Dress-code
Conversation about evening suits is especially actual. Elegant dress suits once again remind that your clothes are also the certificate of respectability. In dress suit the best qualities of the man are increased by eternal combination of elegance and refinement.
To the man, going to attend an official celebration is necessary to have knowledge of secular etiquette. It can be smart reception at very important persons (the president, the head of the government, the ambassador, the head of the large international organization), charitable evening or visit to the closed night club with strict face control or half-official dinner at grandiose restaurant.
Events like these, as a rule, are accompanied by the wish or even the requirement to put on according to certain dress-code, specified on the invitation. In the majority of the world countries you can appear in awkward situation if appear on secular action in classical suit or really overdo, if you dress "a full evening dress". For such events the form of clothes is stipulated separately. The main rule is to put on in the necessary situation and to not put on in the inappropriate situation.
Formal dress
Formal dress - a formal suit (tail coat, cutaway and tuxedo) is intended for especially solemn day time actions. For example, dress coat is put on to formal reception at the embassy, court ball in the European state-monarchy, ceremony of handing of the award "Oscar" or "Nika". Tuxedo is widespread much more widely. It can be necessary for any formal reception, ball or presentation.
Invitation White tie or FULL DRESS
Invitation White tie or FULL DRESS is a dress uniform of dress suit (it is put on after 7 p.m.), accepted on especially solemn actions, such as royal, diplomatic and other formal receptions, balls (for example, in the Viennese opera).The man should be here in strict black tail coat, which lapels are trimmed by satiny fabric. Tail coat is supplemented with white waistcoat with deep sharp low neck or white silk wide belt, an evening shirt with collar-rack with bent angles and white bow tie (just white tie), the varnished shoes and silk socks. From ornaments the buttonhole (traditionally white colour) on the left lapel is possible. The important advice: do not put on the black bow tie because on secular receptions it is present at headwaiters and waiters.
Invitation Black tie
Invitation Black tie means official and solemn actions by a rank below. Here the black tuxedo is obligatory. The black tuxedo is put on only after sunset. Tuxedo jacket can be single-breasted or double-breasted. Indispensable details: satiny lapels which can be pointed or rounded. Tuxedo is supplemented with the black bow tie, snow-white shirt with collar-rack or turn-down collar. The lux-variant consists in the French shirt which instead of buttons is clasped on pins, and cuff links are chosen in the same style. Trousers are to be of black or dark-blue colour as jacket and without lapels. The lateral seams are decorated with shining silk stripe (lace).Trousers, put on with the white tuxedo (summer day time variant), also should be black or dark blue but never white in tone of jacket. From adornments on solemn actions for the man a ring or a signet ring is admissible. A wrist watch is never put on with tuxedo - only pocket watch. One more accessory is satiny belt (girdle or cummerbund), it covers so-called zone of risky elegance where the shirt meets trousers. To strict formal receptions it is to put on black belt from the same satin, as lapels of jacket.
More information about dress-code Black Tie
Сutaway
Сutaway is a designation meaning, on such action the tail coat is inappropriate. The tail coat is replaced by "the morning coat" or cutaway of black or grey colors. It is a variant for morning formal receptions (till 3 p.m.), official ceremonies of wedding and church holidays. Сutaway is the modified tail coat-coat with tails cut off ahead (Englishmen call it: cutaway coat - cut off coat).
Semi formal
Semi formal is the trickiest dress-code. It as though admits freedom, however strictly according to the action. Usually tuxedo is not obligatory. For more celebratory events it can prefer Dinner jacket (a lunch jacket or summer version of tuxedo) - white or light-cream jacket with white tuxedo shirt and black trousers. Colour of bow tie should correspond to breast scarf and shoes should be black. For events after 6 p.m. it is preferred dark suit with shirt with turn-down collar, and till this time the usual suit with tie is admissible. The tie can be bright and fashionable. Such dress-code is accepted for corporate banquets, cocktails or suppers at restaurants.
