The 2023 Black Tie Lookbook
How do you look your best in a tuxedo?
Black Tie represents the apex of contemporary regular evening wear, and it is highly likely that several times in your life, you will have the wonderful opportunity to don this effortlessly refined and eternally stylish look. If you intend to relive the glory days of the Golden Age of Menswear, however, you should seek out only the very finest Black Tie accessories.
At Fort Belvedere, we are proud to offer only the finest accouterments ideally suited to Classic and Contemporary Black Tie ensembles. These accessories represent the most well-made articles currently available, inspired by vintage examples, crafted according to Old World standards, and designed for your lifestyle.
“For me, a tuxedo is a way of life”
Frank Sinatra
This lookbook will help you unlock the boundless styling potential that Black Tie offers. Far from being a staid and boring dress code, Black Tie affords many opportunities for personalization and uniqueness, provided that you understand its conventions.
Properly utilizing Black Tie accessories is one key aspect of formalwear success, and that reality has shaped the creation of this lookbook. Each of our accessories is individually styled as part of a unique ensemble, illustrating the precise way it functions within Black Tie while highlighting the various styling cues and options available to you as you build your outfits.
So get ready to put on the ritz in style as you step out in the most beautiful evening-wear accessories available anywhere! Discover the Fort Belvedere 2023 Black Tie Collection.
Vintage Vision: The Double-Breasted Ivory Dinner Jacket
In particular, the contrast between the formal black evening trousers and the ivory jacket highlights each of Raphael’s elegant accessories. The bold horizontal lines of the batwing bow tie broaden his shoulders while contrasting with the points of his faced lapels. The warm golden studs and cufflinks complement the warm tones of the jacket, as does the rich burgundy of his carnation boutonniere.
The Importance of a Sized, Self-Tied Bow Tie
Avoid both of these faux-pas by only buying formal neckwear that is self-tied and perfectly sized to your own neck. These simple steps will instantly improve your overall appearance for a clean, sophisticated look.
Not sure how to tie a bow tie? We make it easy!
Materials for Formal Accessories
Suffice it to say, Black Tie formalwear is rarely, figuratively or literally, cut from the same cloth as daywear attire, and the same can be said for Black Tie accessories. In keeping with the luxurious settings and unique formality of eveningwear, Black Tie accessories are usually sourced from particular fabrics known for their plush appearance, rich texture, and relative rarity.
Knowing how to properly utilize these accessories, such as matching the various fabrics in your ensemble, is an important factor in developing Black Tie mastery.
| Fabric | Notes | Common Uses |
|---|---|---|
| Silk Satin | The most classic and versatile formal eveningwear material, silk in a warp-satin weave is renowned for its ethereal shine and its beautiful luster. | Bow ties, lapel facings, cummerbunds, linings, shoelaces, socks |
| Silk Faille Grosgrain | Faile is made from more warp yarns than weft yarns. This combination creates a unique, flat rib effect in the fabric that creates visual interest and unique texture. | Bow ties, cummerbunds, lapel facings, shoelaces |
| Silk Moire | Silk moire is woven similarly to faille or grosgrain before being run through a press. The resulting fabric possess a gorgeous shimmering effect similar to watered silk. | Bow ties, lapel facings, cummerbunds |
| Barathea | When woven to maximum effect, barathea silk has hardly any sheen, resulting in a deep, inky black that is effectively unique in formal menswear. | Bow ties, cummerbunds, lapel facings, shoelaces |
| Velvet | A woven tufted fabric, velvet is renowned for its plush and decadent appearance that can give any Black Tie ensemble a luxurious and romantic atmosphere. | Dinner jackets, waistcoats, bow ties, socks |
Learn more in the “Fabrics” section our website
Coordinate Your Fabrics for Superlative Style
Similar to matching the metals and leathers in your outfit, it is common to match certain fabrics that appear as part of your Black Tie ensemble. Usually, whatever material is used to make your formal bow tie should also be used to make your cummerbund and shoelaces, if applicable. Conversely, if your evening jacket has faced lapels, the previously-mentioned fabrics should be coordinated with them.
Note that the aforementioned materials do not have to match entirely. Instead, they can be harmonized in such a way as to appear visually pleasing without seeming too “matchy-matchy.” For instance, a velvet bow tie can look very dashing when worn with a grosgrain cummerbund.
