[smcl]

What does the “white tie” bit mean? Is it just that this is some sign of “new money” or laddish-ness, or is there some other significance?

I’m not being presumptuous or accusing you of anything, I really genuinely do not know and it sounds like it could be interesting :-)

[TheManInThePub]

White Tie is formal dress; attending opera, meeting royalty, heads of state and the like. Gentlemen wear tailcoat (with medals), shirt with winged collar and white bow tie, or military dress uniform.

Black Tie ("Tuxedo" to use the Americanism) is semi-formal. A dinner jacket and a black bow tie *never* with a winged collar.

Whilst White Tie events are very formal, at a Black Tie event, one may still drink, puke and shag, provided it is done with style.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_tie

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_tie

[OJFord]

> A dinner jacket and a black bow tie never with a winged collar.

How else will you show off the nice clip on your tie?

(:mischievous-face:, /s, et al.)

[smcl]

Oh funny, I had heard of Black Tie but never White Tie! Thanks!

[_ZeD_]

I think that beside receving a Nobel prize or dining with the queen one doesn't have many occasions to wear the white tie

[himlion]

Certain kinds of fraternities like to host white tie events.

[grzm]

> “White tie, also called full evening dress or a dress suit, is the most formal in traditional evening western dress codes.”

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_tie