A wedding invitation just arrived in the mail.
A dress code you’ve never seen before:white tie attire.
White tie is a standard of dress that began in the mid-19th century.
White tie as seen in 2000’sHouse of Mirth,set in Gilded Age New York.
To start, a quick definition of what, exactly, white tie is.
Lets start with men (or anyone who wants to embrace masculine style).
The white shirt has a wing collar, and, as the name implies, the jacket has tails.
Benedict Cumberbatch attends the “Charles James: Beyond Fashion” Costume Institute Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in white tie.
The outfit, says the American etiquette authority, should also be accented by white gloves.
Now, onto its history.
Take an 1885 articlepublished inThe New York Timesthat proclaimed white ties social supremacy.
White tie seen on the cover of a Gilded Age–eraVogue
The gilded youth of Paris made an attempt to replace its immaculate tint by one of flaming red.
The white tie is again reestablished.
Those who cannot manage a perfect seclusion for it must leave it at home.
President Obama wears white tie during a visit to Buckingham Palace.
White tie fell out of favor as the 20th century progressed.
WW I caused such formal occasionsand fashionsto seem out of place.
The shorter-jacket tuxedo suit instead became the outfit of choice for the majority of occasions.
As the United States built up its factories, different options for eveningwear were easier to make.
Designers began to offer more comfortable styles as well as more fabric and color options.
Yet in 2024, some couples want white tie for their modern weddings.
After all, it’s always fun to play dress up.
