleated bib,<ref>{{Cite book |last=Flusser |first=Alan |date=2002 |title=Dressing the Man |publisher=HarperCollins Publishers |isbn=978-0060191443 |location=United States |page=249 }}</ref> and are better suited to the more formal single-breasted peak lapel jacket.<ref name="BTG_shirts" /> They may feature a bib that is either marcella or [[starch]]ed and include stiff single cuffs secured with cufflinks, made of the same fabric as the bib; this type of shirt is exactly the same as one worn with white tie attire.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.blacktieguide.com/White_Tie/White_Tie_Shirt.htm |website=Black Tie Guide |title=White Tie: Shirt |access-date=29 May 2016 |archive-date=6 June 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160606114417/http://www.blacktieguide.com/White_Tie/White_Tie_Shirt.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref> The collar in this case is tall and stiff, which may be attached or detachable. When a full dress shirt is worn in this fashion, it is accompanied by the white marcella waistcoat ordinarily associated with white tie.<ref name=":4" /> Wearing white tie accessories in this manner is considered by many to be an affectation.{{by whom|date=January 2024}} [[Debrett's]] do not endorse the wing collar as being compatible with the black tie dress code.<ref name="DebrettWeb" />

The more formal marcella version of the shirt fastens with matching shirt studs. These are most commonly in silver or gold settings, featuring onyx or mother-of-pearl; various geometrical shapes are worn (e.g. circles) which are most common for studs, octagons, or rectangles, which are most common for cufflinks. There has been no consistent fashion preference for gold or silver, but studs with mother-of-pearl are more formal and therefore often associated with white tie. The soft-front pleated version of the shirt should be fastened with mother-of-pearl buttons, typically supplied with the shirt on a separate strip of fabric. Alternatively, a fly-front shirt, appropriate with both the marcella and pleated bibs, conceals the [[placket]] for a more minimalistic look.

There are several types of cufflinks that may be worn with black tie. The most formal and decorative are the double-panel type, which dress both sides of the cuff and are connected by a chain or link of metal; this model conceals the mechanism by which the cuff is secured. The most common, and least decorative, are the swivel bar type; whilst these are acceptable, they leave the inner side of the cuffs and mechanism exposed which is incongruous with formal dress.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web|url=https://www.blacktieguide.com/Classic/Classic_Accessories.htm|website=Black Tie Guide|title=Classic Accessories|access-date=29 May 2016|archive-date=12 June 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160612081445/http://www.blacktieguide.com/Classic/Classic_Accessories.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref>

[[File:Herrenschuh078.jpg|alt=Patent Leather Oxford|thumb|An [[Oxford shoe]] in [[patent leather]] worn with [[White tie|evening dress]] or dinner dress]]

=== Footwear ===
The most formal and traditional shoes are patent leather opera pumps, also called [[court shoe]]s, decorated with grosgrain bows. The more popular alternative is the black lace-up [[Oxford shoe]], in patent leather or [[calfskin]], with a rounded plain toe. [[Brogue shoe|Brogueing]] or any other decorative patterns should never be seen on black tie footwear.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.blacktieguide.com/Classic/Classic_Footwear.htm |title=Classic Black Tie: Footwear |website=Black Tie Guide |access-date=1 April 2011 |archive-date=24 March 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110324234009/http://www.blacktieguide.com/Classic/Classic_Footwear.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref> Matte finish [[Court shoe|pumps]] are also seen. Shoes are almost invariably black and patent leather is considered more formal than matte finishes while pumps are considered more formal than [[Oxford shoe|lace-ups]]. Generally considered too informal for black tie are shoes with [[open lacing]], such as the [[Derby shoe]], called ''bluchers'' in American English. Notable alternatives include the black button boot, primarily of historical interest only, and the monogrammed [[Slipper|Albert slipper]] which was originally worn only at home. Hosiery is black socks made from fine wool or silk.

=== Accessories ===
[[File:Tuxedo details 2.jpg|thumb|upright|[[Button hole flower]] with a white pocket square]]

Most etiquette and fashion guides of the current decade{{when|date=April 2023}} recommend keeping colour touches and favouring a single colour, usually dark; muted reds, such as maroon, are a traditional choice.

