Introduction
Major Retailers
Supplemental Retailers
Custom Tailoring
White Tie Investments

Shopping for White Tie

When it comes to attire intended for society’s most exclusive occasions, it won’t do to “make do”. If your social calendar is auspicious enough to merit the acquisition of a full-dress kit then you would do well to judge each potential purchase by it ability to enhance the evening's cachet rather than to reflect the wearer’s frugality.

• Tailcoat & Trousers

The ideal tailcoat and trousers would be custom tailored for the individual buyer. There is no better way to ensure the perfect fit that is required to give the full-dress suit its proper regal air. Prices range drastically depending on the level of customization: online tailors Anysuit charge 265 USD for their made-to-measure tailcoat and trousers while a bespoke ensemble from Harry Rosen starts at 5,000 CAD. The only common factor is that qualified full-dress tailors are few and far between.

Less ideal, but far more pragmatic, is to purchase a ready-to-wear ensemble. Take some time to find a make that suits your body type then employ a skilled tailor to alter the garments for the best fit possible. When shopping, look for superior brands and upscale shops like the ones listed under Quality Retailers or Specialty Retailers. This is not the time to be shopping for bargain-basement discounts at formalwear retailers that categorize tailcoats as a type of tuxedo!

Prices can be as little as 200 USD for a Ralph Lauren tropical wool set at Uniformalwearhouse.com ($350 for a model in super 100s wool) or as much as 3,500 CAD for a Canali make at Harry Rosen. However, the best bargain of all would be a well-preserved vintage tailcoat providing unmatched old-world tailoring for less than the cost of a cheap suit.

• Specialty Retailers

Even if you decide to rent your tailcoat – a perfectly respectable option for a once-in-a-lifetime event – it would still be wise to purchase the remaining garments. This will allow you to accumulate items that are as correct as possible rather than settling for the renter’s limited inventory. Furthermore, it would avoid the ignominy of attending the most prestigious social occasion of your life dressed entirely in borrowed clothing.

As with tailcoats, it would be wisest to seek out quality brands and retailers when shopping for other white-tie accompaniments. (And a skilled tailor will once again be helpful in ensuring the best fit from ready-to-wear attire.) Even then it can be extremely difficult to source a truly authentic ensemble in today’s world. The following list has therefore been compiled to assist you in locating some of the harder-to-find items.

*Full-Dress Shirts & Collars*	Brooks Brothers US retailer offering full-dress detachable collar shirt (with collar)
	The Vintage Shirt Company UK specialist offering authentic collarless shirts and detachable collars
	Ede and Ravenscroft UK specialist offering collarless shirts and detachable collars
	Court Case UK legal wear and formal wear retailer offering Frederick Theak collarless marcella shirts
	Luke Eyres UK manufacturer & wholesaler of detachable collars that supplies most other UK retailers (minimum order of 6)
	DanceShopper.com US supplier of detachable collars and collar studs
	Unfortunately the products offered by the only other US retailer of detachable collars, Amazon Dry Goods, are constructed of an off-white paper-like material and are not recommended.

Full-Dress Waistcoats	Oliver Brown upscale UK retailer offering premium formal wear
	Ede and Ravenscroft UK retailer offering premium formal wear
	Court Case UK retailer of legal wear and formal wear
	eHorseEquipment.com US retailer of formal riding apparel; $40
	Jos. A. Bank (US shipping only)
	Hansen's Clothing and Direct Clothiers are some US retailers that offer the Robert Talbott full-dress waistcoat
	Clermont Direct (UK shipping only) inexpensive online formalwear retailer offers sized waistcoats complete with waistcoat studs
	Uniformalwearhouse.com US online retailer offering 100% cotton Lord West piqué waistcoats for $50
	While Brooks Brothers doesn't always offer their full-dress waistcoat online you may still be able to buy it in person at their Madison Ave. store in New York

Self-Tie Full-Dress Bow Ties	David's Formalwear, Hansen's Clothing, Direct Clothiers, Pakeman Catto & Carter, Clermont Direct, Vintage Shirt Company and Court Case (all listed elsewhere in this Buying Guide)
	Ede and Ravenscroft UK retailer of sized bow ties
	Shepherd & Woodward UK retailer
	TuxedosDirect.com (US and Canada shipping only) $55

Formal Shoes	see black tie Specialty Retailers

Accessories, Outerwear	James Lock & Co. Hatters mail order UK shop for new and restored vintage top hats
	Oliver Brown Top Hats London shop for new and restored vintage top hats
	Charles Gale Clothing is a UK retailer of Christy top hats
	The Vintage Shirt Company is a UK shop that sells top hats
	Brooks Brothers the only major US retailer to offer a beaver fur felt top hat (for a mere $1,000)
	Clermont Direct (UK shipping only) inexpensive online formalwear retailer offers waistcoat studs
	Court Case UK legalwear retailer offering shirt collar studs and waistcoat studs
	DanceShopper.com US supplier of collar studs
	Amazon Dry Goods Collars & Cuffs US supplier of a variety of shirt collar studs
	Farthingales Canadian supplier of gold/brass collar studs
	Ede and Ravenscroft legal wear UK specialist offering sterling silver shirt collar studs and leather storage boxes for detachable collars (just how much do British lawyers make anyway?)