Black Tie

[Im a BusyBee]

When the dress code is 'Black tie' what does the man actually need to wear?

[joggerjayne]

Black "dinner suit" and a black bow tie.

Girls wear black cocktail frock or long dress

[rinkins]

Dinner suit and a bow tie

[rinkins]

Beat me to it JJ!

[funnygirl]

It must be a very posh do!!!!!

[B00]

The women have to wear a black dress at a black tie do?

[RufusDufus]

In my days as a stripper at the end of my routine i used to end up wearing nothing but a black tie.........................but not around my neck.

[funnygirl]

OOh rufus!!!
A stripper eh!!!

Did you use baby oil???

[joggerjayne]

Bow tie rules ...

1. Don't wear a colourful bow tie ... some guys think they look fun, but they are really just cheesey.

2. Don't wear a "ready made" one ... as the evening goes on, we like to pull your ties off ... which doesn't work if it turns out to be on a bit of elastic.

3. When you undo it, don't leave it dangling round your neck. It's naff. It's as if you're trying to say "I'm clever enough to tie my own bow". We just think ... "That guy looks a t!t".

4. Learn to tie it by feel ... without a mirror.

5. Find out which girls can re-tie your bow (I can!).

6. Only wear a silk bow ... not one of those shiny, satin numbers.

(that's all I can think of for now).

[Im a BusyBee]

thanks for your help - its dinner at the house of commons but my husband isnt into suits and bow ties - i need to persaude him! is the shirt anything special or different? Actually i guess i could hire the complete outfit for him?

[rinkins]

I love getting all dressed up for black tie do's!

BOO - I think it can be any colour but it has to be floor length unless it says cocktail dresses are ok, but I am not totally sure.

Lucky you busy bee what are you going to wear?

JJ - I have never mastered the art of tying a bow tie but I can undo them! he he

[joggerjayne]

Oh, yes ...

7. Most bows have the "wings" at both ends. The coolest, and most fashionable, bows only have the "wings at one end. You tie them just the same, except that you take the "second" end under your collar ... not back through the bow loop.

8. Don't wear an "upright" collar unless you are wearing Highland dress ... or come from the Essex Triangle.

9. Your dinner shirt should have a plain, studded front ... no frilly patterns.

Good place to get a shirt ... Turnbull and Asser on Jermyn Street.

Good place to get a bow tie ... Ede and Ravenscroft on Chancery Lane.

[joggerjayne]

Busy Bee ... don't hire !!

Go to somewhere like Austin Reed (or even M&S), where they sell dinner suits as sepapate jackets and trousers, just like a normal suit.

It's always useful for a guy to have a dinner suit tucked away in his wardrobe ... useful at New Year, for instance.

[B00]

Lol Yes, it's always useful to have a dinner jacket tucked away in your wardrobe- my husband wears his regularly when he goes off playing snooker with his mates at our local Con club.....

;-)

[BilluSugger]

I went a black tie dinner once . Got there & realised I'd forgotten the tie , after a panic I decided to just use a black jumper lead from my car . The Doorman wasn't too impressed but he said 'OK you can come in but don't start anything'

[joggerjayne]

rinkins ... if you can tie shoe laces, you can tie a bow tie.

I can do it from the front but, obviously, I'd normally tell a guy that I can only do it by standing behind him, and reaching round him ...

... leaving him to wonder if I'm pressing myself against his back by accident, or ... !!!

=0)

[Im a BusyBee]

i have a black cocktail dress i will wear, ive only had a reason to wear it once before! Hope i can persuade my husband its not actually that bad to get dressed up once in a while. When do men wear a tuxedo(excuse spelling)?

[joggerjayne]

Billu ... that was quite funny ...

=0D

[RufusDufus]

Funnygirl,nah the ladies loved using olive oil..................................................and scatteredlettuce all over me as i lay on a giant silver platter trussed up like a turkey with an apple in my mouth as they used to say i was good enough to eat!

[RufusDufus]

Lol@billusugger,sounds like you used to be LIVE WIRE in your heyday!

[joggerjayne]

In some countries, a dinner suit is known as a "tuxedo" ...

( a horrid word )

The word sometimes refers to a white jacket, with a black bow tie, which men should only wear during the day ... if, for instance, you were invited to afternoon cocktails.