White Tie Etiquette

[figheadair]

This week I had an opportunity to attend an event where the dress code was White Tie at which National costume that is the equivalent of White Tie is welcome.

It's not often that one has the opportunity to wear White Tie, certainly not in the UK. The velvet Regulation Doublet that I'm having made was not ready and my old Meyer and Mortimer one was with the tailor for use as the template. I therefore had to go for the third option, a doublet that I purchased for the 1927 hallmarked buttons. It is a little tired and I had to replace the missing lace cuffs but it worked quite well I think.

[jhockin]

Looking good! 👍

[gsmacleod]

Splendid!

If I ever have the chance to attend a white tie event, my plan is a very similar outfit to what you're wearing here.

Shane

[Regimental]

I’ve heard it claimed that black tie kilt outfits are suitable and proper for otherwise white tie occasions.

But honestly that always felt off to me – that looks a lot more fitting.

[figheadair]

I’ve heard it claimed that black tie kilt outfits are suitable and proper for otherwise white tie occasions.

But honestly that always felt off to me – that looks a lot more fitting.

I agree, and it's nice to have the opportunity to wear White Tie.

Here's the (slightly tongue-in-cheek) guidance from the organisation at which I was a guest.

Can I wear black tie/dinner Jacket at a white tie event?

At xxx White Tie events, we sometimes say “Dinner Jacket Permissible”. By this, we mean that if your White Tie has been eaten by your pet lion, destroyed by the dry cleaner, borrowed by an errant offspring, or beamed up by Scottie, we’d prefer that you turned up in Black Tie rather than be deprived of your conversation. No other reason is wholly acceptable, although guests are more easily forgiven.

[Jock Scot]

I agree, and it's nice to have the opportunity to wear White Tie.

Here's the (slightly tongue-in-cheek) guidance from the organisation at which I was a guest.

Can I wear black tie/dinner Jacket at a white tie event?

At xxx White Tie events, we sometimes say “Dinner Jacket Permissible”. By this, we mean that if your White Tie has been eaten by your pet lion, destroyed by the dry cleaner, borrowed by an errant offspring, or beamed up by Scottie, we’d prefer that you turned up in Black Tie rather than be deprived of your conversation. No other reason is wholly acceptable, although guests are more easily forgiven.

That sounds perfectly reasonable to me!

[Shinenotburn]

This week I had an opportunity to attend an event where the dress code was White Tie at which National costume that is the equivalent of White Tie is welcome.

It's not often that one has the opportunity to wear White Tie, certainly not in the UK. The velvet Regulation Doublet that I'm having made was not ready and my old Meyer and Mortimer one was with the tailor for use as the template. I therefore had to go for the third option, a doublet that I purchased for the 1927 hallmarked buttons. It is a little tired and I had to replace the missing lace cuffs but it worked quite well I think.

Absolutely wonderful Peter. Quite elegant.

[OC Richard]

I don't know anything about white tie etiquette, but I have noticed that in Victorian photos the wearing of white tie with dark waistcoat was fairly common.



After 1900 the jabot started getting popular, and in many photos it's hard to tell whether it's a tie or jabot, the way the white washes out.

[Macman]

After 1900 the jabot started getting popular, and in many photos it's hard to tell whether it's a tie or jabot, the way the white washes out.

Richard, I curious about your take on the piper on the left. He seems to have around ten medals hanging from his doublet. Would these be piping awards, do you think?

[OC Richard]

Richard, I curious about your take on the piper on the left. He seems to have around ten medals hanging from his doublet. Would these be piping awards, do you think?

Yes and it's something you don't see nowadays, competitors wearing medals, but it used to be common:



You see this sometimes, a wide black sash-thing with all the medals pinned on it. That way whatever outfit you're wearing you can put the sash over it. A while back one of these sashes, covered with medals, was up on Ebay. The medals were from over a century ago from numerous Highland Games in Scotland.



And not just pipers, here are Highland dancers wearing their medals while dancing:



And a very successful Highland athlete, wearing his medals on one of those sashes:



Here's a completely different thing, a military veteran wearing his medals: