Dress code for a white tie affair

All of us who are reading this article, may not be attending a state dinner or will be dining with the queen (some may as well, you never know), but still super formal occasions like white tie affair may come up for us in the form of a wedding celebration or any other such super formal occasion. The white tie affair is a notch higher than the black tie affair in the scales of formality, in fact it is the topmost point of any formal event. There is a certain strict dress code for the white tie event, to which even heads of states and royal persona adhere to. For the general public too, white tie occasions may come up once a while, therefore it is necessary to know what exactly the white tie dress code encompasses.

The key element of the white tie affair dress code is the tailed tuxedo. Just as the white tie event is a class apart from other formal events, similarly the tailed tuxedo is also a class apart from other tuxedos. The tailed tuxedo is always single breasted and it is worn with a low cut white waistcoat, implying that it is essentially a three piece suit, albeit a very special one. Along with the tailed tuxedo, there are also other elements of fashion in a white tie dress code that must be (and is) strictly observed. The color of the tuxedo is the quintessential black, but some men also prefer to wear the midnight blue shade. The tuxedo is not a white one, never so, but the bowtie worn with the tuxedo is a white one. The tuxedo or the dress coat also consists of silk (satin or grosgrain) facings that are horizontally cut away in the front. Along with the tailed tuxedo, the other key part of the ensemble is the trousers made of the same fabric. The trouser consists of two narrow stripes of braid or satin or one single wide stripe. The trousers are also worn with suspenders.

The white bow tie is the accessory from where the name of the event has been formulated. The white bow tie is worn with a particular category of cotton shirt, known as the pique. These types of white cotton shirts are the exclusive category of shirts that can be worn with a tailed tuxedo. These shirts are never pleated and they have an exclusive honey comb like appearance. The white tie dress code also consists of a white stiff wing detachable collar. The collar may or may not be detachable too as the attached collars are becoming more and more prevalent. Then there is the white low cut waistcoat that is worn with the tuxedo. Since you are wearing the waistcoat, therefore the cummerbund is a strict negative in a white tie affair.

The final elements of completing the dress code are the black silk socks and black court pumps. The court pumps will consist of black silk bows also thereby completing the entire white tie dress code.