by With holiday cheer comes dress codes to discuss, and the hardest ones to adhere to can be the classic ones.
What exactly is the difference between black tie and white tie? How long or short should you wear your dress? What style of jacket should you wear? Well, here’s the crash course guide (with a little help from Debrett’s trusty etiquette guide) to prevent you from attracting attention for all the wrong reasons.
What is the gala dress code for men?
According to Debrett’s, a true men’s black tie suit will include a tuxedo made of barathea (a super-soft fabric of silk, wool and cotton) or ultra-fine herringbone.
The jacket should be single-breasted or double-breasted with silk peak lapels (or shawl collar) and covered buttons.
White tuxedos have also traditionally been worn as black tie in warmer climates, but this is not typically the case in Britain.
The traditional black tie also features a white evening shirt in Marcella, a slightly stiffer cotton fabric, with bib detail and double cuffs. The shirt must have a roll neck (not a wing collar) and must be worn with cufflinks.
Black tie pants should be sleek with a natural taper and (if you’re a true black tie purist) a single row of braid down the outside of each leg.
As for the black bow tie? Debrett’s advises men to select one that is proportional to their head size, to avoid a comical clown look. A man’s black tie look is usually finished off with a white handkerchief in the left breast pocket and polished black shoes.
Optional pieces of formal attire include sashes and vests, although the two should never be worn together.
What is the gala dress code for women?
Women tend to have more flexibility with a black-tie dress code, although Debrett’s advises that they avoid “tight-fitting ‘red carpet’ dresses” or “those with a dramatic split, as they may be uncomfortable or inappropriate at a formal event that includes both a reception and a reception.” and a sit-down dinner.”
A dress can be long or knee-length, but no shorter, and should only reveal a little cleavage. Pants are another acceptable option for women, but Debrett recommends a palazzo cut (flared from the waist), rather than something too tight.
Costume jewelry or simple bracelets and necklaces are most appropriate, rather than anything too sparkly (diamonds are best reserved for white tie).
Apparently, tiaras are also a no-no for black tie (in case you have one lying around). Although the dress code is “black tie”, dresses do not have to be black unless explicitly stated on the invitation.
What is the white tie dress code for men?
White tie is known as “full evening dress” or informally as “tails.”
Before World War II, it was the usual evening dress for gentlemen. Nowadays, the white tie dress code is usually reserved for presidential dinners, state dinners with royalty, and traditional events like Le Bal Des Debutantes in Paris.
As one of the strangest dress codes you’ll see on an invitation, even celebrities struggle to pull off the look. Anna Wintour revealed that many of her male guests at the 2014 Met Gala barely managed to survive when her request that year challenged them. Speaking on Late Night with Seth Meyers, she said she “had no idea how much panic [the dress code caused] “It would make men in New York and around the world think about their clothing.”
Benedict Cumberbatch that year “did it,” according to Wintour, no doubt helped by the fact that he was accompanied by designer Tom Ford. Ford, who dressed many male stars that night, reportedly told Wintour in an email that “hundreds of men came and asked her to explain what white tie meant” that year.
Unlike black tie, there is very little room to maneuver with the style here. Men should include in their outfit a single-breasted black tailcoat, made of black wool (barathea) or an ultra-fine herringbone tailcoat with silk peak lapels, which is worn unbuttoned.
The coat is shorter in the front than a morning coat and is paired with black trousers with a natural taper shape and two lines of braid on the outside of the leg.
The white tie shirt should come in Marcella with a starched detachable wing collar and double cufflinks, and usually fastens with studs, rather than buttons.
The shirt is then worn under a low-cut white Marcella evening vest (single-breasted or double-breasted). To complete your white tie look, wear a thin white hand-tied bow tie.
Put your best foot forward with black patent lace-up shoes, paired with black laces (although if you want something really traditional, it’s a black ribbon) and black socks. And if you wanted to venture into Downton Abbey territory, black top hats, coats and white silk scarves are permitted.
What is the white tie dress code for women?
The rules for white tie for women are less strict and similar to those for black tie, however, the main requirement is a ball gown or long dress. According to Debrett, a “good” ballgown design will include a fitted bodice with a full skirt that reaches the floor. This means that the power suits will usually have to be absent from these occasions.
Traditionally, women have also worn long gloves at white tie balls, however over time they have become less necessary. Gloves should be worn when arriving at an event or in a receiving line (shaking the host’s hand) and dancing, but should be removed when eating and at the table.
And this is your time to go all out on the jewelery frontier – take a page from the Princess of Wales’s book and cover yourself with the family diamonds.
Shop the look
Black tie for men.
Mr. P.
Mr P, shawl collar tuxedo jacket, £375, mrporter.com
Mr. P.
Mr P, slim-fit tuxedo trousers, £195, mrporter.com
ralph lauren
Ralph Lauren, poplin tuxedo shirt, £380, ralphlauren.co.uk
Moss Brothers
Moss Bros, black silk bow tie, moss.co.uk
Jäger
Jaeger, pure silk sash, £45, marksandspencer.com
Black tie for women.
Zara
Zara, velvet midi dress, £35.99, zara.com
Coast
Coast Premium Hourglass Silhouette Jacket, £143.20, costfashion.com and Premium Flared Trousers, £87.20, costfashion.com
piferi
Piferi, Ursula 100 heels, piferi.com
White tie for men.
Moss Brothers
Moss Bros, bespoke tailcoat suit jacket, £129, moss.co.uk
Russell and Bromley
Russell & Bromley, Sinatra lace-up patent leather derby shoes, £225, russellandbromley.com
London Aspinal
Aspinal of London, engraved sterling silver double dome cufflinks, £150, aspinaloflondon.com
Moss Brothers
Moss Bros, white Marcella self-tie bow tie, £20, moss.co.uk
Eton
Eton, white shirt with white piqué tie, £200, etonshirts.com
White tie for women.
Reiss Workshop
Reiss Atelier Duchess Satin Cape Maxi Dress, £595, reiss.com
needle thread
Needle & Thread, Lisette Ruffle Off-The-Shoulder Dress, £500, Needleandthread.com
Jimmy Choo
Jimmy Choo, Sacora 100 tulle sandals with faux pearls, £650, matchesfashion.com
