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Monday 2 November 2026
Gentleman Coded Live well. Behave better.
A man in a dark shawl-collar dinner jacket, black bow tie, double cuffs and white pocket handkerchief, adjusting his watch Attire

Black tie, properly: the rules and where you can bend them

Black tie is the kindest dress code ever devised, once you know the handful of rules. What to wear, where you can bend it, where you can't, and what it costs to own.

By Rupert Ashcombe · 7 minute read
The columned front and dome of the National Gallery on Trafalgar Square, London Escapes Van Eyck’s portraits, all together for the first time, at the National Gallery A black umbrella covered in water droplets, against a blurred grey background Attire The object: the Fox umbrella
Red gift boxes tied with gold ribbon beneath a frosted Christmas tree with red baubles The Christmas guide Christmas gifts for a gentleman, from £59 to the unforgettable Things he'd never quite buy for himself, made well enough to last a decade. Our Christmas gift guide for men, from Riedel glasses at £59 to a Globe-Trotter case. Read the guide
A restaurant table laid with wine glasses, water glasses, cutlery and napkins Conduct Table manners that still matter (and the ones that don’t) A man pouring red wine from a bottle into a glass held by a guest in a suit jacket The Cellar How to order wine in a restaurant without bluffing A steel wristwatch with a green dial and fluted bezel, worn under the cuff of a dark suit Attire Your first serious watch, and how to choose it at every budget

The Code

The standard of dress, conduct and taste, written down one rule at a time. Short enough to remember, explained well enough to live by.

Read all 26 rules
  1. XXIApologise once, plainly, and without a “but”.
  2. XXIIDrink better, not more.
  3. XXIIINever press a drink on someone who has said no.
A tailor cutting dark suit cloth with shears along a wooden ruler Attire How a suit should fit: the twelve checks a tailor makes Fit matters more than price. The twelve things a good tailor looks at, from the shoulders to the break, and which problems are worth fixing. A wooden bar cabinet lined with bottles, lit by a warm table lamp The Cellar The home bar: twelve bottles that make every classic cocktail You don't need a wall of bottles. Twelve, chosen well, make a proper Negroni, Martini, Old Fashioned and ten more classics, using the official recipes.

The sections

Attire Tailoring, shoes, watches and grooming: how to dress well, buy once and look after what you own. Machines Phones, audio, home technology and cars, judged on craft and on how they feel to live with. The Cellar Whisky, cognac, wine and cocktails: what to buy, how to order and how to serve it well. Conduct Etiquette, hosting, gifts and letters: the manners that make other people comfortable. Escapes The hotels, restaurants, bars and cities worth travelling for.

A guide to living well and behaving well: the finest things, chosen with taste, and the manners that go with them. About Gentleman Coded