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Also being different shall add more of a visual interest. If you don’t have anything in your wardrobe that’s appropriate, we can recommend a number of excellent suit brands. Should time be on your side and you’re planning ahead, we’re very fond of the custom suitmakers Black Lapel and Indochino.
You can style your look with a formal hairstyle, jewelry, and elegant makeup. Black tie attire should be elegant but can also include the latest fashion trends. You'll find a wide selection of formal evening gowns with cut-outs, leg slits, and embellishments.
Marsoni MV1003 Dress
You can use certain elements to lift the formality of your attire to give you more freedom in other areas. A wedding—a black tie wedding, for that matter—is simply not the occasion to whip out your most scandalous dress—even if it’s a floor-length gown. If you’re not sure if something is appropriate, ask a friend for their honest opinion. You should probably save it for a wedding or event that doesn’t come with the “black tie” label. If you identify as non-binary, the traditional guidelines of a black tie wedding may seem a bit harder to apply.
However, it is essential that you balance imagination with taste to ensure that your overall ensemble remains appropriate. Wool, cotton, or any other natural fabric is acceptable, but for the most dignified look, consider a pair of black silk evening socks. If you're looking to show off those shoulders and arms, go with a halter-neck dress. We love this bright and bold style for a seaside wedding held at a fabulous tropical locale. You're sure to turn heads when you step into the venue in this vibrant ensemble. Pretty pink hues are always a good idea for spring and summer nuptials.
Copper Satin Slip Dress
And use the word comfort lightly though, it’s ok to be a bit uncomfortable sometimes. Heels are traditional, but if you can’t or don’t want to wear them for the health of your feet, fancy flats can work. Add jewels, long gloves, clutches, and other formal accessories to elevate your look.
White-tie invitations are rare unless you’re wealthy, famous, or in politics. But the chances are high that you’ll be invited to a black-tie event at some point in your life. He’s the grand duke of American prep, so of course he does a line of dinner jackets.
CELEBS & INFLUENCERS LOVE BLACKTIE!
Never show a glimpse of your legs on black-tie events.Go for something other than the standard evening socks, and just make sure your shoe still fits. Black-tie is a classy event so stick with a pair of clean and classic black socks. Ensure that you choose a bow tie that’s proportional to your head, jacket lapels, and shirt collar.
As with your suit, a tie worn to a Black-Tie Optional event should be dark monochromatic, and solid instead of patterned. Small and very subtle patterns can work, but solids are best. A black necktie can be worn here, but as we just mentioned, black bow ties should be avoided with dark suits. So better choices than a black necktie would be a necktie or a bow tie in something like burgundy, navy, a very dark forest green, or a very dark plum. A traditional tuxedo shirt, with features like a wing collar, pleats, or bib front, should not be worn as part of the Black-Tie Optional dress code unless worn with a full tuxedo. Pairing a tuxedo shirt with a dark suit will not dress up the formality of the suit, but it will make your entire ensemble look mismatched.
This is one of the rare occasions in which it’s acceptable to wear a black suit. Dark charcoal and deep navy are also perfectly acceptable options. There are no specific guidelines for hair and makeup when it comes to a black tie wedding. That said, you don’t want to look like you rolled out of bed and put on a fancy dress. If you’re a hair-and-makeup type of person, consider this your chance to go all out—a strong red lip, smokey eye, fancy chignon, you name it. If the wedding is a black tie affair, your wedding invitation will expressly say that.
A black tie wedding is certainly an opportunity to pull out your nicest outfit and accessories—we encourage a full glam moment. The day is still about the couple and you don’t want to wear anything so flashy that it might garner more attention than them. Maybe don’t combine head-to-toe crystal embellishment with a tiara with that faux fur stole, for example. If you don’t wear a waistcoat, you might wear a cummerbund that matches your bow tie, but both are slowly becoming optional for black-tie events. Make sure to wear one or the other for the most formal black-tie occasions, though. Black tie may be the second-most formal of evening dress codes, but for many people, it’s the most formal they’ll ever need to dress.
