The Complete Guide to Made-to-Measure Dinner Suits & Tuxedos

Black tie, made personal

Few pieces of menswear have the presence of a beautifully cut dinner suit. Whether you call it a dinner suit, dinner jacket, black-tie suit or tuxedo, the principle is much the same: evening tailoring designed specifically for formal occasions. In Britain, dinner suit and dinner jacket are the traditional terms, while tuxedo is more commonly used in America.

At Roomten, we believe the strength of black tie lies in getting the fundamentals right — and then deciding where to introduce individuality. A traditional black or midnight-blue dinner suit may be exactly what you need, but made-to-measure also opens the door to velvet dinner jackets, ivory jackets, double-breasted styles and different lapels. The result should still unmistakably belong to the world of black tie. It simply belongs to you as well.

What is a dinner suit?

A proper dinner suit is not simply a black business suit worn with a bow tie. Traditional black tie has its own details: a black or midnight-blue dinner jacket, silk-faced peak or shawl lapels, matching formal trousers with a silk braid down the outside seam, a white evening shirt, black bow tie and formal black shoes.

A traditional single-breasted dinner jacket will normally have a single-button fastening and jetted pockets rather than flaps. A double-breasted jacket is another elegant option and creates a stronger silhouette. The simplicity of black tie makes fit particularly important: there is very little pattern or decoration to hide behind.

Black or midnight blue?

A beautifully cut black dinner suit is timeless. Worn with black silk lapels, a crisp white evening shirt, black bow tie and highly polished or patent shoes, there is very little that needs improving. If this is your first made-to-measure dinner suit, black gives you a wardrobe staple for weddings, formal dinners, awards ceremonies, balls and black-tie parties for many years.

Midnight blue is equally traditional and can appear particularly deep under artificial evening light. From across a room it may look almost black, but closer up the richness of the blue becomes apparent. It is an excellent alternative for someone who already owns black, or simply wants something a little different.

Choosing your dinner jacket lapel

The lapel is one of the defining features of a dinner jacket. Our two principal choices are peak lapels and shawl collars. A peak lapel points upwards towards the shoulder, creating a strong, elegant line through the chest. It works beautifully on both single and double-breasted jackets and is especially good for a sharper, more structured appearance.

The shawl collar is softer. Rather than a notch or point, one continuous curved line runs around the collar and down the front. A black dinner suit with a silk shawl collar is beautifully understated, while the same shape also works exceptionally well on velvet and ivory jackets. Notch lapels belong more naturally to lounge and business suits; for a proper Roomten dinner suit, we would normally steer towards peak or shawl lapels.

Satin or grosgrain?

The lapel facing provides one of a dinner jacket's most recognisable contrasts. Satin is smooth and reflective, giving a sharper evening appearance. Grosgrain has a fine ribbed texture and a slightly more restrained lustre. Neither is necessarily better: it comes down to the character you want. The same material can continue through the covered buttons and trouser braid for consistency.

Single-breasted or double-breasted?

A single-breasted, one-button dinner jacket is arguably the most versatile option. It is clean, elegant and flattering on a wide range of builds. A double-breasted dinner jacket has considerably more presence: a 4x1 or 6x2 configuration with broad peak lapels creates an especially elegant evening silhouette and makes an excellent second choice for someone who already owns a traditional single-breasted suit.

The velvet dinner jacket

This is where black tie becomes particularly interesting. Velvet has a long relationship with eveningwear and works especially well for autumn and winter occasions. You do not have to stay with black: richer colours are one of the areas where made-to-measure really comes into its own.

Gold velvet demonstrates how far you can move from conventional black tie without losing the elegance of evening dress. Pair it with black evening trousers, a white dress shirt and formal black shoes. The principle is balance: if the jacket is doing the talking, everything around it can be quieter.

Aubergine is a superb evening colour. Under artificial light it has depth without appearing overly bright and works beautifully against black trousers and black silk detailing. It is particularly good for winter weddings, Christmas events, dinners and parties.

Deep forest or bottle green is another excellent option. A double-breasted green velvet jacket with black silk peak lapels, black evening trousers and a white shirt makes a strong statement without becoming novelty eveningwear. Rather than choosing from a handful of ready-made tuxedos, we can build the jacket around the cloth and the wearer.

The white or ivory dinner jacket

A white — or more commonly ivory — dinner jacket is one of the great alternatives to traditional black eveningwear. It is particularly associated with warmer climates, summer evenings and destination events. The contrast is what makes it: ivory jacket, black trousers, white dress shirt, black bow tie and black patent shoes. A shawl collar is especially elegant, although a peak lapel also works.

Dinner suit trousers

Proper dinner trousers differ from ordinary suit trousers. Traditionally they feature a silk braid along the outside seam that relates to the jacket lapel facing. They have no turn-ups and no belt loops, and can be made with side adjusters or buttons for braces. The waistband should sit cleanly and should not be visible below a single-breasted jacket.

