White tie (or evening dress, full evening dress; slang top hat and tails or white tie and tails) is the most formal evening dress code in Western fashion. It is worn to ceremonial occasions such as state dinners in some countries, as well as to very formal balls and evening weddings. The chief components for men are the black dress coat commonly known as an evening tailcoat, white bow tie, white waistcoat and starched wing collar shirt, while women wear a suitable dress for the occasion, such as an evening gown.

As evening dress, white tie is traditionally considered correct only after 6 p.m. although some etiquette authorities allow for it anytime after dark even if that means prior to 6 p.m. The equivalent formal attire for daytime events is called morning dress. The less formal evening counterpart of white tie is black tie.

Men\’s clothesFormal evening dress is strictly regulated, and properly consists of:

Black or midnight blue dress coat (commonly known as an evening tailcoat) with silk (grosgrain or satin) facings, horizontally cut-away at the front
Trousers of matching fabric with one single wide stripe or two narrow stripes of satin or braid in the United States, two stripes in Europe; and are worn with braces (suspenders in the U.S.)
White plain stiff-fronted cotton shirt (usually cotton marcella, known as pique in the U.S.)
White stiff wing collar, preferably detachable
White bow tie (usually cotton marcella)
White low-cut waistcoat (usually cotton marcella, matching the bow tie and shirt
Black silk socks or stockings
Black court shoes

Fred Astaire in Royal Wedding (1951)The waistcoat and bow tie are usually made of cotton marcella (known in the United States as \”pique\”), although plain white or off-white silk bow ties and waistcoats are sometimes worn. Many menswear authorities today assert that the bottom of the waistcoat should not be visible below the front cutaway of the tailcoat. This has been the prevalent view in the United States since the 1920s, where actors such as Fred Astaire popularized the look of the unbroken black line from neck to feet which lengthened their silhouettes on-camera. The practice was also reinforced repeatedly by authorities dating back to at least World War I. and is adhered to in numerous fashion magazines dating back to at least the 1840s. However, since full evening dress is the most conservative form of men\’s dress, and has otherwise changed very little since the 1870s when the bottom of the waistcoat was visible below the cutaway of the tailcoat[citation needed], some traditionalists (especially in Europe and among the aristocracy) tend to wear the waistcoat with its hem extending below the cutaway of the tailcoat by 1-2 cm. As for British royal authority on the matter, the waistcoat does not extend below the fronts. Worn either style, the waistcoat must cover the trouser waistline (which should never be seen).

The shirt should have a detachable stand up collar, with a plain but stiffly starched front, though shirts with attached collars are becoming more prevalent. Shirt fronts can be plain linen, plain cotton or cotton marcella. Shirt studs and cufflinks should be silver or white. A white pocket handkerchief and boutonni