Cocktail attire for men: what to wear
A dark suit + dress shirt + tie (increasingly optional) + leather shoes.
After-work parties, evening weddings, openings, birthday dinners, company parties.
- When
- Evening (usually 6–9 pm)
- Tie
- Depends
- Jeans
- No
- Sneakers
- No
Three outfit ideas
The classic
A navy suit, white shirt, a silk tie and brown oxfords.
No tie
A charcoal suit, a light blue shirt with open collar, a pocket square and black loafers.
Evening twist
A navy suit, a fine black roll neck in place of a shirt and black derbies.
What to wear
- A navy or charcoal suit
- A white or light-blue shirt
- A silk tie, or an elegant open collar without
Shoes
Oxfords, derbies or smart loafers.
Accessories
A pocket square, a watch, a belt matching the shoes.
What to avoid
- A tuxedo – too formal
- Sneakers, polo shirts
Colours
Darker, richer colours for evening; lighter, pastel ones for day events.
In summer
In summer: lighter colours, silk, crepe, dressy sandals; for men, a lightweight wool or wool-linen suit.
In winter
In winter: velvet, sequins, rich colours, sheer tights; for men, a dark wool suit.
Details that make the difference
- Jacket sleeves should show 1–1.5 cm of shirt cuff.
- Trousers without turn-ups and with a minimal break; for formal codes held up by braces, not a belt.
- Socks: black, fine and over the calf – no skin should show when you sit.
- Never fasten the bottom button of a jacket; a one-button dinner jacket is fastened when standing.
About cocktail attire
Elegant but less formal than black tie: a knee-length or midi cocktail dress, a dark suit with a tie. Cocktail attire emerged in 1920s America as pre-dinner cocktail parties became fashionable. Fashion houses, Christian Dior above all, cemented this shorter elegant evening style in the 1940s–50s, and Chanel's little black dress became its symbol.
Creative black tie for men
A tuxedo with a twist: velvet or coloured jacket, patterned bow tie, a roll neck instead of a shirt.
Semi-formal for men
A suit, or a blazer with tailored trousers + a dress shirt; tie depending on the event.
Other codes for men
Frequently asked
01Cocktail attire: is a tie required?
Optional, but safer with one – it's easier to take off than to put on.
02Cocktail attire: are jeans OK?
No – jeans are too casual for this code; choose tailored trousers.
03Cocktail attire: are sneakers OK?
No – choose leather shoes.
04How long should a cocktail dress be?
Classically just above, at or just below the knee; a midi works too. Floor-length is black tie territory.
05Do men need a tie for cocktail attire?
Traditionally yes, but more events now accept a dark suit without a tie and a good shirt. When in doubt, wear one – it's easier to take off.