Vintage Black-Tie Etiquette & Tradition

• single-breasted

• peak lapel or shawl collar with silk facing in satin

• color and material to match jacket

• with or without braid along seams

• waistcoat to match coat or of fancy black or gray silk, low cut with plain or fancy buttons

• generally single-breasted and U-shaped

• stiff white plain front; soft pleated front becoming popular

• stiff detachable wing or folded collar (or poke collar, based on period illustrations)

• black silk self-tie bow tie

• gray silk to match waistcoat is an alternative

• hose: black silk or lisle; plain, self or white clocks

• shoes: black patent leather or calfskin button or lace-up shoes, black patent or gunmetal leather pumps

• overcoat: dark color dress coat such as Chesterfield, Inverness, frock coat, raglan

• hat: no consensus other than black color; some authorities forbade silk high hats (i.e. top hats and opera hats) with short dinner jackets while others recommended only that style of hat; still others allowed a vast range of options from high hat to “Tuxedo” hat to derby to fedora

• gloves: generally, gray suede or white deerskin

• gold or semi-precious stone studs and cufflinks

• inconspicuous pocket watch fob

• informal excursions to theater also allowed (but not theater parties)

• can substitute for full dress in summer (Book of Good Manners, Good Form for All Occasions)

• single-breasted model is the standard, double-breasted becoming accepted for informal occasions

• peak lapel or shawl collar with silk facing in satin

• color and material to match jacket

• single braid along seams

• black or white evening waistcoat (latter is most formal)

• black in silk to match facings or cloth to match jacket, white in piqué or other washable linen

• single- or double-breasted

• low cut, U- or V-shaped

• stiff white plain front with single cuffs or, according to some sources, softer pleated front in summer

• stiff detachable wing or upright collar

• holes for two or three studs

• butterfly or bat wing bow tie

• black “silk or satin”

• black silk hose

• black patent leather “ties” or pumps

• overcoat: any dark blue or black dress coat such as Chesterfield, Inverness, cape coat, frock coat

• hat: generally top hat, black Homburg; straw hat allowable in summer

• gloves: white buckskin

(Theater, Opera, etc.)

• dark sack suits on ordinary steamers, dinner jackets in de luxe steamer restaurant (Emily Post 1922)

• it is almost an edict that a dinner coat be worn every evening of the voyage except the first and last. Even on the smaller liners many prefer it (Ocean Record: A Pocket Handbook for Travelers )
• without a dinner jacket you can’t dine other than first or last night, or socialize after 8 o’clock (The Frantic Atlantic )

• single-breasted model is the standard, double-breasted acceptable for informal occasions such as resorts or country clubs

• peak lapel or shawl collar with silk facing in satin or grosgrain

• single-breasted or double-breasted

• peak lapel or shawl collar with silk facing in satin or grosgrain

• color and material to match jacket

• single braid along seams

• black or midnight blue evening waistcoat, white also acceptable especially for more formal occasions but increasingly rare; black or midnight blue in silk to match facings or cloth to match jacket; white in piqué or other washable linen

• waistcoat can be single- or double-breasted

note: cummerbund recommended only with warm-weather Black Tie

• stiff-front or softer plain or pleated front

• detachable wing collar or attached turndown collar

• holes for two or three studs

note: many sources did not specify which fronts should be matched with which collars however the soft fronts with turndown collar were the most popular option during this time

• plain black or midnight blue bow tie

• satin or dull silk

• black silk, lisle wool or nylon socks in plain, ribbed or clocked design; dark blue acceptable with midnight blue trousers

• black patent leather low evening shoes or pumps

• overcoat: single- or double-breasted black, oxford gray, or dark blue

• hat: collapsible opera hat, black or midnight blue Homburg

• gloves: generally gray or white buckskin

note: Emily Post indicated gloves were not to be worn with dinner jackets and many other authorities don’t provide any information on the topic

• studs and cufflinks of mother of pearl, enamel, gold, onyx or colored stone

• dressy wrist or pocket watch

• key chain

• white or red carnations are most popular boutonnieres

• white linen handkerchiefs

• white single- or double-breasted dinner jacket

• black, midnight blue or maroon cummerbund

• black or midnight blue trousers with single braid

• soft front shirt with turndown collar; button-down is also allowed

• bow tie may be maroon especially with matching cummerbund

• outerwear is straw boater or Panama hat (if any)

• all other details as per standard semi-formal wear

• white linen mess jacket

• all other details as per Warm Weather Black Tie

note: only a minority of experts still refer to this option and one of them (Amy Vanderbilt) says it is considered “theatrical”

• at a formal dinner in the country or at a country club dance during the summer white dinner jacket may be worn in summer; white flannels with dark blue or gray jacket also correct with white, brown & white or black & white sport shoes (Book of Etiquette)

• dinner jackets as for town when weather is not too hot OR coats of white linen or light serge, also white, with the usual black evening trousers OR white linen suits OR for dances many younger men wear white flannel trousers with stiff shirt and collar and black dinner jacket (Vogue’s Book of Etiquette)

• same general rules as 1937
• list of appropriate places no longer refers to dining at home;  author groups informal parties and “most dinners” into every evening party that is not ceremoniously formal; defines semi-formal in context of what a community considers formal

Public Entertainments

(Theater, Opera, etc.)

• elaborates on 1937 edition’s description of “highest-type evening performance in New York": “during the opening weeks and at the evening performance in New York of a play or musical comedy presenting stars of the highest rank"
• a lady sitting “down front” in the orchestra wears a semi-evening dress, a gentleman a tuxedo
• White ties and tails and low-cut evening dress are never worn at the theatre except by those who are going on to a party later.  Whether or not people are going on elsewhere later naturally affects their choice of dress .
• “The present trend of fashion leans, however, very decidedly toward ordinary day clothes for both men and women especially when the play has been running for several months.”