'''[[Pocket square|Handkerchief]]''': A handkerchief in linen traditionally, or silk, or cotton is usually worn in the breast pocket.<ref>{{Cite book |title=Debrett's Handbook |last=Wyse |first=Elizabeth |publisher=Debrett's Limited |date=2015 |isbn=978-0-9929348-1-1 |location=London, United Kingdom |pages=187 }}</ref> Although precedents for tasteful exceptions exist,<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.blacktieguide.com/Contemporary/Contemp_Other.htm |website=Black Tie Guide |title=Contemporary: Other |access-date=29 May 2016 |archive-date=9 June 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160609194638/http://www.blacktieguide.com/Contemporary/Contemp_Other.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref> [[Handkerchief|pocket squares]] are normally white,<ref name="DebrettWeb" /> and may not match the waist covering or bow tie.<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://archive.org/details/gentlemangetsdre00brid |url-access=registration |title=A Gentleman Gets Dressed Up |last1=Bridges |first1=John |last2=Curtis |first2=Bryan |publisher=Rutledge Hill Press |date=2003 |isbn=978-1401604714 |location=Nashville, Tennessee, United States |page=[https://archive.org/details/gentlemangetsdre00brid/page/71 71] }}</ref>

'''[[Boutonnière]]''': A flower may be worn. Red and white [[Dianthus caryophyllus|carnation]], blue [[cornflower]], and [[rose]]bud have all been popular at times. In [[France]], the boutonnière is usually a [[gardenia]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.neworleansbar.org/docDownload/1885438 |title=New Orleans Nostalgia: Gardenias, Magnolias and Oleanders |last=Hémard |first=Ned |date=2010 |website=New Orleans Bar Association |access-date=1 February 2019 }}</ref>

'''Outerwear''': Black tie events do not involve outerwear and coats and gloves are no longer considered part of the dress code. However, etiquette for what to wear in public in transit to and from black tie occasions was stiffer in earlier eras and remain an option: Matching overcoats are usually black, [[Charcoal (color)|charcoal]], or dark [[blue]], and traditionally of the [[Chesterfield coat|Chesterfield]] style, or [[Paletot]]. A [[guards coat]] was also once popular, and a lighter topcoat can be worn in summer. Historically, an [[Inverness coat]] was also worn. In the early eras there used to be a specific type of coat, called black tie overcoat: it basically was a below the knee-long chesterfield coat, but imitating a dinner jacket and made of course of heavier fabric. It came in black and was characterized by a one button-stance, in case of single-breasted style, or double-breasted, with pointed lapels: both the button and the lapels were covered in silk.<ref name="GentlemansGazette 4.8">{{Cite web |date=27 November 2018 |url=https://www.gentlemansgazette.com/tuxedo-black-tie-guide/classic/tuxedo-overcoats-hats-gloves/ |title=Black Tie Guide |at=4.8 Classic Black Tie Outerwear |website=GentlemansGazette.com |access-date=5 November 2025 }}</ref> Yet, it soon went out of fashion and had never been very popular: nowadays is nearly impossible to find. Until the mid-20th century, gloves and scarves were always worn, and are still occasionally seen in grey leather and white silk, respectively. White kid gloves, same as for white tie, are also considered a standard.<ref name="GentlemansGazette 4.8" />

'''Hat''': The 20th-century standard hat for black tie was a black or midnight blue [[Homburg (hat)|Homburg]] in winter,<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.blacktieguide.com/Classic/Classic_Outerwear.htm |website=Black Tie Guide |title=Classic Outerwear |access-date=30 May 2016 }}{{Dead link|date=July 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.blacktieguide.com/Vintage/Vintage_Outerwear.htm|website=Black Tie Guide|title=Vintage: Outerwear|access-date=30 May 2016|archive-date=9 June 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160609211026/http://www.blacktieguide.com/Vintage/Vintage_Outerwear.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref> or straw [[Boater (hat)|boater]] in spring and summer.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.blacktieguide.com/Vintage/Vintage_WarmWeather.htm|website=Black Tie Guide|title=Vintage: Warm Weather|access-date=30 May 2016|archive-date=9 June 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160609211139/http://www.blacktieguide.com/Vintage/Vintage_WarmWeather.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref>  Fedoras were originally regarded as too informal but have become more common. Top hats were originally worn with black tie, but had been reserved to white tie and [[morning dress]] from World War&nbsp;I. In the 1960s, it became optional to wear a hat with black tie, while from the 1970s onwards hats became less common.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.gentlemansgazette.com/tuxedo-black-tie-guide/vintage-evening-wear/outerwear-hats-frock-overcoat/ |title=Vintage Evening Outerwear |date=4 December 2018 }}</ref>

