Introduction: Gold Standard

Defining Classic Black Tie
Classic Jackets
Classic Trousers
Classic Waist Coverings
Classic Shirts
Classic Neckwear
Classic Footwear
Classic Accessories
Classic Outerwear
Warm-Weather Black Tie

Classic Alternatives

Classic Black-Tie Trousers

Formal trousers are made of the same fabric as the jacket and should have a natural taper.  While plain-front trousers are more common today, pleated trousers remain the classic choice for the way they maintain the trouser’s line when standing, hide the contents of the front pockets and make sitting easier and more comfortable. 

The waistband is meant to be covered either by a cummerbund, waistcoat or closed double-breasted jacket.  The trousers must therefore be cut for suspenders (braces in the UK) because this is the only method for ensuring that the waist sits high enough to remain hidden by the waist covering.  Suspenders also help to keep the trouser’s pleats flat underneath the waist covering.  “Belts,” says classic menswear authority Nicholas Antongiavanni, “are anathema with formal clothes.”

A trimmed waistband is a recent invention designed to act a cummerbund surrogate but it is no substitute for the real thing.  As Allan Flusser explains in Style and the Man, “Formal dress is ultimately about good form, and sometimes quick fixes that compromise such form need to be recognized as such and be avoided.”

The side seams of formal trousers are also covered, a vestige of the suit’s military past.  This is done by trimming the seams with a single band of facing that is either satin or grosgrain to match the jacket’s lapels.  In the past braid was also used for this purpose but today the term is often used generically to refer to the more common silk stripe.

Side pockets are usually cut on the trouser’s side seam because vertical pockets are dressier and easier to access, particularly when wearing a cummerbund or waistcoat. 

Finally, trouser legs are always plain as cuffs are too casual (they originated as a mudguard) and would interfere with the side braid.