Your Role:
Date:

If you’d like to resume your wedding planning, simply click the button below.

Resume Wedding Planning
Showrooms

Find Your Showroom

Enable location services in your web browser to find the nearest showroom to you.

Nearest Showroom
Closest showroom
Black Tie Attire for Men: Special Event & Wedding Outfits

Style

Black Tie Attire for Men: Special Event & Wedding Outfits

If black tie attire for men seems stuffy and dated, that's because it can be. We'll change your mind in five minutes with our black tie attire recommendations.

Last updated: Copy Link

 

The black tie dress code is one of the few that has strict rules. If following black tie etiquette is a test, we have the cheat sheet. Need to understand the in’s and out’s of the black tie for wedding ceremonies and receptions? We've got you. Need simple outfit ideas, or just an easy-to-understand definition? We'll cover that, too.

 

For more information on dress codes, check out our full guide here.

 


 

 

Table of Contents

 

Black Tie Attire Definition

Men’s Black Tie Attire for Weddings

Black Tie Attire for Special Events

 

 


 

Black Tie Attire Definition

 

As one of the most formal dress codes, there’s actually a wrong way to do black tie attire. That may sound rigid and annoying in today’s atmosphere of self-expression, but the whole idea of black tie attire is that everyone’s on equal footing. You know exactly what you and everyone else will wear: a black tuxedo, a black bow tie, white shirt, and black shoes—usually patent leather. The whole ensemble should be black and white, more or less.

 

If it’s really that simple, what’s to know?

 

A man in a midnight blue tuxedo follows black tie dress code.

 

There are more than a few ways to make black tie more personalized. The most obvious is making sure your tuxedo has a modern fit, and that it actually fits you. It’s also worth considering lapel shapes and accessories, because a limited color palette shouldn't stop you from making your outfit unique.

 

 

Go back to Table of Contents

 


 

Men’s Black Tie Attire for Weddings

 

You can bet that any wedding with a black tie attire dress code request is going to be fancy, ya’ll—it’d be weird to tell your guests to wear a tux to a rustic hoedown, though not impossible. Still, a wedding isn’t the occasion to fudge the black tie rules.

 

Tuxedo

Peak lapel tuxedos are probably the most formal version of the black tux, but this one’s tailored cut gives it a fresh feel—a great choice for any black tie wedding.

 

 

If you’re aiming for a more modern black tie attire look, try a black shawl lapel tuxedo. This tuxedo’s rounded lapel isn’t quite as traditional as the peak lapel, but it’s still formal enough for a black tie wedding.

 

 

Shirt

A traditional wing tip shirt is this dress code at a 10. A simple white cotton dress shirt will get the job done, and like a wing tip shirt, you can always accessorize with button studs and cufflinks—more on those later—to up your tux shirt game. Or, for a modern mashup of the other two styles, try this pleated front, fold-down collared shirt. Think the french cuffs will draw glances? Oui.

 

 

Neckwear

No two solid black bow ties are really the same, but there are alternatives to the classic black butterfly bow tie. The diamond point style, or just a wider-than-usual butterfly bow tie are both solid options. (Pun-stoppable wordplay, people.)

 

 

Pocket Square

The pocket square’s greatest weapon is contrast, and a clean white linen square will pop against your black tuxedo jacket. Honestly, white pocket squares work as well as anything—pattern, color, anything. So it’s not really a stylistic sacrifice to stick to the dress code here.

 

 

Shoes

Patent leather and black tuxedos are a natural match, but if you’re a shoe guy at heart and can’t stick to the basics, try a cap toe shoe.

 

 

 

patent leather shoes for black tie attire

 

Cufflinks & Button Studs

Guys tend to overdo their cufflinks. They get like, I don’t know, Hulk cufflinks and wear two little Hulks to a black tie wedding. And honestly that's fine, but just know there are more subtle options—a pattern or simple motif. More of a Bruce Banner cufflink.

