The benchmark is black tie, the code of nearly all major evening galas. According to Debrett's, it requires men to wear a black wool dinner jacket, single-breasted, without vents, with silk peak lapels or a shawl collar, and a bow tie tied by hand. For women, the evening gown, preferably full length, is the safe choice. On the calendar, the amfAR Gala in Venice (Sunday, September 6, 2026, Molino Stucky) is billed as black tie, as are the opening galas of the Metropolitan Opera and the New York Philharmonic; amfAR's press releases also present its Cannes gala as a black tie event, with cocktails, dinner and then an auction. Some galas set out their own protocol: at the Monaco Red Cross Gala, formal gala dress is required, donors are expected from 7:45 pm in the Salle des Étoiles and dinner is served at 8:30 pm. Two rules complete the outfit. First, the invitation is the authority: it states the code, and any doubt is settled with the organizer, never by improvising. Second, every invitation calls for a prompt reply, acceptance or refusal, and you do not cancel at the last minute. Finally, do not confuse black tie with white tie: the tailcoat, reserved for the most ceremonial evenings such as the great Viennese balls, is another register altogether.