Creative black tie: 8 ways to bend the rules

Creative black tie keeps the frame of black tie and lets the host allow a few deliberate changes. The frame is the tuxedo, the dress shirt, the bow and the polished shoes. What is "allowed" is colour, texture and a few personal details. The rule that is easy to remember: one or two statements, everything else traditional.

Below are eight ways to bend the rules, each with the condition that keeps it polite.

1. A coloured tuxedo

Burgundy, midnight, forest green, aubergine, charcoal. The condition: pick deep, restrained colours and keep a black satin or grosgrain lapel. Bright or neon shades leave the spirit of an evening party. For example, TUX-097 in burgundy with a soft, velvet-like surface, a black satin peak lapel, one button and satin-braided trousers; or TUX-118 in deep aubergine with a black satin peak lapel and a black velvet bow tie.

2. Velvet lapels or a full velvet jacket

Velvet carries the old smoking-jacket tradition. The condition: the pile must be fine, the colour dark and the sheen moderate; pair a velvet jacket with plain black trousers, not matching velvet ones. Read more in velvet tuxedo jackets and the smoking jacket. TUX-108, a slate-blue ribbed velvet with a black satin shawl collar, is a discreet choice.

3. A patterned bow tie

Silk polka dots, marble print, paisley, small florals. The condition: it must still be a bow (self-tied is better), the pattern small, and the colour echoed somewhere else, such as the pocket square. TUX-096, a black three-piece with a dotted-trim silk shawl lapel and a marble-print bow tie, illustrates it. See also matching bow, lapel and cummerbund colours.

4. Velvet or embroidered shoes

Velvet slippers can carry a monogram, crest or small motif. The condition: a dark ground (black, navy, burgundy), a single detail, nothing large in metal. This is the safest way to bend the rules because it shows only when you walk.

5. Textured cloth or tone-on-tone patterns

Jacquard, birdseye, subtle checks. The condition: stay in one shade (black on black, navy on navy) so the pattern appears only up close. Large, loud patterns make the suit look like stage costume.

6. A coloured cummerbund or waistcoat

Burgundy, sapphire or gold against black. The condition: the colour should relate to the bow or pocket square, and the shirt stays white. If you are torn between the two, see three-piece tuxedo: waistcoat or cummerbund.

7. A different pocket square, lapel pin or studs

A patterned silk pocket square, a small floral lapel pin, coloured shirt studs. The condition: choose one of the three, and match the metal to your cufflinks. This is the easiest to execute and the easiest to overdo.

8. A modified neckline

A wing collar, a band collar without a bow, or a velvet bow. The condition: only when the invitation says "creative" or "casual black tie". See wearing a tuxedo without a bow tie for the limits.

Limits not to cross

• Do not abandon the shiny lapel entirely. Without satin you lose the tuxedo's signature.
• No trainers, however expensive.
• No more than two statements. A coloured jacket plus a patterned bow plus embroidered shoes plus a printed pocket square is overload.
• Do not change the shirt rule. A white shirt, pleated or piqué, remains the base.
• Do not turn it into costume. Someone looking from across the room should see formalwear with personality, not a stage outfit.

If the levels of dress code are unfamiliar, what black tie means explains the range from white tie to cocktail. The Statement collection gathers the greys, patterns and metallic finishes that suit this style.

How Mon Amie can help

If you are unsure which statement to choose, tell the tailor about the occasion and the mood of the evening. We will help you pick one statement and do it well, rather than spreading five around. You can book a fitting at a showroom, and it is wise to book early so there is time for fittings and adjustments.