Home > Evening dress

There exists a semi-formal counterpart known as black tie and a formal day time equivalent known as morning dress .

1 What it is

Evening dress is more regimented than other forms of dress, and properly consists of: HM the Queen with Commonwealth Prime Ministers, in the 1950s. To her right, Sir Winston Churchill; to her left, Robert Menzies of Australia and Louis St. Laurent of Canada. They wear evening dress or white tie.

• Black tailcoat with silk facings, sharply cut-away at the front
• Black trousers with two rows of braid down each leg
• White stiff-fronted shirt
• White stiff wing collar
• White bowtie
• White low-cut waistcoat
• Black socks
• Black patent leather shoes

Shirts, waistcoats and bow ties are now usually made of cottonCotton is a soft fibre that grows around the seeds of the cotton plant. The fibre is most often spun into thread and used to make a soft, breathable textile. Cotton is a valuable crop because only about 10% of the raw weight is lost in processing. Once tr marcella , although plain linen shirts and silk ties and waistcoats are sometimes worn. Shirt studs and cufflinks should be silver or white. A white handkerchief and flower may be worn. At occasions of state, and in the presence of royalty, state decorationState decorations are orders, medals and other decorations granted by a sovereign state. Unlike non-state decorations, state decorations are regulated by the state. Such regulations may specify: Lists of decorations which may be worn on military and civils are worn by those who have been awarded them: miniature medalMedals are usually either an Order, Decoration, or Medal awarded for service to a country (usually Armed force service), or a table medal (usually by an organization, i. Nobel Prize ). Order or Decoration or Medal George VI wore the Order's simpler everyds plus up to four breast stars, a narrow neck riband and a broad riband (sash).

Outdoors a black silk plush top hat is appropriate, with an opera cloak or overcoat, even during the summer. White gloves, scarf and cane are optional extras.

2 When it is worn

Like black tie, evening dress is generally only worn after 6 p.m. (see note 1 for an exception). Occasions that require white tie are increasingly rare, but in the United Kingdom these still include:

• State dinners (e.g. dinners with visiting heads of stateA head of state or chief of state is the chief public representative of a nation-state, federation or commonwealth, whose role generally includes personifying the continuity and legitimacy of the state and exercising powers, functions and duties granted t)
• Commemoration balls and May ballThe May ball is an event particularly associated with the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge. In Oxford it is known as the Commemoration ball or Commem. because it is usually held around the same time as the university Encaenia (or Commemoration of benes (at the universities of OxfordUniversity of Oxford Motto Dominus Illuminatio Mea ("The Lord is my Light") ( Psalm 27) Established c. 1096 School type Public Chancellor The Right Hon. Chris Patten Vice-Chancellor Dr. John Hood Location Oxford, United Kingdom Enrolment 17,000 total (5,6 and CambridgeThe University of Cambridge is the second-oldest academic institution in the English-speaking world (after Oxford). According to legend, the University was founded in 1209 by scholars escaping Oxford after a fight with locals. Cambridge and the University respectively)
• Hunt balls
• Some balls during the London Season

In Austria and elsewhere in Continental Europe there are many balls where white tie is worn.