There are times in life when only the best is called for. Black tie events such as balls, award ceremonies and exclusive parties are one of those times. If you’ve received an invitation to one of these dos, you’ll want to seek out today’s perfect pair: oxfords and dinner jackets.
We’ll begin at the top of the outfit. The dinner jacket is a quintessentially British traditional menswear item. It is distinguished from a standard suit jacket by its satin trimmings. A dinner jacket usually has black satin lapels as well as black satin buttons and pocket trim. It is worn with a pair of matching suit trousers that have a satin strip running down the outer seam of each leg.
Moving on to the main event: the shoes. Oxfords are a formal laced leather shoe. They are most easily identified by their closed lace system, which marks them out from Derby styles. Oxfords can be worn plain or with broguing and/or decorative stitching.
Though there’s no law to say you have to wear a pair of oxfords with a dinner jacket, it’s certainly one of the important unwritten rules of menswear. A pair of black leather oxfords is the perfect and, indeed, the only completely acceptable accompaniment to a dinner jacket and trousers.
To really ensure your Oxfords pair beautifully with your dinner jacket, choose a pair of shoes with a high shine finish. This will automatically up the formality of your look and ensure you finish up looking polished (literally!).
Thinking about investing in a new pair of oxfords? We love the Oxford Edgware and the Wingtip Oxford Drummond.