THE BOW MONDE

Garments purchasable at TheRake.com

I have always been interested in why we use the colour of a bow tie to differentiate between the degrees of formality in gentlemen’s evening dress. ‘Black tie’ is the less formal and popular version, while ‘white tie’ is rarely seen these days outside of diplomatic dinners, period dramas and televised ballroom dancing competitions. The crucial difference is the style of evening coat, with white tie requiring a body coat that reaches to the back of the knees. It is worn unfastened — indeed, it cannot be fastened — yet has the buttons to imply it is double-breasted. (And it is a useful example to help you prove that double-breasted styles can be left unbuttoned should you ever find yourself in a debate with a menswear pedant.)

The original dinner