Formal Wear Guide
Unless you're a movie star or a politician, formal wear is not something that many of us have a lot of in our wardrobes. However, the chances are that at some point you will need to buy a black tie outfit for a special occasion, be it your school formal, a wedding or a swish dinner. It pays to invest in quality formal dress and if you can afford to have something made to measure by a bespoke tailor, all the better. If your budget doesn't run to a tailor made suit, shirt or dress, don't despair, there are some great off the peg tuxedos and formal dresses around. Before you make your purchase, be sure you know what you're looking for. In the following pages we'll run through some of the main items of both men and women's formal and evening wear and give you an idea of what kind of black tie clothes would be best for you.
Men's Formal Wear
Tuxedo, or Dinner Jacket – For many people the dinner jacket, or tuxedo, is synonymous with men's black tie attire. A good dinner jacket should fit well, be comfortable to wear and look smart – this is not a time to go cheap and cheerful! Instead, buying a tuxedo should be seen as investment shopping – it's something you probably won't wear very often, but a quality dinner jacket is a classic piece of clothing and will never go out of fashion. A tuxedo is usually black (though midnight blue is also permissible) with silk or satin facings on the lapels. It is usually single-breasted and without vents at the back, though theses details are becoming more flexible. The sleeves on a tuxedo jacket should end just short of the edge of the shirt cuff underneath, giving a glimpse of white at the wearer's wrist. Think James Bond at the roulette table and you have the look.
Men's Formal Wear
Tuxedo, or Dinner Jacket – For many people the dinner jacket, or tuxedo, is synonymous with men's black tie attire. A good dinner jacket should fit well, be comfortable to wear and look smart – this is not a time to go cheap and cheerful! Instead, buying a tuxedo should be seen as investment shopping – it's something you probably won't wear very often, but a quality dinner jacket is a classic piece of clothing and will never go out of fashion. A tuxedo is usually black (though midnight blue is also permissible) with silk or satin facings on the lapels. It is usually single-breasted and without vents at the back, though theses details are becoming more flexible. The sleeves on a tuxedo jacket should end just short of the edge of the shirt cuff underneath, giving a glimpse of white at the wearer's wrist. Think James Bond at the roulette table and you have the look.
White Dinner Jacket – The white dinner jacket, sometimes known as a cocktail jacket, was originally developed by the British for wear at formal functions in warm, overseas climates. The white dinner jacket lacks the silk trim of the black tuxedo and is usually ivory rather than truly white. It's cache of being acceptable as black tie wear but a little different, makes it an increasingly popular choice for school formals and graduation dinners.
Trousers – The dress code for black tie trousers stipulates that they should have no belt loops, instead being keep up with braces and the waist itself often hidden by a cummerbund– but we'll come to that later. They should also fit perfectly lengthwise and have no turn ups. Often a strip of silk or satin, matching that on the lapels of the dinner jacket, runs down the outer seam of the dinner pants.
Shirt – A formal shirt is another item of black tie clothing that you should consider having tailored specifically for you. Remember that in our climate, there is a good chance that you'll take your tuxedo jacket off before the end of the evening and then the quality of your dinner shirt will be well and truly on display. The shirt is usually white, but there are a number of options to choose from in deciding which shirt front you'd prefer – pleated, marcella, ultra-traditionally stiff, or just plain as all acceptable. The shirt collar may be either a conventional turndown collar or winged. There is still a trend for the cuffs of formal dress shirts to be fastened with cufflinks and purists like to match their cufflinks with their shirt studs, though a normal buttoned shirt is also fine.
Bow Tie
The tie that everyone calls to mind when they think of a formal wear occasion is a black silk bow tie – ideally tied by hand. Whilst snobbery may dictate that this is still the way to go, there are good ready-knotted bow ties available from tailors and quality clothing stores which would fool all but the most seasoned dinner suit wearer.
Waistcoat, or Vest
Traditionally, formal wear and men's evening wear is not complete without a waistcoat, though this rule has slackened slightly in recent times. The waistcoat should be low-cut and these days, men often see them as an opportunity to show a little bit of self-expression, choosing the match it with their tie and/or cummerbund. If you wish to adhere to a strict black tie dress code, your waistcoat can have shawl lapels and be backless.
Cummerbund
The cummerbund has become one of the more optional components of the modern dinner suit, but some still feel underdressed without it. Usually, a cummerbund is cut from the same material as the bow tie, which again, allows for some more racy variations this day and age, especially amongst young men heading off to school formals, dances at University and weddings etc.
Formal Shoes
Plain, but extremely shiny, black patent-leather shoes are the pinnacle of men's formal footwear, though thoroughly polished, unfussy, black leather shoes of most descriptions will suffice in all but the most rigid of formal gatherings. And please, smart, black socks only!
A Brief Note on Etiquette
Historically, gentleman are not permitted to remove their dinner jackets at a formal function until either the most senior male in the room does so first, or they are told they can. Although you may still find yourself in a situation where this is the case (such as a military event), on the whole, Australians are a little more relaxed and at weddings etc, it's usually fine to take off your jacket once the main formalities are over.
Trousers – The dress code for black tie trousers stipulates that they should have no belt loops, instead being keep up with braces and the waist itself often hidden by a cummerbund– but we'll come to that later. They should also fit perfectly lengthwise and have no turn ups. Often a strip of silk or satin, matching that on the lapels of the dinner jacket, runs down the outer seam of the dinner pants.
Shirt – A formal shirt is another item of black tie clothing that you should consider having tailored specifically for you. Remember that in our climate, there is a good chance that you'll take your tuxedo jacket off before the end of the evening and then the quality of your dinner shirt will be well and truly on display. The shirt is usually white, but there are a number of options to choose from in deciding which shirt front you'd prefer – pleated, marcella, ultra-traditionally stiff, or just plain as all acceptable. The shirt collar may be either a conventional turndown collar or winged. There is still a trend for the cuffs of formal dress shirts to be fastened with cufflinks and purists like to match their cufflinks with their shirt studs, though a normal buttoned shirt is also fine.
Bow Tie
The tie that everyone calls to mind when they think of a formal wear occasion is a black silk bow tie – ideally tied by hand. Whilst snobbery may dictate that this is still the way to go, there are good ready-knotted bow ties available from tailors and quality clothing stores which would fool all but the most seasoned dinner suit wearer.
Waistcoat, or Vest
Traditionally, formal wear and men's evening wear is not complete without a waistcoat, though this rule has slackened slightly in recent times. The waistcoat should be low-cut and these days, men often see them as an opportunity to show a little bit of self-expression, choosing the match it with their tie and/or cummerbund. If you wish to adhere to a strict black tie dress code, your waistcoat can have shawl lapels and be backless.
Cummerbund
The cummerbund has become one of the more optional components of the modern dinner suit, but some still feel underdressed without it. Usually, a cummerbund is cut from the same material as the bow tie, which again, allows for some more racy variations this day and age, especially amongst young men heading off to school formals, dances at University and weddings etc.
Formal Shoes
Plain, but extremely shiny, black patent-leather shoes are the pinnacle of men's formal footwear, though thoroughly polished, unfussy, black leather shoes of most descriptions will suffice in all but the most rigid of formal gatherings. And please, smart, black socks only!
A Brief Note on Etiquette
Historically, gentleman are not permitted to remove their dinner jackets at a formal function until either the most senior male in the room does so first, or they are told they can. Although you may still find yourself in a situation where this is the case (such as a military event), on the whole, Australians are a little more relaxed and at weddings etc, it's usually fine to take off your jacket once the main formalities are over.
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