“As he tied his thin, double-ended, black satin tie, he paused for a moment and examined himself levelly in the mirror.”
From Casino Royale by Ian Fleming
Do not forget your Formal
Shoelaces
Many gentlemen, even clotheshorses, are surprised to learn that formal shoelaces exist, so utilizing this often-overlooked accessory will not only set apart your shoes, it will set you apart as a true Black Tie aficionado!
Match Your Shoelaces to Your Other Accessories
The most versatile formal shoelaces are made from silk satin, and every gentleman should have a pair of these laces in his collection. After acquiring this accessory, however, you can put the perfect finishing touch on any Black Tie look by expanding your collection and matching the fabric of your shoelaces to the fabric of your bow tie, cummerbund, or lapel facings. Doing so produces a cohesive look that achieves a new dignity thanks to your attention to detail.
Plush Decadence
Black Velvet Evening Shoelaces
Matte Elegance
Black Grosgrain Faille Evening Shoelaces
Bold Texture
Black Barathea Evening Shoelaces
Suitably Sized: Black Tie is Not One-Size-Fits-All
Jack’s single-end bow tie in silk moire perfectly sets off his matching cummerbund, but it also perfectly sets off his face. This is because, at Fort Belvedere, Jack could choose between a smaller and a larger size bow tie. These options allowed him to select a bow size that suited his desired look and complemented his face size and shape well.
Not sure how to tie a single-end bow tie? We show you how!
How to Pair Bold Cufflinks with Black Tie
While for the most formal look, Black Tie studs and cufflinks should be restricted to silver, gold, or platinum metals with black or white stones, such as onyx or pearl, for a Contemporary Black Tie or Black Tie Optional ensemble, you can assuredly add color and visual interest with the addition of more colorful stones. Limit yourself to stones within the Classic color palette, such as red carnelian, green malachite, black onyx, golden-brown tiger’s eye, and blue lapis lazuli. Doing so will ensure that you respect the confines of the dress code without compromising on the addition of a whimsical element to your outfit.
Play Your Hand Right: Classic Black Tie
That rich, matte black isn’t coming from the ace of spades, it’s from Preston’s jacket and trousers, elegantly emphasized by the decadent texture of the facings on his lapel and his lovely silk faille grosgrain bow tie. Luster, still in black, is imparted on the look thanks to his patent leather opera pumps and his vintage gold and onyx studs and cufflinks. To add color, Preston has drawn from the traditional formal evening palette with a startling red carnation boutonniere worthy of the jack of hearts! Finally, to really make this look his own, Preston has tried his luck with a tasteful novelty pocket square gorgeously embroidered with the four playing card suits.
We think he’s got a winning hand with this look!
“If anybody can tell a fellow just when to wear a black tie with evening clothes and when not to, it’s Larry Lefferts. And on the question of pumps versus patent-leather Oxfords his authority had never been disputed.”
From The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton
The greatest Evening socks
In the World
We spared no expense when it came to our formal socks, which we are proud to call, with no exaggeration, the finest socks in the world. Combining exceptional cotton and superlative silk, these socks were knitted on highly specialized machines with a rare 280 needle configuration. Crafted to the highest possible standards, they offer exceptional breathability, supreme comfort, and a glorious silky sheen perfect for Black Tie.
The contemporary Evening sock
Alternative
At more casual festive events like Creative Black Tie or Black Tie Optional, you can add a dash of the unexpected with these distinctive shadow-striped socks. Pairing the stately colors of black and white, they encourage a fun, convivial atmosphere without compromising on Black Tie formality. In our experience, they look especially dashing with an ivory dinner jacket.
Learn about Classic Black Tie footwear!
A Toast to Contemporary Class
Here, Raphael keeps all eyes on him with a gorgeous micropattern dinner jacket in silver fabric. With playful black contrast piping and an onyx button, this jacket is pure fun, but the shawl collar adds a refined touch that still doesn’t take itself too seriously. To coordinate with his facings, Raphael wears an expansive butterfly bow tie with prominent wide-ribbed grosgrain silk to balance the belly of the shawl collar. Staying within this texture family, his cummerbund is made from fine faille grosgrain in black silk repp. Raphael has opted for very traditional gold shirt studs in a classic monkey fist design, but he adds unexpected visual interest with a beautiful purple silk pocket square.
