The vanishing art of the black and white evening dress code
Once the standard for the European elite, white tie is becoming a rare relic. From the courts of the French Revolution to modern state banquets, discover how this rigid, monochrome tradition survived centuries of social upheaval and the rise of much more comfortable alternatives.
The origins of white tie lie in the late 18th-century transition from the ornate, colorful justaucorps of the French monarchy to a more austere style. Following the French Revolution, the rising bourgeoisie adopted simpler, darker garments. By the Regency era in the early 19th century, the palette for evening wear had solidified into the iconic black and white, a standard that has largely remained unchanged for two centuries.
The code's evolution was driven by a tension between formality and comfort. While the 1880s saw the emergence of the more relaxed black tie (the dinner jacket), the tailcoat remained the staple for the most prestigious events. Figures like the dandy Beau Brlammell championed a minimalist approach, though even he initially preferred a blue tailcoat. By the 1840s, the black and white combination had become the established norm for high society.
Social shifts in the 20th century, particularly the counterculture of the 1960s, saw white tie increasingly replaced by black tie as the default for formal occasions. Even the influential etiquette writer Emily Post noted in 1922 that while the tuxedo was 'essential' for everyday evening wear, the tailcoat was reserved for specific, high-stakes moments like the opera or formal balls. Today, the code survives primarily in highly ceremonial settings, such as the Nobel Prize banquet in Stockholm, the Vienna Opera Ball, and royal or state functions like the Christmas ball at Buckingham Palace.
Source: White tie
