FRIDAY'S FIND

Black-tie parties and celebrations, on the other hand, offer more latitude. Swank invitation-only gala dinners and upscale cultural fetes, for example, still suggest a preference for proper black tie but are also appropriate opportunities for personalizing your look with classic alternatives. Black Tie Optional affairs, semi-private black-tie parties (such as a New Year’s Eve celebration at a night club), and public events with an unwritten black-tie tradition (such as opening nights at the theater or opera) offer the greatest amount of leeway. Here guests may opt for contemporary variations by taking a few liberties with the institution's traditions while still respecting its overall form and function. (http://www.blacktieguide.com/Etiquette/Etiquette_BlackTie_Codes.htm)