Table of Content
However, in my experience, while the men all wear the tuxedos, at awards events women will usually just wear very dressy cocktail dresses rather than a full swirly evening dress ala Kate Middleton! A cummerbund may be worn with a dinner jacket in lieu of a waistcoat and, although it is considered slightly less formal, it is equally correct. It looks especially well with a shawl collar dinner jacket but may be worn in conjunction with peak lapels. The material of the cummerbund should be silk satin, grosgrain, also called faille, or barathea to match that of the bow tie. It features upward-facing folds, which were originally used to store theatre or opera tickets, and are now considered to be more decorative than functional.
I go to our professional association conference and dinner/awards etc every few years and that is 'black tie'. Most women wear a calf length nice dress and heels with a minority in a full evening gown or shorter 'cocktail' dress. My fave was a young member of my team who wore dark indigo skinny jeans, white shirt, black satin tux, black bow tie and killer silver heels. As the cummerbund is seen as an extension of the trousers, traditionally it is the same colour, i.e. black.
Best Satin Mock Neck Dress, $78
The bow on this easy-to-wear cocktail dress is a stand-out, and we can't get over the faux feathers on the bottom of this cocktail dress—which makes it a great pick for a New Year's Eve party. Then there's this pleated long-sleeve dress that's wonderfully fun yet just a touch warmer for a fall or winter party, and you can look to this under-$230 mermaid style gown for a black tie soiree. Now that you know all the dos and don’ts of black tie dresses and formal events, the only thing left to do is dress up and enjoy. Remember, you can’t rock a formal dress without being confident in what you are wearing, so be proud, have fun, and enjoy your night. Your black tie dresses can also vary depending on the invitation; is the event formal or laid back?
However, unlike a casual or cocktail dress code, a black tie optional wedding leaves the door open for ultra-fancy wear. You can come dressed to the nines and no one would blame you for it. Tuxedos and ball gowns are widely accepted as proper black tie optional attire, but you can dress down from that as well if you prefer and still fit the dress code. Classic long plus size black-tie event formal dresses that hit the ankle or fall to the floor test the standard of time. Opting for the simplicity of a solid evening gown in a sensational fabric such as Mikado satin or taffeta shows elegance but can also include a modern flair.
Best black tie dresses & formal gowns for 2022
A midnight blue dinner jacket might seem outré in this day and age, but it’s more historically accurate. Here is an ultimate guide to the black-tie dress code below. Remember, a black-tie event is your chance to dress to the nines!
As of 2015 Cunard requires one of a dinner jacket, a dark suit, formal national dress or military uniform for gentlemen diners on formal evenings. Similarly, the luxury cruise liner, Seabourn, stipulates either a dinner suit or a dark business suit on formal evenings. Black tie is worn to private and public dinners, balls, and parties. At the more formal end of the social spectrum, it has to a large extent replaced the more formal white tie.
Shop with confidence
Prior to the late 1930s, black tie was even discouraged as too informal for evening weddings, with Amy Vanderbilt arguing that "no man should ever be caught in a church in a tuxedo". Emily Post would continue to argue in preference of white tie at evening weddings into the 1950s. Since the 20th century, however, black tie has been worn increasingly and today a dark lounge suit is generally acceptable.
The most formal types of black-tie affairs include prestigious soirees such as state dinners, business awards, and formal evening weddings. In such circumstances, refined guests will display their respect for their hosts by choosing attire that meets the requirements of proper black tie. Better yet, they will opt for classic black tie, the highest possible standard for the dinner jacket. A lot of these black tie dresses come in more than the 1 color shown so if you like a style, click to see what colors and sizes are available. Since it’s wedding guest shopping season, a lot of these styles are selling out quickly so if you like it get it now.
It's not red carpet glamour, but the dresses you have looked at would be absolutely fine - a lot of women do wear black for formal occasions, though any colour is fine. Oh, and one point is that as a rule, it was considered inappropriate to wear anything too "sexy" for a work-related awards event. I think the dresses you've shown pictures of would all be considered a bit too revealing/figure hugging for the events I used to attend. In anticipated hot weather, Red Sea rig is specified in the invitation, although this dress is esoteric in civilian circles, and is particular to certain expatriate communities. An essay in the Tuxedo Park archives attributes the jacket's importation to America to resident James Brown Potter, a merchant banker who had worked in London for Brown Brothers. This led the American establishment to reject it out of hand.
However, you might not want to wear bright floral print or overly bright pattern dresses as these are often more casual than a black tie optional event entails. While cocktail attire allows for brighter styles, black tie or optional black tie events call for a classier look. Leave the details to us and be confident that your suit or tuxedo will look and fit perfectly.
