Formalwear for men can be either classic or contemporary

It's the season of galas, cocktails and balls - and much of the focus is traditionally on glamorous womenswear. But it's harder for many men to maintain an up-to-date look while traversing the regulations of formal dressing.

There are two distinct camps when it comes to smart attire for men - the classic and the more contemporary.

Strict dress codes can now be interpreted in myriad ways, with some men taking a traditional route and others choosing to put their own individual spin on evening wear.

In Hong Kong, two respected fashion emporiums espouse very different takes on the theme. This season, The Armoury and Shanghai Tang put forward cases for their own approach to formal.

For Alan See, co-founder of menswear boutique The Armoury, the answer is always in the classic. "We are all about the classics," he says. "For formalwear, think Fred Astaire. Watch his movies and you will see that he is always impeccably dressed in a tuxedo or top hat and tails."

The difficulty, according to See, is that men no longer know the rules of formal dressing, and this leads to fashion faux pas. "Times have changed, and people don't really know what's formal and what's casual any more. The most common mistake I see is people thinking that a suit and black tie will do for black tie. It won't."