Bespoke Suits Guide to Formalwear

Formal wear or formal dress is the term we use for clothing that is suitable for a formal social occasion such as a dinner, formal garden party, wedding, ball, or a day at the races. Dress codes can vary from white tuxedo to black tie, and from white tie events to morning suits.

Bespoke Suits are here to help you make the right choice of suit for this special occasion. We can offer a range of options from the design of a bespoke suit to a wide range of garments for a one-off occasion.

Need a morning suit for Royal Ascot or for a wedding? Maybe it’s a White Tie event like a ball or banquet? Call Bespoke Suits London today, our team have a lot of experience and will be able to advise you on any formal wear queries.

Revival

There has been a resurgence in the popularity of the midnight blue dinner suit as well as the elegant of the velvet smoking jacket, for their timeless elegance and sophistication and. We love the idea of the glamour of yesteryear brought up to date and so we have now reintroduced an exceptional range of superior velvet silks to our books. Whether it is a single- or double-breasted jacket or even peak lapel or shawl, and whether you choose plain fronting or frogging, velvet is prized for its depth of colour and a lustre that is unbeatable.

The famous smoking jacket was originally worn by gentlemen who enjoyed smoking after they withdrew from dinner and was favoured by stars like Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin who wore their smoking jackets on stage as well. These days the smoking jacket is usually used as a more casual dinner jacket and worn to house parties. The smoking jacket should be worn with a dress, a shirt, a black bow tie and dinner trousers. And of course, velvet slippers or patent leather shoes won’t be overlooked.

A white tie event calls for the most formal evening attire that a gentleman can be called on to wear. This means that evening tails (full evening dress) is called for. The tailcoat worn must be black and the buttons must be left undone. White Tie dress calls for a white waistcoat, that should be made from cotton pique as well as a white dress shirt, wing collar and a bib with a matching bow tie that must also be white. The trousers will have double silk braids that are on the outside seams and turn ups can never be worn. The trousers must have a high waistband with the waistcoat covering them and be supported with braces.

White tie is the formal dress used traditionally for attendance at balls, when going to the opera to the ballet or to a state banquet. If you are fortunate to get an invitation to such an event, you need to be sure to get the dress completely right. We can ensure you are outfitted to perfection! This can also be a dashing look for a groom.