[[File:Miniature medals with black tie.png|thumb|Miniature medals with black tie]]

'''Decorations and orders''': Military, civil, and organizational [[Order (honour)|decorations]] are usually worn only to [[full dress]] events, generally of formal governmental or diplomatic significance.<ref>{{Cite book |title=Debrett's Handbook |last=Wyse |first=Elizabeth |publisher=Debrett's Limited |date=2015 |isbn=978-0-9929348-1-1 |location=London, United Kingdom }}</ref> Miniature [[order (decoration)|orders]] and awards are typically worn on the left lapel of the jacket, and neck badges, breast stars, and sashes are worn according to country-specific or organizational regulations. Unlike in white tie, where decorations are always permitted, the dress code will usually give some indication when decorations are to be worn with black tie.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.blacktieguide.com/Supplemental/Orders,Decorations.htm|website=Black Tie Guide|title=Supplemental: Decorations|access-date=30 May 2016|archive-date=5 June 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160605191209/http://www.blacktieguide.com/Supplemental/Orders,Decorations.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref>

'''Timepiece''': Traditionally visible timepieces are not worn with formal evening dress, because timekeeping is not supposed to be considered a priority. [[Pocket watch]]es are acceptable.<ref name=":2" />

=== Women ===
[[File:Maria Grazia Cucinotta - nicogenin - 66ème Festival de Venise (Mostra) 2.jpg|thumb|left|upright|An example of a black evening gown]]

Women's dress for black tie occasions has varied greatly throughout the years; traditionally it was:
* A dinner length gown at the ankle or tea length gown below mid-calf, which is a sleeveless [[evening gown]], often accompanied by:
** A [[Wrap (clothing)|wrap]] or [[Stole (shawl)|stole]] and
** [[Gloves]]
* Evening shoes

Other fashionable evening attire may be worn. Unlike the men's standard, the specifics of black tie for women are linked to whatever evening wear is currently in fashion.<ref>{{cite book |last=Stewart |first=Marjabelle Young |date=15 April 1997 |title=The New Etiquette: Real Manners for Real People in Real Situations |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2mVC5EtaIJQC&pg=PA463 |publisher=Macmillan |page=463 |isbn=9780312156022}}</ref> Today ladies' dress for black tie occasions covers a much wider level of formality ranging from just below the white tie standard<ref>{{cite book |last=Morgan |first=John |date=1 April 2007 |title=Debrett's New Guide to Etiquette and Modern Manners: The Indispensable Handbook |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Pog2O7cUIc0C&pg=PA338 |publisher=Macmillan |page=338 |isbn=9781429978286 }}</ref> to something more informal such as a [[little black dress]]. Specifically it can also include:
* Evening shoes and
* A [[ballgown]], evening gown or [[cocktail dress]]. Cocktail dresses may be long or moderately short and need not be black.<ref name="DebrettWeb" />
* In England, evening trousers with a [[Palazzo pants|palazzo]] cut are another acceptable option.<ref name="DebrettWeb" />

Still, while "black tie" dress code traditionally implies evening dress for women, in 1966 famous couturier [[Yves Saint Laurent (designer)|Yves Saint Laurent]]<ref name="alexander" /> proposed ''Le Smoking'', a dinner suit designed for women. Most initial reactions to the collection were negative.{{citation needed|date=November 2018}} The designer took bits and pieces from both men's suit and women's clothing and combined it with new ideas. As this dinner suit was designed for women, it was different from the normal male dinner suit. The collar was more feminine, as the shape and curve were more subtle. The waistline of the [[blouse]] was narrowed to show the body shape, and pants were adjusted to help elongate the leg. It pioneered long, minimalist, androgynous styles for women, as well as the female use of [[Suit (clothing)|power suits]] and the [[pantsuit]] in modern-day society. Some described Saint Laurent's initiative as empowerment of women by giving them the option to wear clothes that were normally worn by men with influence and power.<ref name="iht">[[Suzy Menkes|Menkes, Suzy]]. [http://www.iht.com/articles/2005/10/04/reports/Rysl.php "A toast to Yves for 'le smoking{{'"}}]. ''The International Herald Tribune'' (10 October 2005). {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060219130317/http://www.iht.com/articles/2005/10/04/reports/Rysl.php |date=19 February 2006}}</ref><ref name="afp" /> [[Fashion photography]] echoes the influence of this suit in shoots that feature [[androgynous]] models with slicked-back hair in a mannish three-piece suit, a style that was first popularized in photographs by [[Helmut Newton]].<ref name="alexander">Alexander, Hilary. [https://web.archive.org/web/20100213011145/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/fashion/labels/yvessaintlaurent/3347959/Smoke-without-fire.html "Smoke Without Fire"]. ''The Telegraph'' (12 December 2005).</ref><ref name="iht" /> This suit has continued to influence fashion designers' collections through the 2000s.<ref name="afp">[http://news.sawf.org/Fashion/3148.aspx "Paris honours the Tuxedo, Yves St. Laurent's fashion favourite"]. Agence France-Presse (3 October 2005). {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051221200246/http://news.sawf.org/Fashion/3148.aspx |date=21 December 2005 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.dazeddigital.com/article/136/1/Le_Smoking |title=Le Smoking |website=Dazed Digital |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090207024440/http://dazeddigital.com/article/136/1/Le_Smoking |archive-date=7 February 2009 }}</ref>

