Red bow tie with a tuxedo for Christmas / New Year party ...

[Thin White Duke]

... Would you ever do this or do you think black tie should be sacrosanct, and to do so is a step too far in the direction of reindeer-and-santa-emblazoned cummerbunds?

 

[bourbonbasted]

Stick to black. The attire requested isn't red tie.

 

[JayJay]

I'd never do this. Only black for me.

 

[Will]

The embroidered cummerbund would be more correct than the red tie.

 

[Von Franz]

This falls within the realm of "Creative black tie."

Creative black tie is dangerous ground.

Stay with a plain, self-tied black bow tie as long as the dress code dictates that you wear one. Doing otherwise may cause your outfit to look merely incorrect, rather than adventurous.

My own opinion is that "Black Tie" ought to be approached in an especially conservative way, since its beauty is in the austere, formal simplicity it embodies. Also, very few people nowadays dress in a completely correct way for black tie occasions, so you'll garner positive attention just by dressing by the book.

-VF

 

[unbelragazzo]



This falls within the realm of "Creative black tie."

Creative black tie is dangerous ground.

Stay with a plain, self-tied black bow tie as long as the dress code dictates that you wear one. Doing otherwise may cause your outfit to look merely incorrect, rather than adventurous.

My own opinion is that "Black Tie" ought to be approached in an especially conservative way, since its beauty is in the austere, formal simplicity it embodies. Also, very few people nowadays dress in a completely correct way for black tie occasions, so you'll garner positive attention just by dressing by the book.

-VF

+1....see 'state of black tie' or some such titled thread from a cpl weeks ago for further elaboration

 

[graymerica]

I went a "black tie" Christmas party at one of the oldest private clubs in the South last weekend. 20% of the tie/cumberbund sets were not plain black. I wore a black tie/cumberbund, but was going to wear a non-black set up till the last minute.

I say go for it.

 

[curzon]

Only if you're wearing antlers and a glowing red nose too.

 

[caseyfud]

Maybe in velvet...

 

[Aaron01]

Not plain red, but a tartan with matching cummerbund would work.

 

[Digmenow]

The Black Tie Guide

Neckwear

The Rule

There is one very simple rule for replacing the black bow tie: don’t.


Regardless of how commonly this sartorial gaffe appears at formal functions, it is still a faux pas. While it is true that matching ties and cummerbunds were recommended by even the most esteemed etiquette and fashion authorities from the 1960s through the early ‘80s, since that time there has been a return to classic standards which dictate the solid black bow tie is the only correct option with the black dinner jacket.

This is not simply a matter of changing fashions but, rather, a reflection of timeless style. Unlike the waistcoat, cummerbund or handkerchief, a contrasting bow tie is not framed by a dark color and therefore stands out as a glaring distraction. It has the effect of gift wrapping the neck and detracting from the face which is supposed to be the focal point of the suit.

And don't even think of substituting a white bow tie. Just as with the evening tailcoat, the full-dress bow tie is never meant to be seen outside of a white-tie ensemble and its appearance with a tuxedo is considered a grave solecism.

That said...

Adding Color

While color is the simplest way to customize a black-tie ensemble, its indiscreet use is the most common culprit in degrading the tuxedo from elegant formal attire to a sophomoric prom costume. In Dressing the Man, classic menswear authority Alan Flusser offers some simple advice for avoiding this pitfall:

• use only one colored accessory: “Injecting more than one contrasting accessory into the two-color format fragments its formal integrity into smaller, less important pieces.”
• surround the color with black: “By limiting your selection to only those components predominantly bordered by black, such as the waistcoat, cummerbund, dress shirt or pocket square, you have ensured that this single dollop of dissonance remains part of the whole.”
• use deep, rich colors: “The tonalities capable of enriching this already dramatic, high-contrast composition are those registering an equal degree of pluck and richness.” Plum, bottle green, deep gold and dark red are classic examples.

...and...

The Black Watch cummerbund above and jacket on the right demonstrate how a given tartan can vary in appearance. Not only are there pattern and color variations – such as Hunting or Dress – there can also be hue variations within those categories – namely Modern (the standard), Ancient and Weathered.

While most tartans can be worn by anyone, it’s bad form to wear plaids that are reserved for the use of a specific family or company, such as the Balmoral pattern which is for the sole use of the British royal family.

 

[GBR]

"Black tie" if that be the dress specified for the function is namely that not 'red tie'', something the organiser had the option to call for.

So no, I would not however commonly done it is today.

 

[Master Squirrel]

I've tried it back in the early 80s when it was popular. Don't do it.

 

[ter1413]

let me give you some deep insight....
no.

 

[FlyingMonkey]

The usual answer to this question is 'if you feel you have to ask, you already know what the answer is'. If, on the other hand, you understand that rules are a platform not a ceiling, and you know what you're doing, then you can actually get way with quite a lot, even with 'timeless style'. A very tiny number of people even create what everyone else thinks is timeless style. They don't hang around on SF or any other forums, though...