N/StyleGuide: An Evening for Reynolda / by Noah Williams

Tuxedo: Armani Collezioni, Shirt: Ledbury, Tie: The Tie Bar, Shoes: Crosby Square, Glasses: Burberry, Car: 2014 Aston Martin DB9 Volante(courtesy Foreign Cars Italia), Photo: Alec Hutchins Photography, Model: Noah Williams  

Tuxedo: Armani Collezioni, Shirt: Ledbury, Tie: The Tie Bar, Shoes: Crosby Square, Glasses: Burberry, Car: 2014 Aston Martin DB9 Volante(courtesy Foreign Cars Italia), Photo: Alec Hutchins Photography, Model: Noah Williams  

A "black-tie" dress code is fairly straightforward, and an easy style for most of us to put together. But when presented with the theme of "Black-tie with floral notes" by my friends at Reynolda House Museum of American Art, my imagination went wild. For the purposes of this guide, I wanted to show simple touches for having a bit of fun and thinking outside the box when it came to this gala, or really any similar formal event. For links to the businesses and products shown, be sure to check out the last part of this post! 

Tuxedo: Armani Collezioni(courtesy Saks Fifth Ave.), Shirt: Ledbury, Tie: The Tie Bar, Shoes: Crosby Square, Glasses: Burberry, Car: 2014 Aston Martin DB9 Volante(courtesy Foreign Cars Italia), Photo: Alec Hutchins Photography, Model: Noah Will…

Tuxedo: Armani Collezioni(courtesy Saks Fifth Ave.), Shirt: Ledbury, Tie: The Tie Bar, Shoes: Crosby Square, Glasses: Burberry, Car: 2014 Aston Martin DB9 Volante(courtesy Foreign Cars Italia), Photo: Alec Hutchins Photography, Model: Noah Williams  

Look 1: The Tuxedo

For this first look, I kept things fairly straightforward: a gorgeous black tuxedo, with a crisp white shirt, black shoes, and, for this event, a floral black bowtie. And, of course, no outfit would be complete without the ultimate accessories that elevate you to 007 status: an Aston Martin DB9 with matching private jet. 

Crosby Square "Stevens" in black. Photo: Noah Williams Media

Generally speaking, you would wear an all-black shoe with this tuxedo, but since the theme of the gala is a little more creative and playful, I thought it would be interesting to throw in this black shoe with a brown sole from Crosby Square. The brown sole breaks up the monochromatic tones found throughout the rest of the outfit. 

Watch: Patek Philippe Nautilus, Tuxedo: Armani Collezioni, Shirt: Ledbury, Tie: The Tie Bar, Shoes: Crosby Square, Glasses: Burberry, Car: 2014 Aston Martin DB9 Volante(courtesy Foreign Cars Italia), Photo: Alec Hutchins Photography, Model: Noah Williams  

In consideration of the elegant Back-Tie dress code, I thought it fitting to pair it with an equally luxurious and extravagant watch. Though it breaks from the classic James Bond Omega, the Patek Philippe Nautilus seemed the most appropriate piece to pair with this outfit. Its elegant, yet commanding design is sure to catch eyes and become an instant conversation topic. 

Tuxedo: Armani Collezioni, Shirt: Ledbury, Tie: The Tie Bar, Shoes: Crosby Square, Glasses: Burberry, Car: 2014 Aston Martin DB9 Volante(courtesy Foreign Cars Italia). Photo: Alec Hutchins Photography, Model: Noah Williams  

Now, one might note that I did not wear a traditional tuxedo shirt, with studs, but instead opted for a clean, white, spread collar design shirt. This is where your personal preferences come into play. I gravitate toward the more seamless and minimalistic design of a plain white shirt... but to each their own. Another way you could take this look, would be to throw in a floral design pocket square, and stick with your formal black bowtie. Personally, I would try to stick to only small accents of floral in your outfit, as too much floral comes off a bit overbearing. 

