Black-Tie Dressing

Q. I am attending a black-tie event later this month. Recently you wrote about what the groom wears for a black-tie wedding, but I still have a few questions. Maybe you can give me some more information about tuxedoes – regarding which lapel type to choose and the appropriate pants.

A. These are important considerations, particularly if you are buying your black-tie suit, rather than renting. The most important point about black-tie dressing is that it makes a man look wonderful. If a man has even one or two occasions a year to wear it, he should strongly consider owning his own. I cannot recommend it too highly. As I often say regarding renting: Try to picture James Bond dressed in a tuxedo worn last week by an eager, fresh-faced senior!

Now, as to the specifics, when discussing lapels, you really need to think about the collar and the lapel as a package concern.

Suit collar-and-lapel styles are designed in three different cuts:
1. Shawl – traditional curve cut, used only on formal wear (less flattering on a heavy man)
2. Peaked – most dashing, more often found on double-breasted jackets
3. Notched – least formal, a standard business-suit cut.

Lapel fabrics are:
1. Satin – a silk-like, smooth, glossy fabric
2. Grosgrain (pronounced grow’-grain) – a ribbed twill-type fabric that is far less common than satin – it has a special refined elegance.

Closings are either single- or double-breasted.
1. The classic single-breasted cut is guaranteed to remain in style forever.
2. A double-breasted cut should probably not be your first and only choice because it comes in and goes out of style (although it is dashing and very flattering).

If I’m discussing the front, I probably also should mention the back of the jacket.

Back vents:
1. A single vent in the back of the jacket is the most traditional
2. Double back vents (also known as side vents) are very British
3. A ventless (that is, no back vent) jacket has a dashing 1940s look (think Humphrey Bogart in “Casablanca”).

As for the trousers:
Trousers have a ribbon that matches the lapel material – satin or grosgrain – running down the side of the leg. Pants are cut straight, not tapered; they are worn with braces (button-on suspenders), never a belt; they should be a shade longer than other pants, with a full break and no cuffs.

A black-tie outfit need not be expensive. It need only be classically cut and tailored to fit well. Ideally, it is made of 100 percent lightweight wool. You might even get lucky in a vintage shop and find a gently used model that can be altered to fit you beautifully. Stay with the basics in the suit; leave whimsy – if any – for the accessories.