We’ve waxed lyrical about how men’s dress codes are breaking down, how casual dress is taking over and why sportswear is the de facto king of men’s fashion. But in this new relaxed world, there is one mainstay that refuses to disappear: the suit. We’ve seen it rise and fall in popularity over the years, but it never truly went away. In a true sign of the times, tailoring featured extensively in the first Louis Vuitton collection from Virgil Abloh, shown alongside cutting edge streetwear suggesting the two have finally become symbiotic. The suit, and old ideas of formal attire in general, no longer has to have stuffy connotations – it can be worn through choice; it can be sexy and relevant. After all, no matter how casual fashion gets, there are still times when you’ll need to wear one – weddings, fancy parties, big job interviews, they generally all require one. “Many people now only wear formal clothing to weddings and funerals”, owner of Grenson , Tim Little admits. But how can you wear yours without looking old hat?

What is Formal Attire?

Ah, the ever mystifying question of what is formal attire exactly?

In general, if you find yourself staring at an invitation that requests formal attire, it’s a safe bet that it’s a black or white tie event, where you’re expected to show out in your best and most polished dress. As a rule of thumb, if an event calls for formal attire, it’s going to be fancy, and you don’t want to stick out as a slob in a crowd of well dressed men.

Traditionally, men’s formal attire indicates a black tie event, which means a black tuxedo and a tuxedo shirt, and there’s very little wiggle room around it. Paired with a starched white shirt and cummerbund, the black tie look is the epitome of mens formal wear.

If it’s specifically indicated that white tie is required, you’ll have to add a bow tie and tailed jacket into the mix.