Black tie
Black tie: what do you wear?
The short answer
Black tie means a tuxedo: a black jacket with peak or shawl lapels, matching trousers with braces, a white dress shirt, a black bow tie and black patent leather shoes. If you want to stand out, a dinner jacket is a correct alternative.
Black tie is the evening dress code for galas, official dinners and events after six. The rules are clear, and those who know them are never incorrectly dressed.
The essentials
Tuxedo jacket and trousers, a dress shirt with double cuffs, a black bow tie, braces, cufflinks and patent leather shoes with black socks. A white pocket square is a nice finishing touch.
The dinner jacket
A dinner jacket is a tuxedo jacket in a different colour or fabric, such as white, burgundy or velvet. You wear it with the same black trousers, the dress shirt and the black bow tie.
What to avoid
No necktie, no belt, no ordinary shirt (a tuxedo shirt is fine, with a turndown or wing collar) and no brown shoes.
Black tie
Tuxedos and black tie
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Frequently asked questions
- Tuxedo or dinner jacket?
- Both black tie. The black tuxedo is the classic choice; a dinner jacket in a different colour or fabric stands out more and you wear it with black tuxedo trousers.
- Which shoes do you wear with a tuxedo?
- Black patent leather shoes or smooth, well-polished black oxfords, worn with black socks.
- Can I buy a tuxedo in my size at GENTS?
- Yes. You build your tuxedo piece by piece, each in your own size — online or in one of our stores.
Near you
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