The Black Tie Etiquette

Look your best on a black tie

The wearing of a black tie has become a common dress code required on some occasions like weddings. Some wedding invitations specifically provide for guests to wear black tie and there are ways by which you can wear the same with a dignified attitude. It is safe to assume that wedding couples or the organizers intend to send invitation with this kind of dress code to their guests because they plan to have a formal wedding ceremony.

Some interpret wearing black tie simply as a formal event but others take it as a signal that guests should wear a tuxedo. Many take the pride of flaunting their dress to a formal wedding celebration and feeling proud of themselves. It is best to expect that you need to wear a black tie on the wedding occasion and look your best. This means you are expected to show up in the wedding in a tuxedo and accompanied with other necessary accessories. You can match your attire with a black dinner jacket or trousers. Men can also wear a white formal shirt with a black bow tie. Of course you need to match it with a black socks and shoes.

If you receive an invitation with a dress code that states “black tie preferred” this means that it is not an absolute dress code to wear tuxedo in the occasion. The host of the party does not want to exclude others who cannot afford to buy or rent a tuxedo but they are still welcome in any formal attire when attending the celebration.

Guests having a dilemma whether a black tie dress code means they should wear a tuxedo or any formal business attire should contact the organizer of the occasion to ask what they specifically expect their guests to wear. At the end of the day, your choice will always depend which suit you are comfortable of wearing for the occasion.