Cummerbund or evening waistcoat?

With a traditional single-breasted dinner suit, a cummerbund or low-cut evening waistcoat covers the waistband. A cummerbund keeps the outfit particularly clean; a low-cut waistcoat gives a slightly more tailored appearance. With a double-breasted jacket that remains buttoned, a separate waist covering is generally unnecessary. The wearer's proportions and the jacket determine which looks best.

The dinner shirt

Do not create a beautiful made-to-measure dinner suit and treat the shirt as an afterthought. A traditional evening shirt is white and may have a clean, pleated or Marcella front. Double cuffs allow for cufflinks, while dress studs can replace conventional visible buttons. A made-to-measure shirt also ensures the collar, sleeve length and amount of visible cuff work properly with the jacket.

The bow tie

For traditional black tie, the answer is straightforward: black, silk and preferably self-tied. A self-tied bow has a slight imperfection and character that a perfectly symmetrical pre-tied bow does not. There is room for creativity with an alternative jacket — perhaps a velvet bow tie that relates to the jacket — but one strong idea is often more effective than five.

Shoes for black tie

Black patent leather is the classic choice. A beautifully polished black Oxford can also work, particularly if you want a shoe for occasions beyond black tie. Chunky business shoes, tan or brown footwear, and anything that fights visually with the suit are best avoided. Eveningwear benefits from simplicity.

Choosing the right fabric

• Barathea wool — a classic with subtle texture and a relatively matt surface, allowing the silk lapel to provide contrast.
• Mohair and wool-mohair — crisp, subtly lustrous and good at holding its shape through a long evening, especially useful in warmer conditions.
• Fine wool — clean drape and enough versatility to wear through much of the year.
• Velvet — richness and texture in black, burgundy, aubergine, bottle green, midnight blue or gold, particularly suited to autumn and winter.

A dinner suit for your wedding

Black tie can make superb wedding attire, particularly for an evening wedding or a celebration where the couple has deliberately chosen it as the dress code. The groom might choose midnight blue or black while the wedding party wears black, or an ivory or velvet jacket can distinguish him while keeping everyone within the same eveningwear language.

Made-to-measure allows the outfit to be designed around the groom, venue, season, wedding colours and overall formality rather than chosen in isolation.

What does made-to-measure change?

Quite a lot. A dinner suit is deceptively simple, so there is little to distract from poor proportions. We start with your measurements, then consider posture, build and how you want the finished suit to look. Together we choose the cloth, colour, single or double-breasted construction, peak or shawl lapels, satin or grosgrain facings, jacket length, trouser shape, waistband, side adjusters, brace buttons, lining, pockets and finishing details.

It means we are not simply altering a standard tuxedo. We are creating your dinner suit.

Traditional or contemporary?

You can keep everything absolutely traditional: black or midnight blue, white shirt, black bow tie and black patent shoes. It is difficult to improve upon. Or we can retain the principles of eveningwear while making it more individual — gold velvet, an aubergine jacket, dark-green double-breasted velvet, ivory with black trousers, or midnight blue that looks almost black until the light catches it.

Made-to-measure is not about adding detail simply because you can. It is about having the choice.

When should you wear a dinner suit?

Black tie traditionally belongs to the evening. Today, dinner suits are worn for black-tie weddings, formal dinners, charity balls, awards ceremonies, galas, parties and premieres. If an invitation says Black Tie, it is not asking for a smart dark business suit and a black necktie; it is asking for evening dress.

Hire or buy?

If black tie is genuinely a one-off, hiring can make sense. If you attend even occasional formal events, owning one changes the equation. A classic black or midnight-blue dinner suit does not follow the same fashion cycle as many garments. Get the proportions and details right and it can remain relevant for years — and there is a considerable visual difference between formalwear made around its wearer and a hired garment designed for many body shapes.

The Roomten approach

Our approach to eveningwear is straightforward: understand the rules first, then decide which ones we want to play with. For one client that means a completely traditional black dinner suit with grosgrain peak lapels. For another, midnight blue. For someone wanting more individuality, it could be gold, aubergine or dark-green velvet, or an elegant ivory jacket with black trousers.

The common thread is fit. Your dinner suit should sit cleanly across the shoulders, frame the chest, create a flattering line through the waist and allow the trousers to fall cleanly. When black tie is right, it does not need to shout. It simply looks right.

Create your made-to-measure dinner suit

Whether you are dressing for a wedding, gala, awards evening or formal dinner, we can create an outfit around you. Choose from traditional black and midnight-blue cloths, barathea, wool and mohair blends, velvet evening jackets, ivory dinner jackets and a wide range of personalised finishing options.