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A GENTLEMAN
GETS DRESSED
FOR A WHITE-TIE
FUNDRAISER

The necessity for dressing in evening clothes, better known as “white tie” is almost dead, except for the most splendid occasions.

Dressing in white tie is an elegant ritual. It has been so ever since its institution, mid-nineteenth century, by that arbiter of gentlemanly style, Beau Brummel. Before Brummel’s time, particularly during the flamboyance of the Regency, gentlemen of high society in Britain dressed in the brightest colors they could find, in hopes of attracting attention in crowded ballrooms and at formal salons.

Brummel changed all that, once he had secured his place in Victorian society, simply by arriving at royalty-related and other socially important events in his clean, elegantly tailored black swallow-tailed coat and well-fitted black trousers. Once he disdained the prevailing style of flamboyant cravats, scarves, and ties as evening wear for Victorian gentlemen, the last bit of color went out of gentlemanly evening wear forever. And his rule continues—at least when it comes to white-tie evenings.

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A gentleman may properly be asked to don white tie as a member of a wedding party for a ceremony that begins at seven o’clock in the evening or later. But he may also find himself invited, on occasion, to charity fundraisers with a white-tie dress code.

If a gentleman chooses to accept this sort of invitation, he also agrees to dress in accordance with the dress code established by Brummel.

He may either purchase or rent

• A black worsted-wool tailcoat, with black buttons

• Black trousers, with a black satin stripe running up the outside of the pants leg

• A white formal shirt with stiffly starched front

• A white waistcoat, with white pearl buttons

• A white bow tie to match the waistcoat

• Black silk or nylon socks

• Black patent leather shoes