tailcoat
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tailcoat
A very formal black evening suit for men, whose jacket is short at the front and extends into two long, swallowtail-like tails at the back. It is typically worn with a white bow tie.
Zum Opernball erschien er standesgemäß im Frack.
He appeared at the opera ball appropriately dressed in a tailcoat.
A 'Frack' (tailcoat) is the most formal evening wear for men. It is worn only on very exclusive occasions where the dress code is 'großer Gesellschaftsanzug' or, internationally, 'White Tie.'
Der Dirigent betrat die Bühne im Frack.
The conductor stepped onto the stage in a tailcoat.
A tailcoat is traditionally worn with a white waistcoat and a white bow tie. The trousers have no belt loops and are held up with suspenders.
Er musste noch lernen, wie man die weiße Fliege zum Frack richtig bindet.
He still had to learn how to tie the white bow tie properly with the tailcoat.
The combination 'Frack und Zylinder' (tailcoat and top hat) is proverbial for extremely elegant, almost overly formal clothing. It can also be used ironically.
Zur Party musst du nicht gleich in Frack und Zylinder kommen.
You don't have to come to the party in a tailcoat and top hat.
tuxedo
Both words refer to very elegant black evening wear for men. Der Frack is clearly more formal because its jacket is short at the front and has long tails at the back, while der Smoking is less strictly defined. Der Frack is suitable for a particularly formal dress code; otherwise, der Smoking is often the appropriate choice.
Für den besonders formellen Ball zog er einen Frack mit weißer Fliege an.
For the particularly formal ball, he put on a tailcoat with a white bow tie.
Für die festliche Abendfeier wählte er einen schwarzen Smoking mit Fliege.
For the formal evening celebration, he chose a black tuxedo with a bow tie.