== Social occasions ==
[[File:Royal Wedding Stockholm 2010 concert house (crop).jpg|thumb|[[Victoria, Crown Princess of Sweden|Sweden's Crown Princess Victoria]] and [[Prince Daniel, Duke of Västergötland|Prince Daniel Westling]] arriving at the [[Parliament of Sweden|Riksdag]]'s Black Tie Gala Performance on the eve of [[Wedding of Victoria, Crown Princess of Sweden, and Daniel Westling|their wedding]]]]

In traditional [[Western dress codes]] etiquette black tie is intended for men's evening wear. Traditionally in the 20th century black tie, in contrast to formal white tie, was considered informal.<ref name="Safire 1985 p436" /> In the 21st century black tie is often referred to as being semi-formal.<ref name="Wright 2014 p202" />

Black tie is worn to private and public dinners, [[Ball (dance party)|balls]] and parties. At the more formal end of the social spectrum, it has to a large extent replaced the more formal white tie. Once more common, white tie dress code is fairly rare, being reserved for only the most formal occasions.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cateringonthemove.com.au/guide-to-dress-codes |title=The Ultimate Guide to Choosing a Party Dress Code |website=CateringOnTheMove.com.au }}</ref> Black tie is traditionally worn only after six o'clock in the evening, or after sundown during winter months. Black tie's rough daytime equivalent is the [[stroller (style)|stroller]], which is less formal than morning dress because, as with black tie, it replaces the tailcoat with a lounge coat. Contrary to the trend seen in evening dress, the less formal stroller is now extraordinarily rare, whereas morning dress is still relatively common.

The most popular uses of the dinner suit in the United States in the early 21st century are for balls, galas, proms, cruise ship dinners and weddings. In these circumstances the dinner suit's styling and accessories are most commonly chosen according to the wearer's tastes. Less popular are black tie events, such as gala fundraisers, where men typically wear more traditional dinner suits and accessories as dictated by the dress code.{{citation needed|date=January 2024}} They are also often worn by male musicians at concerts.

As a general rule, boys do not wear dinner jackets much before they are 15 or [[dress coat]]s before they are about 18.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.blacktieguide.com/Etiquette/Etiquette_Tradition.htm |website=Black Tie Guide |title=Etiquette: Tradition |date=21 November 2018 |archive-date=18 November 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181118024745/http://www.blacktieguide.com/Etiquette/Etiquette_Tradition.htm }}</ref>

=== Academia ===
[[File:Jacob Rees-Mogg debating at the Cambridge Union Society.JPG|thumb|[[Jacob Rees-Mogg]] in black tie debating at The Cambridge Union]]

