Subscribe:
RSS feed
musings on men's formal wear from the creator of The Black Tie Guide
Browsing All Posts filed under »Dress Codes & Etiquette«
White Tie at the Holy See
It’s rare enough for White Tie to be worn to any diplomatic occasion these days but rarer still to see it worn as per Vatican protocol: in broad daylight and with a black waistcoat. The replacement of the usual white waistcoat may well be related to the proscription of white dresses at papal audiences for any woman other […]
Flashback: 1920s Etiquette
February 14, 2013
I came across this wonderful cartoon on the Cutter and Tailor forum. The person who posted it informs me that it came from a 1924 issue of Vanity Fair and that the caption was “Dinner jacket is SEMIformal.” Ah for the days when a full black-tie kit was the formal equivalent of slumming it.
Vienna Balls Dress Codes
February 7, 2013
While writing a recent post on Vienna’s famous balls I stumbled across a remarkable booklet called DRESSCODES that is devoted entirely to the dress etiquette for these affairs. I say “remarkable” because in an age where vulgarity and slovenliness is increasingly fashionable, Vienna’s social leaders have the audacity to suggest that people hold themselves to […]
The Joy of Tux
October 25, 2012
A Robb Report article once stated “of all the days that blend into years that drift into the past, tuxedo days are, without exception, special days.” After a year-long black-tie drought I finally had a chance to don my own tuxedo recently and discovered this adage to be as true as ever. The sense of […]
Review: GQ’s “The New Rules of Black Tie”
September 4, 2012
In direct opposition to its title, GQ’s latest guide to Black Tie etiquette is one of the most conservative interpretations in the periodical’s history. This time around the magazine best known for slavishly promoting the latest fashion fads has sought advice from a source epitomizing conventional style: Alfred Dunhill, an established English retailer of men’s […]
Afternoon Weddings, Evening Receptions
April 3, 2012
I get a lot of queries from North American brides and grooms about what dress is appropriate for formal weddings that straddle the dividing line between day and evening. I answer this question in the Guide’s Formal Evening Weddings page but it’s worth repeating here. To recap the standard etiquette, if the ceremony and reception […]
Review: Details Formal Guides
December 10, 2011
As conservative as I may be, I’m the first to admit that if it wasn’t for change black tie would have never developed such natty variations as the white dinner jacket and the formal turndown collar shirt. However these changes were introduced by impeccable dressers and their experienced tailors who understood the rules well enough […]
Review: Sharp Magazine’s Book for Men Fall/Winter 2011
November 20, 2011
On the heels of Esquire‘s online guide to black tie comes more encouraging news for tuxedo tradition. Sharp magazine’s The Book for Men is the Canadian equivalent of Esquire‘s Big Black Book and the Fall/Winter 2011 edition contains some relatively sound advice on evening wear. Their “Definitive Rules of Black Tie” pictorial shows a “classic” […]
Remembrance Poppies
November 11, 2011
Today is the perfect day to remind my fellow Canadians and Commonwealth cousins that the poppy is as appropriate on a tuxedo as it is on any other type of jacket. Since World War I, wearing an artificial poppy to commemorate the sacrifice of veterans and civilians in past wars has been a popular tradition […]
Review: Esquire‘s Guide to Black Tie
November 9, 2011
After spending so many years learning how to properly execute Black Tie and discovering its unsurpassed ability to enhance both a man and an evening, it’s discouraging to witness the constant barrage of poor role models in popular culture. Whether it’s a clueless celebrity opting for an undone shirt with his tuxedo or a new […]
March 22, 2013
8