black tie, white tie

[Alan H]

I've been to a lot of what I suppose are called "black tie" affairs. This is because I'm a musician. In the three-plus years I've been wearing kilts I've put on black tie to attend the San Francisco Symphony twice, and it absolutely wasn't necessary. However, it was fun. Aside from that, the only place I've worn black tie is X Marks Burns Night dinners, where it's also not mandatory (just encouraged).

Honestly, why worry about it if you've never been to one and you're unlikely to ever get invited to one? Not that there's anything wrong with being curious and asking, just don't stress over it.

[bowser]

In the days when I had a made to measure dinner suit, I have to say it was great fun watching people turn up and get turned away if they were not correctly dressed for the event.

I remember one particular occasion where one gent turned up in a White "night fever" suit, red shirt and BLACK tie, and was most surprised when he was told that it was not acceptable, he was really upset because the invite said black tie and he had a black tie what was the problem !!!