Some British university debating societies, such as at [[Oxford Union|Oxford]],<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.oxford-union.org/debates/formal_debates|title=Formal Debates |website=Oxford-Union.org |publisher=The Oxford Union |access-date=22 September 2017 |archive-date=14 May 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200514074847/https://www.oxford-union.org/debates/formal_debates |url-status=dead }}</ref> [[Durham Union|Durham]]<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://dus.org.uk/friday-night-debates/ |publisher=Durham Union Society |title=Friday Night Debates |website=dus.org.uk |access-date=28 January 2018 |archive-date=29 January 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180129004537/http://dus.org.uk/friday-night-debates/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> and [[University College London Debating Society|University College London]]<ref name="eventbrite">{{cite web|url=https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ucl-debating-society-foundation-dinner-2019-tickets-58660410868|title=UCL Debating Society Foundation Dinner 2019 Tickets, Sat, Mar 23, 2019 at 6:30 PM|website=Eventbrite|access-date=17 March 2019}}</ref> conduct at least some of their debates in black tie.<ref>{{cite book |last=Rich |first=Jonathan |date=2004 |title=The Push Guide to Choosing a University |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=t4SWQk7vCskC&pg=PT193 |publisher=Nelson Thornes |isbn=9780748790272}}</ref> Notably, the [[Cambridge Union]] abolished the long-standing mandatory wearing of black tie at debates in 2002.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/education/higher/cambridge-union-relaxes-dress-code-9191459.html|title=Cambridge Union relaxes dress code|website=The Independent|date=26 January 2002|access-date=17 March 2019}}</ref> The [[Irish Times]] hosts an annual black tie debating competition.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/student-hub/the-irish-times-debate-speakers-prepare-for-2021-final-1.4622307 |title=The Irish Times Debate: Speakers prepare for 2021 final |newspaper=[[The Irish Times]] }}</ref>

Learned societies, such as the [[Royal Aeronautical Society]],<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.aerosociety.com/events-calendar/black-tie-debate-and-dinner-1/|title=Black Tie Debate and Dinner (1) |website=Royal Aeronautical Society|access-date=30 September 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170930131106/https://www.aerosociety.com/events-calendar/black-tie-debate-and-dinner-1/|archive-date=30 September 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref> may also follow a similar practice.

Black tie dinners and debates are held through the academic year by British university Conservative associations, such as those at [[Oxford University Conservative Association|Oxford]],<ref>Oxford University Conservative Association Termcard - Trinity Term 2023 - pg 10 https://www.ouconservatives.com/termcard</ref> [[Cambridge University Conservative Association|Cambridge]],<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ullah |first=Emaan |date=9 February 2022 |title=Port and witty debate? More like port and shitty debate |url=https://www.varsity.co.uk/opinion/23049 |access-date=20 August 2022 |website=Varsity Online}}</ref> [[University of York Conservative and Unionist Association|York]],<ref>{{Cite web |title=Conservative & Unionist Association (York Tories) |url=https://yusu.org/activities/view/york-tories |access-date=20 August 2023 |website=University of York Students' Union}}</ref> and [[Nottingham University Conservative Association|Nottingham]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Archer |first=Joseph |date=25 February 2016 |title=Port and Policy: A night of debauchery with the Conservative society |url=https://thetab.com/uk/nottingham/2016/02/25/port-policy-tory-students-like-party-30395 |access-date=20 August 2023 |website=[[The Tab|The Nottingham Tab]]}}</ref>

=== Opera and ballet ===
Historically, white tie was worn for the [[opera]]. Since the 20th century, however, black tie has been worn increasingly and today a dark lounge suit is generally acceptable.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.protocolprofessionals.com/tips_opera.htm |title=Protocol Professionals, Inc. - Opera Protocol Tips |work=protocolprofessionals.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.debretts.com/etiquette/special-occasions/event-etiquette/opera.aspx |title=Opera Etiquette |work=Debrett's}}</ref>  In the 21st century, many opera houses in the English-speaking world do not stipulate black tie. For example, neither the [[Royal Opera House]] nor the [[Sydney Opera House]] maintain a black tie dress code. Notwithstanding, black tie is customary at English country house operas, such as during the summer Festival at [[Glyndebourne Festival Opera|Glyndebourne]].<ref name="DebrettWeb" />

=== Cruise ships ===
At more formal dinners on [[cruise ship]]s the [[Western dress codes|dress code]] will typically be black tie, although a dark lounge suit may be worn as a substitute.<ref>{{cite book |last=Showker |first=Kay |date=25 March 2010 |title=The Unofficial Guide to Cruises |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=s8ZCkCPezAUC&pg=PA117 |publisher=John Wiley & Sons |page=117 |isbn=978-0-470-63721-0 |access-date=2 January 2015}}</ref> In 2013 [[Cunard]], noted for its adherence to formal [[Western dress codes|dress codes]], relaxed its dress standards.<ref>{{cite web |last=Kim |first=Soo |date=18 March 2013 |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/travelnews/9937320/Cunard-relaxes-cruise-ship-dress-code.html |title=Cunard relaxes cruise ship dress code |work=The Daily Telegraph |access-date=2 January 2015}}</ref> {{As of|2015|post=,}} Cunard requires one of a dinner jacket, a [[Suit (clothing)|dark suit]], formal [[Folk costume|national dress]] or [[Dress uniform|military uniform]] for gentlemen diners on formal evenings.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://ask.cunard.com/help/mini/cunard/life-on-board/dress_code |title=Is there a dress code on board?  |publisher=Cunard |access-date=2 January 2015}}</ref> Similarly, the luxury cruise liner, [[Seabourn Cruise Line|Seabourn]], stipulates either a dinner suit or a dark business suit on formal evenings.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.seabourn.com/assets/welcometosbn/sbn_osq_welcome_aboard_booklet.pdf |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/http://www.seabourn.com/assets/welcometosbn/sbn_osq_welcome_aboard_booklet.pdf |archive-date=9 October 2022 |url-status=live |title=Welcome Aboard Seabourn |author=<!--Not stated--> |date=<!--Not stated--> |publisher=Seabourn Cruise Line Limited |access-date=10 June 2016 |page=21 }}</ref>

=== Weddings ===
Black tie has been increasingly seen in the United States at [[wedding]]s in place of the traditional [[morning dress]]. However, etiquette and clothing experts see the wearing of black tie before 6 p.m. as out of the ordinary.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Ford |first1=Charlotte |last2=DeMontravel |first2=Jacqueline |date=2001 |title=21st century etiquette: a guide to manners for the modern age |publisher=MJF Books |isbn=978-1-56731-629-2 |quote=First and foremost, there's only one woman at a wedding who should be wearing a white dress. After that basic rule, follow the invitation. Weddings before 6:00 P.M. are not usually black tie unless specified. However, this doesn't mean that you should wear your office attire. |quote-page=210 }}</ref> Prior to the late 1930s, black tie was even discouraged as too informal for evening weddings, with [[Amy Vanderbilt]] arguing that "no man should ever be caught in a church in a tuxedo". [[Emily Post]] would continue to argue in preference of [[white tie]] at evening weddings into the 1950s.

In the [[United Kingdom]] and the rest of [[Europe]], although a minority accepts black tie at evening [[wedding reception]]s, including some [[Jewish wedding]]s,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.debretts.com/weddings/bridal-and-dress-codes/dress-codes/male-dress-codes|title=Male Dress Codes|work=Debrett's|access-date=13 April 2014|archive-date=5 April 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140405062500/http://www.debretts.com/weddings/bridal-and-dress-codes/dress-codes/male-dress-codes|url-status=dead}}</ref> it is seldom worn at church weddings or civil ceremonies where morning dress or a lounge suit is normally favoured.

Other than that, supplementary alternatives include local variations of white tie etiquette, such as [[highland dress]] in [[Scotland]], if neither white tie nor black tie is preferred.

== See also ==
{{Portal|Fashion}}
* [[Suit]]
* [[Western dress codes]]
* [[White tie]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== Further reading ==

=== Magazines ===
* ''[[Apparel Arts]]'' magazine, an account of 1930s fashion and style; some issues more relevant than others, such as those reproduced with comment at ''The London Lounge'': [http://thelondonlounge.net/gl/forum/viewtopic.php?t=5526 Vol II. No. II] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110724100846/http://thelondonlounge.net/gl/forum/viewtopic.php?t=5526 |date=24 July 2011 }} and [http://thelondonlounge.net/gl/forum/viewtopic.php?t=244 Vol I. No. III] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110724101022/http://thelondonlounge.net/gl/forum/viewtopic.php?t=244 |date=24 July 2011 }} ''(numbering: ''London Lounge'', not original)''

