The State of Black Tie: Your Observations

[brax]

Fit really has little to do with it. Leaving the front open just downgrades a formal outfit into a costume. When attending a formal function then it is best to keep your outfit properly buttoned and maintained - not to prance around like a young superhero because it looks "great" or cool open. It has become so prelevant that jacket is worn open when wearing a waistcoat, so it is pointless to continue arguing on this topic, but traditionally the jacket was worn buttoned.

That’s just flat wrong. Unbuttoning a jacket “downgrades a formal outfit into a costume?” Then why are the most formal daywear (morning suit) and most formal eveningwear (white tie) designed to be worn unbuttoned? Unbuttoning a jacket neither adds or subtracts from the formality of an outfit. Most jackets look better buttoned as they are cut to be worn that way. But a properly cut dinner jacket (thanks CD) can look equally great unbuttoned.

 

[The Dirty Pigeon]

I attended an event over the weekend in Southern California. The dress code was specifically black tie and not black tie optional or creative black tie. About half of the men, maybe less, were dressed in some semblance of black tie attire and the rest were not.

Of the men who were not in black tie, most wore a basic medium-to-dark suit. I did see a couple of lighter suits like tan and light gray. A few men went for the suit and no-tie look. I don't think I saw any men wearing anything less formal than a suit with no tie.

Of the men who were in black tie, most looked quite good. There was a variety of black and midnight blue single breasted dinner suits with an occasional contemporary medium gray birdseye or mid-blue variation. Some had two buttons in the front. I don't think I saw one double breasted jacket. Both peak and shawl lapels were evenly distributed with notch lapel making an occasional appearance. I was surprised to see details like shirt studs and self tied bow-ties here and there. Many ties were of the pre-made variety, of course. If I had to guess, I’d say that about half of the men in black tie wore waist coverings. I might have been the only person wearing a cummerbund as waistcoats seemed more prominent with those who wore a waist covering. Pocket squares were only occasional. As for footwear, most often I saw some kind of matte black derbies or leather loafer/slip-on. I might have been the only guest wearing patent leather oxfords. I didn’t see one pair of opera pumps or formal loafers nor did I see any velvet slippers.

Men in black tie mostly buttoned their jackets while standing whereas the men in suits were more often unbuttoned.

One thing that seemed consistent across the board was decent fit. I actually felt a little insecure in my slightly-too-tight jacket as most men seemed to have their fit dialed in quite well. However, the length of some trousers did seem too long.

As for the women, I’d say about half wore evening dresses and the rest were wearing midi-to-maxi length dresses.

Overall, I am glad that I stuck to the requested dress code. I started the night with my jacket buttoned but it was a little uncomfortable and unflattering because the chest and stomach are about 1.5-2" inches too tight. I left it unbuttoned for the rest of the evening which felt much better and I had a great time. I actually received a compliment for my bow-tie, a lovely satin one piece self tie made custom by @Sam Hober .

Not the best photo but I took a snap of my ensemble on the drive:

 

[Cause Moe]

That’s just flat wrong. Unbuttoning a jacket “downgrades a formal outfit into a costume?” Then why are the most formal daywear (morning suit) and most formal eveningwear (white tie) designed to be worn unbuttoned? Unbuttoning a jacket neither adds or subtracts from the formality of an outfit. Most jackets look better buttoned as they are cut to be worn that way. But a properly cut dinner jacket (thanks CD) can look equally great unbuttoned.

I agree that an unbuttoned tuxedo jacket does not downgrade an outfit to a "costume," but your appeals to Morning Dress and White Tie are a bit dated. In the real 21st century world, Morning Dress and White Tie are quite rare, and Morning Dress seems be mostly worn at weddings, frequently in the form of a costume uniform, even with garish colors to match the garish matching dress costumes of the bride's entourage. I've attended weddings where the groom and groomsmen looked like clowns in their matching rental morning suits and matching pocket squares and pre-tied cravats. At the wedding where the accessory color was bright purple, the groom's party looked like Burgess Meredith as The Penguin.

