Q: Are there any acceptable alternatives to the standard tux? Does a black suit or a three-piece cut the mustard? As the social calendar fills up with holiday parties–many of which are black-tie events–what should you wear?

A: The words "black tie" on a party invite denote that the event is the most formal of functions. You may well yawn at the stuffiness, but back int he late 19th century, the wealthy elite used to change into a dinner jacket for practically every evening meal. Now, the rare instance you're asked to do the same hardly seems like such a drag. To save you and everybody else from embarrassment, don't bend the rules. "Stay with the tried and true," says Karl Clausen, head of bespoke at Alfred Dunhill. "One should only wear a plain black suit as a last resort." Here's what you need to know:

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