What To Wear To A Black Tie Wedding

Your old college roommate is getting hitched, but you have no clue what to wear to a black tie wedding. However, never fear. Once you know the dress code for a black-tie wedding, you can follow the rules with ease. In fact, you might even say your friend did you a favor by making it easy because "black tie" means one thing: tuxedo. Nail down the rules for a tuxedo from jacket to toe and you will help make your friend's day perfect.

Things you'll need:

• Tuxedo ensemble

1. Find a tuxedo jacket. Unlike plain suit jackets, tuxedo jackets have luxurious lapels made of satin. You can choose from a shawl or notch lapel style, but no matter what, make sure your jacket buttons are covered in silk. Little touches like these are the reason your friend has chosen a black tie wedding. When everyone pays attention to the details, the wedding will look amazing.
2. Get your bib on. For a black tie wedding you must choose a crisp white shirt with pleats or a bib down the front. If the shirt has no pleats, it isn’t black tie—plain and simple. Go for French cuffs and cufflinks for elegance and glitz.
3. Choose the right tuxedo pants. Make sure your pants have a satin stripe on the outside seam otherwise they are not true tuxedo pants. Hence, not true to the black tie wedding dress code. Avoid cuffed pants at all costs, as cuffs do not radiate a “black tie” or tuxedo vibe.
4. Put on your patent leather. Selecting shoes for a black tie wedding are easy. Choose patent leather shoes, nothing else. Patent leather looks sharp with all those satin touches on the tuxedo. Likewise, skip the Michael Jackson white-sock-with-black-shoes look; only black dress socks will do.
5. Accessories. The suit already has luxurious touches, so avoid over-accessorizing. A pocket silk for your jacket pocket looks sharp. Avoid earrings or necklaces to keep the look sharp and elegant--just how a black tie wedding should be.

Tips:

• If the invitation specifies "creative black tie" you can get a little crazy with a black shirt or even a shirt with no collar. However, only take this liberty if the invitation clearly directs guest to do so.