Own the Black Tie Look
Whether you are a Mad Man in flawless black suits 24/7 or you find yourself invited at your mate's bachelor party or you just fancy a poker night - there will come a time in life that you'll have to clean up real good and slip into a Black Tie ensemble. Put it simply, think slim cut suits, freshly ironed white shirts and perfectly tied bow ties. Sounds simple, doesn't it?
PS if you're still confused on what the Black Tie dress code is, don't worry, there are hundreds of questions and answers on Quora. Well, here's a little recap for you in case you c-b-a to google how to do a Black Tie right. You're welcome.
Rule #1 - Get Your Bases Covered
This meaning your waistcoat should always cover band seam and shirt. At all moments. At all costs. For real, nobody wants to see that stuff. Not your friends, not the girl you've been hitting on at the bar, not your mom when she busts you sneak back home at 4am.
Rule #2 - Don't Always Play It Safe
There are few things that are certain in life: 'taxes' and 'black suits all'. But it doesn't mean your wardrobe should look like a black hole. Play around, try on different patterns, dare with colour palettes and checks, velvets, sequins, metallic details or whatever your imagination brings you. You'll be surprised by how many shades of blue they invented.
Rule #3 - K.I.S.S.
Keep It Simple, Stupid. When it comes to Black Tie, you should live by this. Embrace it. Get it tattooed on your forehead. Okay maybe don't go as far as that, but you get what we're saying here. A tuxedo shouldn't be screaming LOOK AT ME I'M A TUXEDO. Pick a colour and stick to it. Classics will always be classic for a reason. And that reason isn't the glitter shirt you're thinking of wearing underneath.
Rule #4 - Evening Suits Ain't Black Tie
If the invite says Black Tie, that doesn't mean you have to wear a black suit. Pick your favourite lapel (yes, there are different ones - like the notch one, the peak one, the shawl one), choose the fit and the colour and you'll be good to go. Looking sleek doesn't necessarily mean spending a fortune on a black three-piece. If you want to play the surprise-slash-experimental card, try an off white or a warm brown. Or keep it classic with a midnight blue. Undecided on the trousers? Always opt for black. Black is good.
Rule #5 - Don't go straight from the office
A Black Tie evening is an eventful thing. Give yourself the time to take a shower, put some cologne on and slip in a pair of smarter-than-office-smart shoes. You did all the work of choosing the perfect jacket and iron the shirt like your mum guided you all the way on the phone. You may as well spend an extra minute to change your shoes. No need to tell you to put those rubber-duck socks back in the drawer. Right?
Rule #6 - The Bow Tie
Get your laptop out and allow for a good half an hour to learn how to hand-make your bow tie. Can't be bothered with all that twisting and flicking and bow-ing and tie-ing? Try the air tie. You've seen Brad do it. You've seen that guy from Call Me By Your Name do it. You've seen Ryan Gosling do it. You don't have to own a 6-pack to own an air tie. Go tie-less. Just make sure the rest of your look makes up for that. Maybe add a watch that matches the suit details (no mixing golden and silver) or a thin chain necklace peeking from your subtly unbuttoned shirt. Just don't over do it. Cool people don't over-do. They just do.
