Black Tie Dress Code for Men: The Jacket, Trousers, Shirt, Bow Tie and Shoes

The black tie dress code means a dinner jacket for men: a tuxedo jacket with matching trousers, a white dress shirt, a bow tie and polished black shoes. It is the standard for formal evening events. Brunello Cucinelli offers a softer take in sand silk, and Coveti carries it alongside the bow ties in our men’s ties and bow ties edit.

What does black tie mean for men?

Black tie is an evening dress code, one step below white tie and well above lounge suit. When an invitation says black tie, the host is asking for a dinner jacket, the British name for what Americans call a tuxedo. It is worn for evening weddings, galas, formal dinners, award nights and the kind of party where the venue sets the tone before you arrive.

The rules are fewer than people fear. Get the five core pieces right and the rest is detail. Our guide to Brunello Cucinelli menswear covers how the house approaches tailoring across the whole line, and the edit of Brunello Cucinelli suits and blazers puts the tuxedo next to the chalk stripe and chevron jackets.

The black tie checklist

The jacket

The dinner jacket is the piece the dress code is named around. Traditionally it is black, with lapels faced in silk, usually single breasted with one button, though double breasted versions are just as correct. Midnight navy is the established alternative to black, and under artificial light it can look richer than black itself. Ivory jackets are the traditional choice for warm climates and summer evening events.

The One-and-a-half-breasted tuxedo jacket in Sand belongs to that lighter family. It is 100% silk, cut with the one-and-a-half-breasted closure Brunello Cucinelli uses on its Tailor jackets, a fastening between single and double breasted. Sand is not a strict black tie colour, so wear it where the code leaves room: a summer wedding, a destination party, a creative black tie invitation and a festive dinner where the host has asked guests to have fun with it.

The trousers

Black tie trousers match the jacket, sit at the natural waist and are held up by braces rather than a belt, which keeps the line clean under the jacket. The Double-pleated tuxedo trousers in Sand are cut in the same 100% silk as the jacket, and the double pleats give a fuller, more fluid leg that suits evening clothes. Our guide to pleated trousers for men explains why pleats and a higher rise look so right with formal tailoring.

The shirt

The shirt should be white, pressed and plain. A turn-down collar is the modern standard; French cuffs give you somewhere to wear cufflinks. If you prefer a cleaner front without a bib, a fine cotton shirt with a crisp collar is a perfectly correct choice. The Sea Island cotton shirt in White is 100% cotton, and its smooth hand looks right next to silk.

The bow tie

A black silk bow tie is the rule for strict black tie. For a winter party, and with a lighter jacket, a bow tie in a dark colour and a matte cloth reads as deliberate rather than casual. The Flannel bowtie in Blue is 100% virgin wool, and that dark blue against a sand silk jacket is a far more interesting pairing than black. Keep the bow tie in proportion to your face and collar: not wider than the outer edges of your eyes, roughly.

The shoes

Black patent leather is the classic, and highly polished black calf is the accepted alternative. Plain fronts, thin soles, no broguing. Suede and sneakers belong to the after party, not the dinner.

What about winter black tie?

Winter changes the extras rather than the core. A dark overcoat goes over the dinner jacket, and it should be long enough to cover the jacket hem. The Comfort cotton and cashmere coat in Navy Blue sits well over evening tailoring, and the Chevron coat in Dark Grey is the heavier option for a cold walk to the venue. Add the Shearling gloves in Sand, which pick up the colour of the tuxedo. Our round-up of the best luxury winter coats for men has more options to wear over a dinner jacket.

Velvet is the other winter move. A velvet dinner jacket in a deep colour, worn with black trousers, is a long-standing alternative for a winter party at home and a festive dinner.

Black tie optional and creative black tie

• Black tie. A dinner jacket is expected.
• Black tie optional. A dinner jacket is welcome, and a dark suit with a tie is also acceptable.
• Creative black tie. The structure of black tie, with room to play with colour, cloth and accessories. This is where a sand silk tuxedo and a blue flannel bow tie come into their own.

When in doubt, ask the host. It is far better to ask than to arrive in the wrong clothes. If the evening is part of a winter weekend away, our guide to old money winter outfits for men covers the daytime wardrobe that goes with it.

How should a dinner jacket fit?

Like any tailored jacket, only a little cleaner. The shoulders should be smooth, the jacket should close without pulling at the button, and the sleeve should show a little shirt cuff. Coveti shows Brunello Cucinelli jackets as UK and US chest sizes using UK equals IT minus 10, so an IT 50 is a 40 chest, and trousers as waist sizes using UK equals IT minus 16, so an IT 50 is a 34 waist. The tuxedo jacket runs from a 34 to a 50 chest; the trousers from a 28 to a 42 waist. Because the jacket and trousers are sold separately, you can pick each size on its own. The full tables are in our Brunello Cucinelli men’s size guide.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the black tie dress code for men?

Black tie means a dinner jacket, also called a tuxedo, with matching trousers, a white dress shirt, a bow tie and polished black shoes. Black is the classic colour, with midnight navy as the established alternative.

Can you wear a colour other than black to a black tie event?

Midnight navy is accepted for any black tie event. Ivory jackets are traditional for warm climates and summer evening events, and lighter colours such as sand suit creative black tie invitations.

What is the difference between black tie and black tie optional?

Black tie means a dinner jacket is expected. Black tie optional means a dinner jacket is welcome, but a dark suit with a tie is also acceptable.

Do you wear a belt with a tuxedo?

Traditionally, no. Tuxedo trousers are made to be worn without a belt, held up by braces and side adjusters, so the waist stays clean under the jacket.

What should men wear for winter black tie?

Wear the usual dinner jacket, trousers, shirt and bow tie, then add a dark overcoat long enough to cover the jacket, plus gloves. A velvet dinner jacket is a traditional winter alternative.