=== Books ===
* {{cite book |last=Amies |first=Hardy |title=The Englishman's Suit |date=2013 |publisher=Quartet Books Ltd |location=London |isbn=978-0-7043-7169-9 }}
* {{Cite book |last=Antongiavanni |first=Nicholas |date=2006 |title=The Suit: A Machiavellian Approach to Men's Style |publisher=[[HarperCollins]] |isbn=978-0-06-089186-2 }}
* {{cite book |last=Boyer |first=G. Bruce |author-link=G. Bruce Boyer |title=True Style: The History and Principles of Classic Menswear |publisher=[[Basic Books]] |date=2015 |location=New York |isbn=9780465053995 }}
* {{cite book |editor-last=Donald |editor-first=Elsie |title=Debrett's Etiquette and Modern Manners |date=1981 |publisher=Debrett's Peerage Limited |location=London |isbn=978-0-905649-43-6}}
* {{cite book |last=Flusser |first=Alan |author-link=Alan Flusser |title=Dressing the Man: Mastering the art of Permanent Fashion |publisher=[[HarperCollins]] |date=2002 |location=New York |isbn=978-0-06-019144-3 }}
* {{cite book |last=Flusser |first=Alan |author-link=Alan Flusser |title=Style and the Man |publisher=[[HarperCollins]] |date=2010 |location=New York |isbn=978-0061976155 }}
* {{Cite book |last=Hume |first=Lucy |date=2017 |title=Debrett's Wedding Handbook |publisher=[[Debrett's|Debrett's Limited]] |isbn=978-0-9929348-4-2 }}
* {{cite book |last=Keers |first=Paul |title=A Gentleman's Wardrobe: Classic Clothes and the Modern Man |date=1987 |publisher=Weidenfeld & Nicolson |location=London |isbn=978-0-297-79191-1 }}
* {{cite book |last1=Post |first1=Anna |last2=Post |first2=Lizzie |title=Emily Post's Wedding Etiquette |date=2014 |publisher=The Emily Post Institute, Inc. |location=New York |edition=6 |isbn=978-0-06-232610-2}}
* {{cite book |last1=Post |first1=Peggy |last2=Post |first2=Anna |last3=Post |first3=Lizzie |last4=Post Senning |first4=Daniel |title=Emily Post's Etiquette |date=2011 |publisher=The Emily Post Institute, Inc. |location=New York |isbn=978-0-06-174023-7 |url=https://archive.org/details/emilypostsetique00post_5 }}
* {{Cite book |last=Roetzel |first=Bernhard |title=Gentleman: A Timeless Guide to Fashion |date=2009 |publisher=Tandem Verlag GmbH |location=Cambridge |isbn=978-3-8331-5270-2 }}
* {{cite book |last=Schneider |first=Sven |title=Black Tie & Tuxedo Guide |date=2017 |publisher=Gentleman's Gazette LLC |location=Saint Paul, Minnesota |edition=1 }}
* {{cite book |last=Storey |first=Nicholas |title=History of Men's Fashion: What the Well-Dressed Man is Wearing |date=2008 |publisher=Pen & Sword Books Ltd |location=Barnsley |isbn=978-1-84468-037-5 }}
* {{cite book |last1=Tuckerman |first1=Nancy |last2=Dunnan |first2=Nancy |title=The Amy Vanderbilt Complete Book of Etiquette: 50th Anniversary Edition |url=https://archive.org/details/amyvanderbiltcom0000tuck |url-access=registration |date=1995 |publisher=Bantam Doubleday Dell Publishing Group Inc. |location=New York |isbn=978-0-385413428 |edition=1 }}
* {{Cite book |last=Wyse |first=Elizabeth |date=2015 |title=Debrett's Handbook |publisher=[[Debrett's|Debrett's Limited]] |isbn=978-0-9929348-1-1 }}

=== Websites ===
* {{cite web |last=Pullman |first=Nigel |title=Dress codes |url=http://www.liverycompanies.info/fellowship-of-clerks/dinners/dress-codes.pdf |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/http://www.liverycompanies.info/fellowship-of-clerks/dinners/dress-codes.pdf |archive-date=9 October 2022 |url-status=live |website=Livery Companies of the City of London |access-date=17 October 2018}}
* {{cite web |last=Pithers |first=Ellie |title=Black-Tie Dress Code For Women |url=https://www.vogue.co.uk/article/black-tie-dress-code |website=Vogue |date=10 December 2018 |access-date=7 April 2019}}

== External links ==
* {{Commons category-inline|Black tie (dress code)}}

{{Weddings}}
{{Fashion}}
{{Clothing}}

[[Category:Semi-formal wear|*]]
[[Category:1880s fashion]]
[[Category:1890s fashion]]
[[Category:20th-century fashion]]
[[Category:21st-century fashion]]
[[Category:Dress codes]]
[[Category:History of Western fashion]]
[[Category:Lounge jackets]]
[[Category:Men's clothing]]
[[Category:Suits (clothing)]]