Tết Events: Tuxedo or Áo Dài for Lunar New Year

At Tết, the tuxedo suits formal evenings such as spring galas and company new-year dinners, while the men's áo dài suits family occasions, ancestor worship and New Year visits. The two are not rivals. Many gentlemen wear both during the holiday, at different times of the day.

The kinds of Tết event

Before choosing, sort the occasion, because each has its own dress language:

• Spring gala: usually held in the evening in a hotel or event centre, with a stage programme. The invitation often says black tie or "smart, dark tones preferred". This is where a tuxedo is most at home.
• Company year-end dinner: depends on the company culture. Some ask for áo dài, some for suits. If you are a senior leader giving a speech, a tuxedo makes you stand out within limits, but ask the organisers first so you do not clash with your staff.
• New Year reunions, class reunions, club gatherings: often in the daytime or early evening, with an easy mood. A suit or áo dài suits better than a tuxedo.
• Visiting elders, family altar ceremonies: a men's áo dài or a quiet suit. A tuxedo here can feel out of tune.

When a tuxedo, when áo dài

A simple distinction: the tuxedo is evening wear tied to Western etiquette, while the men's áo dài is national dress that can be worn all day. When an invitation says black tie, a formal men's áo dài is widely accepted as an equal choice, since national dress is normally regarded as valid at international events. Conversely, if the invitation says áo dài, wear áo dài and leave the tuxedo at home.

For a closer look, the article on áo dài as an alternative to the tuxedo explains when the two can stand in for each other. A practical idea: wear áo dài for the family visits in the morning and change to a tuxedo for the evening gala. You only need shoes, shirt and bow tie ready for a quick change.

Red and bronze gold: using them with taste

Tết evokes red and gold, but a bright red tuxedo tends to overpower the wearer. With a tuxedo you can bring Tết in through three layers:

1. Deep shades: choose burgundy, plum red or ruby rather than bright red. TUX-007, a ruby red with black peak lapels, and TUX-026, a wine red with satin peak lapels, are more formal than pure red. The Burgundy and jewel tones collection lets you compare dark reds side by side.
2. Bronze gold: TUX-049, a bronze-gold jacket with satin shawl lapels, carries a fairly subdued gold, not a loud metallic yellow.
3. Small accents: keep the tuxedo black but add a wine-red pocket square, a plum velvet bow tie or bronze cufflinks. This is the safe route if you are not used to wearing colour. The article on adding colour to a black tuxedo has more ideas.

Avoid putting red and gold into many details at once, or the outfit starts to look like a decoration.

Pairing with your family

Tết is when the whole family poses for photographs, so your outfit will sit beside other people's in the frame. A few principles:

• Match the tone, not the garment. If your wife wears a deep red áo dài, wear black or midnight blue with a pocket square in the same shade as her dress. If she wears bronze gold, you might choose navy or charcoal.
• Keep the level of formality reasonably close. If you wear a tuxedo, your companion should be in an evening gown or a silk áo dài at the least, to avoid a big gap.
• Children do not need a tuxedo; a white shirt and tidy trousers are enough. The general rule is formal enough, never showy.
• Older relatives are usually used to áo dài. Having one family member in áo dài also gives the photograph a clearer Tết character.

Advice from the Mon Amie workroom

Making time depends on the style and the fitting schedule, so order early and your consultant will confirm the timing when you are measured. Revisit the wine-red collection, then book a fitting at a showroom to see the cloth under proper light before you decide.