subject: What Is Black Tie Attire [print this page] Some people think that putting on a suit is enough to look classy and even adequate for a formal event such as a ball, ceremonies or even the Oscars. But what happened with the expensive fabrics and really high-class colours? Since when is a t-shirt the right choice for the red carpet? It is especially invalid if you're nominated for best actor or album of the year. Black tie attire was the best thing that had happened to such events. It was a union of all necessary factors - elegance, formality and a bit of flavour.
In the history of formalwear there are several very interesting and curious facts. First of all, even though today black is always in fashion and is considered as the most formal colour, in the past things were not exactly like this. It was, after all, thought as the alternative for the famous White Tie Attire. The black variety originates from the 1860 when in England the Prince of Wales asked his tailor for a shorter and more comfortable tailcoat (usual white tie apparel). The invention of this tailor gave birth to the current tuxedo.
If you, just like The Prince himself, are going to visit an event with a dress code, it would be better to pay attention to the rules of the style.
First of all, we must answer to the usual question: So, what is this black tie attire?. This is a type of extremely formal type of dress code that consists of a black tuxedo, black bow tie with a solid colour (no funny patterns, guys!), pleated tuxedo shirt, dress, shoes, studs, cufflinks and a vest or a cummerbund for a tasteful finishing touch. It might seem almost too formal for some, but it is most definitely a better choice for the wedding of your boss than the jeans and t-shirt you wear when going to the local store. Not to mention that there is always a place for a personal touch and additional accessories, if you so desperately covert for them.
In addition, we should mention the fact that white or ivory-coloured tuxedos are also acceptable when invited to an event with a black Tie dress code. That is, however, only if the event will take place during the day and if the day is a hot one like tea, wedding or anniversary parties that are usually done under open air. The tuxedo can even be optional, but only if it is mentioned in the invitation as "Black Tie Optional" event since what makes the black so black is the tuxedo. Another very important detail to know is that not every type of formal shoes will do the trick for such an occasion. The best choice would be a neat pair made from a glossy type of leather with a very thin sole.
So, all in all, it doesn't matter what you see at the Oscars and the Grammys, a Black Tie dress code means that you should be dressed entirely in black and white. Actually, if the stars sometimes listened to the dress code arrangers, they would have spared us a bit of laughs.