Ties: thetiebar.com

Ties: thetiebar.com

Suit: J. Lindeburg, Shoes: Johnston & Murphy, Shirt: Ledbury, Tie: The Tie Bar, Glasses: Burberry, Photo: Alec Hutchins Photography, Model: Noah Williams, Location: Reynolda House Museum of American Art historic indoor pool.

Suit: J. Lindeburg, Shoes: Johnston & Murphy, Shirt: Ledbury, Tie: The Tie Bar, Glasses: Burberry, Photo: Alec Hutchins Photography, Model: Noah Williams, Location: Reynolda House Museum of American Art historic indoor pool.

Look 2: The Casual Gala Goer

Let me start off by saying this: I prefer navy over black any day. If wearing a black tuxedo isn't your cup of tea, don't worry, we have an alternative idea for you. For this shoot I used a more formal navy suit, but this is interchangeable with a navy tuxedo if you have one. 

"Cates-Bit" in Brown by Johnston & Murphy, made in Italy. Photo: Noah Williams Media. 

I am convinced that few things in life smell better than a pair of new Italian loafers. For this look, I went with a rich, caramel brown, horse-bit loafer from Johnston & Murphy. The classic style of the horse-bit elevates the style of the loafer giving it a sophisticated and effortless look. 

Watch: Rolex, Shirt: Ledbury, Suit: J. Lindeburg, Tie: The Tie Bar, Photo: Alec Hutchins Photography, Model: Noah Williams, Location: Reynolda House Museum of American Art historic indoor pool. 

Watch: Rolex, Shirt: Ledbury, Suit: J. Lindeburg, Tie: The Tie Bar, Photo: Alec Hutchins Photography, Model: Noah Williams, Location: Reynolda House Museum of American Art historic indoor pool. 

I chose a classic stainless-steel Rolex Submariner for this outfit. I love the timeless design of this watch, and it's versatility. Whether you're out on the lake, or headed to a gala, this watch looks fantastic.  

Suit: J. Lindeburg, Shirt: Ledbury, Tie: The Tie Bar, Glasses: Burberry, Location: Reynolda House Museum of American Art historic indoor pool.

Suit: J. Lindeburg, Shirt: Ledbury, Tie: The Tie Bar, Glasses: Burberry, Location: Reynolda House Museum of American Art historic indoor pool.

All in all, if a black tuxedo is not your forte, this look offers a more casual, but still dressed-up look. An important thing to note is fit. If you have something tailored properly it greatly improves the overall look. 

Tuxedo: Armani Collezioni, Shirt: Ledbury, Tie: The Tie Bar, Shoes: Crosby Square, Glasses: Burberry, Car: 2014 Aston Martin DB9 Volante(courtesy Foreign Cars Italia). Photo: Alec Hutchins Photography, Model: Noah Williams  

In Conclusion: I hope this post has sparked some ideas for what you might wear to the upcoming gala, An Evening for Reynolda, and furthermore, if it did, please feel free to tell me in person the night of the event! It takes a village to raise a child, and likewise it takes a lot of incredible businesses dedicated to serving their customers to make this post. Everything photographed down to the pocket square was given, loaned, or driven down to make this post possible, and below I have listed links for all of the businesses/products shown (short of my heirloom cufflinks). Click directly on the Store/Product to be redirected to the companies' websites/direct links to the products if available on their e-store. For more details on this event click HERE

-Aston Martin DB9 VolanteForeign Cars Italia  

-Patek Philippe Nautilus: Windsor Jewelers

-Rolex Submariner: Schiffmans Jewelers

-Armani Tuxedo: Saks Fifth Avenue

-J. Lindberg Suit: J. Lindberg

-Shirt: Ledbury

-Black Shoe: Crosby Square

-Brown Loafers: Johnston & Murphy

-Bowties: The Tie Bar

-Photography: Alec Hutchins

-Producer/Model: Noah Williams

BONUS: Thanks for taking the time to read this post, check out this behind the scenes video of the shoot we did for the first look.