Dinner at Eight

The failure mode here is the denim, not the tee. Washed black is dark enough to sit under a blazer; a mid-blue jean is not, and no amount of good tailoring above it fixes that.

Oxfords rather than loafers, because the rest of the outfit has already spent its casual budget.

Why it works

• One navy note in an otherwise black outfit, high up where it registers.
• Heavyweight jersey holds a neckline; thin jersey collapses under a lapel.
• Black shoes with black denim gives an uninterrupted line to the floor.

Swap it

Black wool trousers instead of the denim moves this up a level for a dress code.