Tuxedo vs tailcoat: how black tie differs from white tie

The tailcoat is the garment of white tie, the highest level of evening formality: swallow-tailed coat, white waistcoat, white bow tie and a stiff-fronted shirt. The tuxedo belongs to black tie, one level below: a short jacket with no tails and a black bow tie. If the invitation says white tie you need a tailcoat; if it says black tie a tuxedo is enough, and wearing a tuxedo to a white tie event reads as underdressed.

What a tailcoat looks like

The tailcoat is an evening coat whose front is cut away horizontally just above the waist, while the back extends into two long tails reaching nearly to the back of the knee. It is not buttoned across the front; the chest is left open to show the waistcoat and shirt. The lapels are usually peaked and faced in silk. The traditional colour is black or a very deep midnight blue.

Vietnamese has borrowed the French word frac for it, and English also uses "tails".

The pieces that go with it

White tie is a strict outfit, and each piece has its own rule:

• White waistcoat: piqué cloth, cut low, so that no shirt front shows beneath it.
• White bow tie: also piqué, tied by hand.
• Shirt: stiff front (piqué or marcella) with a detachable wing collar, fastened with studs and cufflinks. See the stiff-fronted shirt.
• Trousers: high-waisted, worn with braces, with two rows of braid down each leg instead of one.
• Shoes: patent leather or opera pumps; white gloves depending on the occasion.

What a tuxedo looks like

The tuxedo is a short jacket ending at the seat, without tails, and it can be buttoned. It comes with trousers carrying a single satin braid per leg, a white shirt (pleated or piqué front, turndown or wing collar), a black bow tie, and a waist covering of waistcoat or cummerbund, plus patent shoes. The full detail is in the standards of a tuxedo.

Piece by piece

Item	White tie (tailcoat)	Black tie (tuxedo)
Jacket	Tailcoat, worn open	Short, tailless, buttoned
Lapel	Peak, silk-faced	Shawl or peak, satin or grosgrain
Waistcoat	White piqué, low-cut	Black or matching, or a cummerbund
Bow tie	White piqué	Black
Shirt	Stiff front, detachable wing collar	Pleated or piqué front, turndown collar
Trousers	High-waisted, two braids	One satin braid
Shoes	Patent or opera pumps	Patent or opera pumps
Gloves	White, depending on the event	Not required

Formality and when each is used

White tie sits at the top of the evening dress ladder and is for highly ceremonial occasions: state banquets, certain grand balls such as the Vienna Opera Ball, major award banquets and solemn concerts, where conductors often wear tails. White tie events are rare, and in Vietnam you will hardly ever meet one.

Black tie is far more common: galas, award nights, balls, evening weddings, company dinners. For most men the tuxedo is the practical evening dress. See the whole ladder in the hierarchy of men's formal wear and the wording on cards in English invitation dress codes.

Common mix-ups

• A tuxedo with a white waistcoat and white tie: two levels mixed, wrong on both.
• A tailcoat with a black bow tie: also mixed, because the black bow tie belongs to black tie.
• A tuxedo with a stiff-fronted shirt and detachable wing collar: not correct, as these are white tie details.

The rule is to keep the whole outfit at one level and not to blend.

If the invitation says white tie

Speak to a tailor early, as a tailcoat and stiff-fronted shirt need preparation time. Mon Amie specialises in the tuxedo; for a white tie request, talk to an adviser directly so they can point you the right way. See the dress code page for the levels.

Book a consultation at Mon Amie

If you are not sure whether your event calls for white or black tie, bring the invitation along. Book a visit here.