Black Tie usually indicates an evening wedding where men wear tuxedos with black bow tie and women wear formal floor-length gowns. Black tie does not mean you must wear black.
Also referred to as Evening Dress, Black Tie is the most popular formal event dress code and calls for a dinner suit or tuxedo (in single or double breasted) with contrast silk lapels and a bow tie. You cannot simply wear a black business suit.
Black tie requires a dress or suit for women, or a coordinated two piece. It should ideally be floor length but it doesn't need to be—dresses shorter than the ankle can be appropriate if they're of an appropriately formal cut and fabrication. Embellishments, trains and a figure-hugging fits are all encouraged.
Traditionally, a black-tie dress code denotes a formal evening occasion, where men are meant to wear tuxedos and women, floor-length gowns.
Women should wear: An elegant dress, separates or jumpsuit and heels. Men should wear: A suit and in most instances, a tie. Smart trousers and a blazer are also acceptable.
Dress as you would if you were going out to the theater or a fancy dinner. A cocktail dress, nothing too sexy, but something fun to dance in. Black is fine, but white is considered impolite. A dressy suit or a cocktail suit.
What Is a Black Tie Event? Black tie is a formal dress code for evening occasions such as a dinner party, awards ceremony, milestone birthday, or wedding. Less formal than white tie but more formal than business dress, it is traditionally worn for events after 6pm.
A suit alone won't cut it at a black tie wedding. A tuxedo or smoking jacket is required — generally in black, though more modern takes allow for navy, white, and dark grey. The jacket should have contrast lapels and you can choose to add an optional cummerbund.
As the name suggests, you should wear a black suit, with a black tie, and a white shirt. The most basic definition of a Black Tie Event Dress Code is a black tuxedo or smoking jacket, however more recently people have been experimenting with Burgundy and other colors.
For a black-tie event, avoid wearing: Suits even black – black-tie dress code means a tuxedo or formal dinner jacket outfit. Opened toed shoes.
Black tie for men generally means a tuxedo comprised of a dinner jacket; often black (or more recently, a deep midnight blue), trousers, formal white shirt, an optional waistcoat or cummerbund, bow tie and formal black shoes.
For these earlier occasions, wear a formal tea-length dress, an elegant suit (with a skirt or trousers), or a dressed-up cocktail dress. But remember, you should never wear a short or mini dress to a black-tie wedding, no matter the time of day or venue.
While cocktail dresses can be appropriate, black tie dress code typically calls for floor-length dresses or gowns. Black tie for women generally translates to “long.” Long dresses are more of an elevated choice than a cocktail dress.
"Jewel tones and sparkly fabrics are absolutely acceptable for black-tie weddings." To ensure your colorful outfit fits the bill, choose longer hemlines, fancier fabrics, and more formal-looking attire overall.
There is something about gold accessories against a black suit. The combination is refined and sophisticated, warm and understated. This simple pairing, whether that be cufflinks, a set of shirt studs or a lapel pin, can offer rich tones and an elegant finish to your black-tie outfit.
Typically, a black-tie wedding requires guests to wear either a tuxedo or an evening dress. "The lines have been blurred over the years, but it is safe to assume that black tie means fancy, and you really can't be too over-dressed (short of wearing a white, floor-length dress yourself)," says Mayer.
What is the difference between black tie and a tuxedo? Simply, black tie is a dress code and tuxedo is a type suit. The reason the two terms often get confused is because a tuxedo must be worn if the dress code specifies black tie attire. This has also lead to tuxedos being labelled as black tie suits.
Avoid jeans, shorts, T-shirts, and a tank top that can be black-tie formal wear and are not appropriate for a black-tie event. Opened collar dress shirts without a bowtie or formal necktie should not be worn to a black-tie event. An opened collar dress shirt is considered to be too casual for a black-tie event.
Black Tie is a dress code that for men consists of the traditional tuxedo and accompaniments: a black dinner jacket and matching trousers, an optional black formal waistcoat or black cummerbund, a white formal shirt, a black bow tie or alternatively a black long tie, black dress socks, and black formal shoes.
The only real color that's off-limits as a wedding guest is white, but there are some color schemes that work best for black tie weddings. "Most guests will stick to darker hues like burgundy, black, navy and gray.
As long as the event calls for a particular level of formality and you won't upstage the couple or the wedding party, it's safe to wear black to the wedding.
What does a Black Tie Optional outfit include? Traditionally, a dark suit with a white or blue shirt, a dark, simple tie or bow tie, dark socks, and dark leather shoes. The idea of this outfit is to approximate the formality of a tuxedo without actually being a tuxedo.
Simply put, “black tie” for women best translates as “long”, and in an evening-appropriate fabric, such as velvet, chiffon, silk or lace.
Unless otherwise specified on the invitation, 'black tie' in general permits any length, so midi and even shorter styles, within reason, are acceptable. But, given the formality, showing a lot of skin might draw stares from other guests. Midi-to-full hemlines are your safest (and chicest) bet.
Can You Wear a Blue Suit with a Black Tie? Yes! This combo is a classic and looks great with the right styling. You can wear dark blue suits with black ties for formal occasions or situations where you don't want to attract a lot of attention to your outfits, such as funerals or job interviews.