Dress codes are not the host being difficult; they are a help. They tell you how formal the evening will be, so nobody ends up in a jumper next to guests in dinner suits. From most formal to most relaxed there are essentially five steps. For men they look like this.
Black tie: the dinner suit
Black tie is the most formal dress code you meet regularly today – at galas, balls, opera premieres and often on New Year's Eve. It means the dinner suit (tuxedo), not a black suit with a bow tie. The difference lies in the detail: on a dinner suit the lapels and buttons are faced with silk, and a silk stripe, the galon, runs down the outer seam of the trousers.
- Dinner suit in black or midnight blue, one button, peak or shawl lapel.
- Dress shirt in white, often with a concealed placket or pleated front and cufflinks.
- Bow tie in black, matching the lapels – ideally self-tied rather than pre-tied.
- Shoes: black oxfords, polished to a high shine or in patent leather.
- No belt: dinner suit trousers are held by side adjusters or braces. A cummerbund or waistcoat is possible, not required.
Under artificial light, midnight blue often looks deeper than black, which makes it a classic rather than a compromise. One example is our navy blue dinner suit in stretch twill, worn with the plain tuxedo shirt.
And white tie?
White tie sits above black tie: tailcoat, white piqué waistcoat and white bow tie. In Switzerland you meet it almost only at state receptions and grand balls. If it is on the invitation, there is no leeway – a dinner suit is then not enough.
Cocktail: the dark suit
Cocktail sits one step below black tie and is the most common dress code for evening invitations, private views and festive company events. For men it means a dark suit in navy, charcoal or black, a light shirt and a tie. A dinner suit would be too much here.
The details set it apart from the office. A silk pocket square, a tie with a slight sheen, polished shoes instead of everyday ones. In winter, a velvet jacket in dark blue or burgundy over dark trousers also works – provided the host means the evening to be sociable rather than official.
Business attire: suit and tie
Business attire, sometimes written as “lounge suit” or “dark suit”, is the classic office dress code for client meetings, board meetings and official lunches. It calls for a suit, not a jacket with odd trousers.
- Suit in navy or grey, muted, at most with a fine pinstripe.
- Shirt in white or light blue, with a tie.
- Shoes in smooth leather, black or dark brown, ideally oxfords.
- Belt matching the shoes, socks matching the trousers.
Because this suit is worn most often, fit pays off most here. How to tell whether a jacket really fits is shown in our article Does the jacket fit? – six places, one look in the mirror.
Business and smart casual
These two dress codes cause the most misunderstandings. Business casual means: jacket yes, tie no. The typical combination is a jacket with trousers in a different colour, an open-collar shirt or a fine knit, and leather shoes or loafers.
Smart casual is more relaxed again: the jacket becomes optional, a knitted polo or a zip-collar knit replaces the shirt, chinos are fine, and so are clean leather sneakers. What both rule out: ripped jeans, sports trainers, printed T-shirts. “Casual” means relaxed, not anything goes.
Christmas and New Year's Eve
Between November and New Year the invitations pile up – and often there is no dress code on them. Three rules of thumb help:
- Office Christmas party: one step above everyday office wear. If you usually wear business casual, come in a suit; the tie can stay at home. If you wear a suit every day, choose your darkest and add a pocket square.
- Company dinner at a restaurant: dark suit, tie as you like. In the evening, dark tones look more festive than light grey or beige.
- New Year's Eve: if the invitation says black tie, wear the dinner suit. Otherwise a dark suit with a bow tie or a silk tie is a safe choice.
In winter the cloths may get heavier: flannel, a denser wool or a velvet jacket not only look right, they keep you warm. And on the way to the party, a coat belongs on top – long enough to cover the jacket completely.
If you would like something made to measure for the December parties, the time to plan is now: it usually takes 3–5 weeks from measurements to handover, with express at most 3 weeks for a surcharge of CHF 150.–. Appointments at our showroom in Zurich can be booked online.
Nothing on the invitation?
Then time, place and occasion set the direction. A dinner from 7 pm at a good restaurant is more formal than an afternoon apéro; a hotel ballroom more formal than a workshop. When in doubt, the old rule applies:
Better one step overdressed than one step under. A tie can be taken off; a missing jacket cannot be conjured up.
And if you want to be quite sure, simply ask. No host minds the question – it shows that you take their evening seriously.