The subtle injection of unexpected color is a hallmark of Contemporary Black Tie, and with this outfit, Raphael illustrates exactly the right way to achieve it.
Don’t Skimp on Studs
Fine studs are an integral component of any Black Tie look, imparting unique luster and a soft glow to the front of your evening shirt. The best studs will be made from platinum, gold, or silver, sometimes with tasteful, formal stones like pearl, onyx, or jet. Be sure to source studs of adequate size and heft because, otherwise, they may work themselves loose and fall out over the course of an evening.
“It was Dickie’s bracelet, which Tom had never seen him wearing, but had found in Dickie’s stud box.”
From The Talented Mr. Ripley by Patricia Highsmith
Waist Not, Want Not: Black Tie Waist Coverings
In keeping with the formality of Black Tie, the waistband of your trousers and its various utilitarian features, such as suspender buttons or side adjusters, should be hidden from view. Therefore, no Black Tie ensemble is complete without some kind of waist covering. Unless you are wearing a double-breasted evening jacket (which should most properly remain buttoned all night), you must wear either a formal evening waistcoat, made of black fabric and cut with a lowered buttoning stance, or a cummerbund, which, since the middle of the 20th century, has been the preferred Black Tie waist covering.
Wonderful Waist-Covering Accessories
Formal Waistcoats
Evening waistcoats are specifically designed to be worn with evening ensembles. They have a much lower buttoning stance than day waistcoats in order to show off your beautiful shirtfront and studs. They also tend to be backless, for increased cooling and breathability. While white marcella evening waistcoats are worn with White Tie, Black Tie evening waistcoats are, according to contemporary conventions, always black.
Cummerbunds
Evolving from a sash worn around the waist, a cummerbund is a unique, pleated accessory that refines your midsection while imparting an unexpected variation to your waist that breaks up the bulk of a dinner jacket and formal trousers. This produces an elegant effect that imparts dignity and sophistication upon any gentleman. Cummerbunds can be made from most formal fabrics, and their material should be choosen to coordinate with the fabric of your bow tie and lapel facings.
Cummerbunds in Every Fabric from Fort Belvedere
From shimmering silk satin to plushly textured grosgrain, Fort Belvedere is one of the only shops in the world today to offer classically-styled cummerbunds in five different luxurious fabrics, all redolent of the Golden Age of Menswear. Fort Belvedere is also proud to offer a coordinating bow tie that is the perfect complement to each and every one of our cummerbunds, all made from the same superlative fabrics.
Warm-Weather Wonder: The Ivory Dinner Jacket
To emphasize the creamy texture of his dinner jacket and his satin lapels, Eb has opted for both a cummerbund and a bow tie in silk satin. For visual interest, however, his bow tie has the pointed ends that were popular amongst Black Tie connoisseurs during the 1930s. For a similar foray into texture variation, his linen pocket square has a broad, open weave. To match the brighter color palette of his upper half, Eb is wearing platinum-plated silver cufflinks and studs in a timeless monkey-fist design. To coordinate the principal colors in his ensemble, he has selected black and white shadow-stripe contemporary evening socks to wear with his opera pumps.
Master all aspects of warm-weather Black Tie!
Something to Sing About!
Start Singing Your Own Song!
“In a tuxedo, I’m a star. In regular clothes, I’m nobody.”
Dean Martin
Put the Finishing Touch on Your Ensemble with a Beautiful Boutonniere
For Effortless Elegance Every Time
Dark Red Carnation Boutonniere
For Mesmerizing Mystery
Ivory Spray Rose Boutonniere
For a Romantic Rendezvous
Red Spray Rose Boutonniere
Celebrate the Best of What Black Tie Can Offer!
Thank you for perusing our lookbook to see all that Fort Belvedere has to offer when it comes to Black Tie. We hope that we’ve inspired you to build your own unique formal evening ensembles, and that you know that for all of your Black Tie accessory needs, the only name you need to know is “Fort Belvedere!”
Navigate to the Fort Belvedere Online Shop to find even more exceptional products suited to every formality and the personal style of any gentleman, and watch for additional lookbooks that will be debuting soon.
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For a handy reference material that covers everything that you need to know about Black Tie, available right on your phone, get our Black Tie Pocket Guide.