In a normal year, by around September, we would normally be getting ready for black tie dinner season. Across the country in most cities there are industry dinners, often with award ceremonies and company dinner dances held in conference arenas and the more up-market hotel ballrooms.
The overwhelming majority of men wear a hired dinner jacket and for those wanting bespoke the lead time of 8-10 weeks should be built into your schedule.
But 2020 hasn't been a normal year and the only black tie event I attended so far was a virtual one lacking all the grandeur and glitz of what makes these nights special.
Even through a screen I still saw all the usual mistakes when men misinterpret what a black tie dress code means. So whilst we all are stuck at home let’s use this time to learn and plan ahead for when life returns to normal and we get the chance to dress up again, because it seems to me there are some very basic mistakes people keep making.
📌The clue is in the name, staring you right in the face. ”Black tie“ means a black bow tie. Not white, that's for royal or state occasions, and not a colourful one you received as a present, which is for family Christmas Day lunches and possibly weddings. Black only, which means also black shoes.
📌The black & white colour scheme is simple, elegant and when the jacket and trousers fit, it elongates the figure. This way, catching yourself in a mirror you will see a better version of yourself who'll feel confident, walk more upright and be relaxed about the spontaneous photos which you undoubtedly will be pulled into.
If you want to try the colours then play with the jacket only and remember that the lapels remain black. So navy blue and darker shades of green, brown, purple and maroon will all work. Colours are intriguing and cause people to double-take. Even more so with textured fabrics such as velvet which absorbs the light, making fabric appears even darker. Velvet is more expensive to tailor and takes a lot of looking after, but the effect when worn is worth every penny in my opinion.
📌Finally, keep the jacket buttoned. When you sit down at the table it is ok to open your jacket for comfort but the moment you stand up between the courses, just do the button again to keep your silhouette trimmed. Do not undo the bow tie half way through the evening, or even at all. Maintaining decorum is far sexier than playing a movie hero you are not.
There is much more to discuss on the black tie dress code, indeed there are books about the subject. The points above should give a good start when you are invited to a black tie dinner. It is key to get your attire right so you can enjoy spending 6-7 hours in the company of other people, knowing you look great and feeling relaxed because of it.
Until next time,
The Tailor
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