<P> White tie, also called full evening dress or a dress suit, is the most formal evening dress code in Western high fashion . For men, it consists of a black dress tailcoat worn over a white starched shirt, marcella waistcoat and the eponymous white bow tie worn around a detachable collar . High - waisted black trousers and patent leather shoes complete the outfit, although decorations can be worn and a top hat and white scarf are acceptable as accessories . Women wear full length evening or ball gown and, optionally, jewellery, tiaras, a small bag and evening gloves . </P> <P> The dress code's origins can be traced to the end of the 18th century, when high society men began abandoning their breeches, lacy shirts and richly decorated evening coats for more austere tailcoats in dark colours, a look inspired by the country gentleman . Fashionable dandies like Beau Brummell popularised a minimalist style in the Regency era, tending to favour dark blue or black tailcoats, often with trousers instead of breeches, and white shirts, waistcoats and cravats . By the 1840s the minimalist black and white combination had become the standard evening wear for upper class men . Despite the emergence of the dinner jacket (or tuxedo) as a less formal and more comfortable alternative in the 1880s, full evening dress remained the staple . At the turn of the 20th century, white became the only colour of waistcoats and ties worn with full evening dress, contrasting with black ties and waistcoats with the dinner jacket, an ensemble which became known as black tie . </P> <P> From the 1920s onward black tie slowly replaced white tie as the default evening wear for important events, so that by the 21st century white tie had become rare . White tie nowadays tends to be reserved for special ceremonies--especially state dinners--and a very select group of social events such as the Al Smith Memorial Dinner in New York, the Commemoration balls at Oxford University, certain May Balls at Cambridge University, the June ball at Durham University, the Christmas ball at Buckingham Palace, dinners of certain American hereditary societies, and very formal weddings . The Vienna Opera Ball and the Nobel Prize ceremony are white tie events, and some European universities retain it as the dress code for doctoral conferment ceremonies . </P> <P> According to the British etiquette guide Debrett's, the central components of full evening dress for men are a white marcella shirt with a detachable wing collar and single cuffs, fastened with studs and cufflinks; the eponymous white marcella bow tie is worn around the collar, while a low - cut marcella waistcoat is worn over the shirt . Over this is worn a black single - breasted barathea wool or ultrafine herringbone tailcoat with silk peak lapels . The trousers have double - braiding down the outside of both legs, while the correct shoes are patent leather or highly polished black dress shoes . Although a white scarf remains popular in winter, the traditional white gloves, top hats, canes and cloaks are now rare . Women wear a full - length evening dress, with the option of jewellery, a tiara, a pashmina, coat or wrap . Long gloves are not compulsory . </P>

What is the difference between a black tie and white tie event
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