I think it's a general consensus that an unbuttoned tuxedo jacket is less formal than a buttoned tuxedo jacket. Where that falls in anybody's "rules" is harder to nail down, but claiming that unbuttoning a tuxedo jacket doesn't reduce the formality of the outfit is a fringe opinion.

 

[MajorDash]

What do you guys think about this particular dinner jacket? My college roommate is getting married, and he asked what I thought about this black/blue jacquard dinner jacket.

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His concern is that the bride's maid dresses and some of the bride's family will be wearing red. I don't think that there is anything wrong with wearing a jacket with a little bit of blue while everyone else will be wearing red, but I am not really super informed on black tie.

What do you guys think?

 

[Mark from Plano]

Where are you located? When is the wedding?

The dinner jacket itself isn’t bad as a 3rd or 4th dinner jacket in the wardrobe, but for $3500 he could have a bespoke tuxedo from someone like Divij Bespoke (as an example) and it’ll fit him perfectly and be much more versatile.

 

[MajorDash]

November in northern California. He works in tech, so black tie going forward probably won't be something he reaches for frequently (and by the same extension, money isn't really a problem for him I'd wager).

Not sure if it matters either, but he and his fiancé are Indian (both born and raise in USA) and he may be going for something that might be slightly reminiscent of a traditional sherwani. Just a hypothesis.

 

[The Chai]

On the buttoning issue the only times I button my tux these days is when a photo is being taken or on the off occasion I have to make a presentation of some sort. Buttoned coats ain't conducive to the boogie

 

[jiredell]

On the buttoning issue the only times I button my tux these days is when a photo is being taken or on the off occasion I have to make a presentation of some sort. Buttoned coats ain't conducive to the boogie

+ when you've got to make that quick bathroom key dip to your yayo, being buttoned up hampers that ****. Best to be agile.

 

[Krish the Fish]

November in northern California. He works in tech, so black tie going forward probably won't be something he reaches for frequently (and by the same extension, money isn't really a problem for him I'd wager).

Not sure if it matters either, but he and his fiancé are Indian (both born and raise in USA) and he may be going for something that might be slightly reminiscent of a traditional sherwani. Just a hypothesis.

If he wants a Sherwani, Sabyasachi is where we got mine for our Hindu wedding. I second the recommendation for a bespoke tuxedo at that price (I had Formosa and an MTO ivory dinner jacket by them at the time for our chapel ceremony; now I have a number made by Steven Hitchcock)

 

[The Chai]

+ when you've got to make that quick bathroom key dip to your yayo, being buttoned up hampers that ****. Best to be agile.

When you need to do the poo poo, wearing a three piece and braces can be an issue!

 

[txdoroyale31]

Gauntlet buttons on a dress shirt - do you guys prefer it with or without it?

 

[The Dirty Pigeon]

Gauntlet buttons on a dress shirt - do you guys prefer it with or without it?
View attachment 1808016

Wow, I never considered this before. My tuxedo shirts don’t have that button and I like it that way. I like the button on my casual shirts because it helps with a good looking sleeve roll.

 

[Thin White Duke]

Hate gauntlet buttons on all shirts. Completely pointless for my needs and as a frequent air traveller, now that planes have cheap plastic interiors with no armrest padding the buttons can be very uncomfortable. Same when leaning on a desk typing.

 

[Andy57]

Gauntlet buttons on a dress shirt - do you guys prefer it with or without it?
View attachment 1808016

My formal shirts are made by Budd and Emma Willis, both English makers and hence the shirts are not made with gauntlet buttons. I prefer that.

 

[ValidusLA]

Wow, I never considered this before. My tuxedo shirts don’t have that button and I like it that way. I like the button on my casual shirts because it helps with a good looking sleeve roll.

Indeed, the only thing you need a gauntlet button for is rolling. As you aren't going to be rolling a french cuff, no need for a button.