Dress codes can be tricky things to navigate, even when – in the case of “smart-casual” or “eveningwear” – they can appear so simple and direct. And, well, if you’re going to a party where clothing suggestions have not been made whatsoever, things start to get even more complicated. This is something MR PORTER reader @lukasthekid is experiencing with an upcoming garden party. He asked us over on Instagram if he should wear a tie on such an occasion. Here’s what our US Editor Mr Chris Wallace thinks on this pressing matter.

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Should I wear a tie to a garden party?

@lukasthekid, via Instagram

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Well, it depends. What sort of ground surface are we talking about at this garden party? Soil? Slate tiles under a gazebo? What is the seating situation? And, important: what is the saucing situation? If you’re eating off china with silver, a tie would not go amiss. Are you tramping through flowerbeds with barbecue sauce flying hither and thither? You can probably skip the neckwear. My sort of fail-safe rule for this is, if you are wearing shoes that you would polish: tie. If sneakers and such: no tie.

I’ll go to the mattresses in defence of my belief that summer formal is actually the hardest formal to do. Just think of the perils of a beach wedding, the mucky sod of a garden party, the gloop-y things coming off the grill… And, this, before even we’ve begun to consider mosquitos, tiki torches, sweat stains, and regrettable dance moves at your high-school mate’s awkward destination wedding. That we cannot really control. Party-season etiquette, grooming and bleaching out rosé spots how-tos will come elsewhere.

Let’s talk about suits. As it does in every season, smart attire begins with the suit. In the summer, there are no other layers, no billowy winds or cosy nooks in which to hide flaws in your silhouette, so fit is all important. I just picked up a linen suit from our pals at P. Johnson, and had it tailored to within an inch of its life. With it – to garden parties and the wedding of any friend who dares wed somewhere exotic on uneven ground – I have a kit of options, in escalating scales of formalness. So, if it is a casual cocktail do on a lawn somewhere, I will (as I am today in the office), wear it with Vans, tie-dyed socks and a The Elder Statesman tee or featherweight sweater. One peg up the smart scale, I’ll pop on a polo or a white shirt (linen or, for a touch more dressiness, crispy cotton). Then, at the top of the scale, I have a pair of polished loafers, aforementioned white shirt and a nice, knobbly, woven silk tie – and, of course, a white linen pocket square. Pair with Deet, sunscreen and Pimm’s to taste.