“Why begrudge me a little fun? I just want you to look nice.” — Norma Desmond
A gentleman’s evening clothes have a strict color palette of black and white only — which is just too strict for some gentlemen who feel this doesn’t allow them to express their individuality. (Etiquetteer wonders if they have ever looked in the mirror; there’s nothing more individual than your face, after all, unless you happen to be Hayley Mills in The Parent Trap.) Somewhere along the line the dress code Creative Black Tie sprang up so gentlemen could have a little fun Unleashing their Inner Peacock. But there are ways and ways. Let Etiquetteer guide you to make a Perfectly Proper impression for the right reasons.
“Creative” or not, a black-tie event is still formal. Your creativity must be expressed at that level and not lower. So strict attention to grooming is just as important. Whatever you’re wearing should be spotlessly clean, flawlessly pressed or polished, without rips, holes, tears, or visible mending. “Creative” is not a synonym for “sloppy.” Etiquetteer also believes that no element of the ensemble should be omitted in favor of creativity. Shirt, jacket, trousers, socks and shoes, links and studs (and other jewelry), and especially the bow tie should all be present. This is the canvas on which the artist creates. One of Etiquetteer’s dear friends, a style criterion, protests loudly against men whose “creative” efforts begin and end with wearing a tuxedo without a shirt, bare-chested. If your goal is to be mistaken for a bartender at Chippendale’s, that’s really for a costume party (see below).
Color is the easiest, simplest and best way to spice up black tie, especially appropriate for themed events like charity balls. For instance, for a gala with an ancient Egyptian theme, adding gold and lapis lazuli or a Cleopatra-style snake fits perfectly. Etiquetteer attended an event with a “Firebird” theme and accessorized with flame-red socks and pocket square. (Later, in a fit of exuberance, the pocket square disappeared behind a flock of red “Firebird” feathers that had been folded into all the dinner napkins.) Green, or anything with a leaf pattern, is an obvious choice for an event to do with the environment. You get the idea. Of course this is popular for wedding parties, as the groomsmen will often wear waistcoats or ties to coordinate with the bridesmaids and the flowers. Just don’t upstage the bride, one of the greatest sins against Perfect Propriety.
But remember, it’s not a costume party unless the invitation reads “Black tie — costume.” So if the theme is tropical, save that grass skirt for another party. Instead of a Hawaiian shirt, why not choose a bow tie or waistcoat or cummerbund in a tropical pattern, or clip fake hibiscus flowers to your shoes? Black patent leather opera pumps are a wonderful palette for creative expression, as you can clip almost anything into those grosgrain bows. Just be sure they’re securely fastened so you don’t lose something on the dance floor.
Calling on Ignatius J. Reilly for advice in these matters seems counterintuitive, but Etiquetteer thinks he actually defined Creative Black Tie well in John Kennedy Toole’s brilliant comic novel A Confederacy of Dunces: “A scarf here. A cutlass there. A few deft and tasteful suggestions. That’s all. The total effect is rather fetching.” Perfectly Proper Creative Black Tie is nothing more than “a few deft and tasteful suggestions.” But just a few. Don’t let your creativity overwhelm who you are at the center.
Etiquetteer wishes you a beautiful and creative evening, in which your total effect is rather fetching . . . whatever it is you want fetched.