 

If you also wear button studs, which fill in for the buttons on the front of some tuxedo shirts, just make sure the metals match. It’s hard to mess this up.

 

 

Waist Covering

A waist covering is optional, but this adds a layer to your outfit which is another opportunity to distinguish yourself. Take the cummerbund — traditional, but what's wrong with that? As shown below, the cummerbund should be the same color as your tuxedo pants.

 

 

The vest is a more modern waist covering, but aim for a low-cut vest for a traditional men's black tie attire outfit.

 

tuxedo vest for men's black tie attire

 

 

Go back to Table of Contents

 


 

Black Tie Attire for Special Events

 

Apparently you’re living that life — with invitations to black tie events that aren't weddings. These kinds of events probably don’t come along often, so make the most of it and do it right. If you get the feeling this is a more traditional (or conservative) event, stick with traditional black tie attire: black and white everything, with minimal latitude for patterns on your accessories. In fact, every option we listed above would work just as well as men's black tie attire for weddings as it would for a special event.

 

 

On the other hand, if this seems like a trendier or more celebratory event, you’re clear to do a little more to stand out.

 

Tuxedo

Notch lapel tuxedos are a more casual black tuxedo style—as you can see, the lapels are shaped like most suit lapels, and this one has a two button closure (the most formal tuxedos have a single button). This is still a black tux, so it’s still a smart choice for a modern black tie dress code.

 

 

Your eyes are working fine—that is a midnight blue tuxedo. We often see these worn on the red carpet at awards shows, and rightfully so: the style was designed as a substitute for black tuxedos. It’s still a perfectly worthy alternative when you need to follow black tie dress code etiquette.

 

 

Shirt

Two of our black tie recommendations below (the wing tip and fold-down styles with concealed button plackets) feature folded french cuffs, but there’s still nothing wrong with old reliable: the cotton dress shirt with barrel cuffs.

 

 

Neckwear

A subtle pin dot pattern is just one example of how you can live in the black and white palette and make it interesting. You can still add variety with shape, and a straight (also called batwing) bow tie is a modern take on the butterfly shape. Or in cooler weather, try a chunkier fabric like velvet to add texture to your look.

 

 

Pocket Square

Our pin dot pocket square is elegant, it’s interesting, and it definitely qualifies as black tie attire. Just don’t match it with the pin dot bow tie (too matchy). Any predominantly black pocket square won’t draw too much attention, which is why this funky leopard printed square is also fair game.

 

 

Shoes

The wood sole on these patent leather shoes is a high-low move, adding a rugged touch to your otherwise sleek outfit. Or to add texture in a less obvious way with these patent and grosgrain loafers.

 

 

Waist Covering

We like this low cut vest with the midnight blue tuxedo (and shawl collar or peak lapel tuxedos, too). Just make sure you choose a midnight blue vest to match the tux—harmony is the goal.

 

 

 

Go back to Table of Contents

 


 

Men's Black Tie Attire for All

 

Time was when guys just wore tuxedos almost everywhere—they were called dinner jackets. We still have dinner every single day, but we do not wear a tuxedo every day. Casual times mean casual clothes dominate the wardrobe, so you may not have a tuxedo you can just pull out and throw on every time an important event comes up.

 

Midnight blue tuxedos are appropriate for black tie dress code etiquette.

 

But when you do get one of those invitations, you want to do it right. You want the tux to fit you well, for it to be a fashionable style, and if you're human, you want to snag a few compliments. That has typically been a... difficult combo to find in a tuxedo rental, and renting is really the best option for many of us.

 

That's why we changed it.

 

Wearing a tuxedo should be something you look forward to, something to celebrate. These are important days, and we want to help you step up. That's why we make high quality tuxedos with a better fit, and deliver them to you for your biggest events.

 

Ready to arrive in a better tux? Get started here.

 


 

GO BACK TO DRESS CODES GUIDE➝