In a world where dress codes are increasingly relaxed and there isn't enough prison space for men who wear Hawaiian shirts in the city centre, black-tie events have become rare. The end of the year is probably the most likely time when you will take the tux out of the closet.
Unlike in the old days though, dress code messages are more mixed. There is black tie, black tie optional and festive black tie, and it's the latter where men have the most chance of embarrassing themselves.
If the invitation says black tie only, then it's black tie only. You may play around with the jacket a bit - usually the lapels and buttons - and you can have fun with the cufflinks, but that's about it. Kenzo's tux, with its 'segmented' design with three pockets and four buttons, is probably as funky as you can get in a formal black-tie situation.
A tux is not just a tux, and whether a man looks dashing at a black-tie event depends on the quality of his armour. The cut and details of the jacket, the accessories he wears, and his shoes are all determining factors.
If you go for Louis Vuitton (below right), it's hard to go wrong, especially its tuxedo, comprising a single-button jacket with peaked lapels, classic formal shirt with hidden buttons, and patent leather shoes. The satiny details on the insides of the lapels add a subtle and elegant touch.
You need these types of touches with a tux because they distinguish your outfit from some waiters' uniforms. Ermenegildo Zegna has them with a cross-stitch against a cotton-silk blend (right). Other than black, subtle colour tones are allowed at a black-tie event, as midnight blue is not the only option. Take the Zegna couture eveningwear jacket in burgundy (top right) as an example.
