Fashions and dress codes, like good manners, were invented at the royal courts of Europe and adopted by the aristocracy, once the only social class able to impose a custom when necessary. With the rise of the bourgeoisie, these customs spread and became universally accepted norms. Below is everything worth knowing about them: white tie, black tie, business formal, business casual, smart casual and casual.

1. What are dress codes?

Dress codes are guidelines that help a man dress appropriately on particular occasions. In other words, they help him fit in and respect the host of the event. Put differently, they are a set of rules that match clothing to the right level of formality. As a rule, the invitation states the code. To break it is to disregard the norms of social conduct.

2. White tie: when and how is full evening dress worn?

It is also known as cravate blanche, or full evening dress. It is the most sumptuous male attire, and most men never wear it even once in their lives. Should an invitation read “white tie mandatory”, the outfit consists of a black tailcoat, worn open, trousers in the same cloth with side braids, a bib-front shirt with a wing collar, a white low-cut waistcoat, opera pumps and, outdoors, a black overcoat. The required accessories are a hand-tied white bow tie, a white pocket square and cufflinks of the finest quality. White gloves have become optional today: they may be worn for dancing but come off at the table. This dress code is reserved for royal dinners, luxury weddings and Viennese balls.

3. Black tie: what makes up a correct dinner suit?

We have written a detailed article on black tie. In brief, the dinner suit is regarded as ceremonial dress. On invitations with a set dress code, it may also appear as cravate noire. It is black or midnight blue, with satin-covered buttons, peak lapels or a shawl collar, and pockets without flaps. The trousers carry a silk braid along the outside seam. To all this are added a waistcoat, a bib-front shirt, a cummerbund and a hand-tied black bow tie. The trousers are paired with black silk socks and patent leather shoes. Black tie is meant for ceremonies, weddings or funerals. Formal as it seems, it allows some variation compared with white tie, whose composition is fixed.

4. Business formal: what structure does it require?

This dress code has a familiar structure: jacket and trousers in the same cloth. In colour, the cloth may be black, navy or dark grey. It is worn with white, pale blue or pale pink shirts. Black or brown Oxfords, Derbies, monk straps or loafers are excellent options. For accessories, the whole male “arsenal” is available: a tie, a pocket square, a watch and cufflinks. A word of caution: the watch and cufflinks are never worn together. The reason? Too much metal in too small a space, all the more so with a wedding ring.

5. Business casual: how much more freedom does it allow?

This dress code is closely related to business formal, but allows more freedom. The structure to remember: a sport jacket with contrasting trousers. As an alternative to the sport jacket, a blazer with metal buttons is an excellent option. The freedom lies here: the plain shirt can give way to a checked one, or to a jumper, a polo neck or a polo shirt. Wool trousers can also give way to cotton ones. For footwear, any leather shoe with laces or buckles will do, as with business formal. What is newly allowed are suede shoes and those with decorative perforations (brogues).

6. Smart casual: how are elegance and ease reconciled?

It is the code most men prefer today. Smart casual is closely related to business casual, but allows even more freedom. In practice, it is the buffer between elegance and ease. The freedom lies in a good alternative to the sport jacket: a zip-up gilet, a cardigan or a leather jacket. The lower the formality, the more pieces there are to play with. This code’s repertoire therefore includes linen or cotton shirts, the jumper, the polo neck, chinos or jeans. Any accessories that give pleasure are welcome.

7. Casual: which clothes belong to the most relaxed code?

It resembles smart casual, minus the sport jacket. Casual style grew out of the wish to look good even on a stroll or a trip to the market. It is made up of clothes with a chic, slightly sporty air: versatile, unpretentious, unstructured and simply cut. The T-shirt, printed or plain, jeans, the casual shirt, the polo neck, chinos and sneakers are the usual props of this urban code. In principle, almost everything in a man’s wardrobe (except the wedding suit and patent leather shoes) falls into the casual category. Accessories are very flexible here, but excess can tip into the ridiculous.

These, then, are the main dress codes every gentleman should know and apply. Only the military and the clergy, and those in national costume or academic dress, may depart from them. The codes sometimes overlap, especially in Romania, where consumer education is still in its early stages. The aim of a summary like this one is precisely to clear up the confusion.