As an exemplar of what men’s formalwear can look like today, Sir Lewis’ outfit is both exciting and daunting. Exciting because it demonstrates that traditional dress codes are becoming increasingly irrelevant and there is plenty of room for guys to experiment and allow their individual style to shine through. Daunting because, for decades, those dress codes have provided a security blanket that’s made it possible for gents to get dressed on autopilot without much need for decision-making.

As we head into 2022, formal attire is at the forefront of many people’s minds. After two years of working from home and endless deferrals of social events, we’re supposedly gearing up for a dazzle of weddings, cocktail parties, and nights out dancing. There’s been much chirruping from commentators that a return to the flamboyance and debauchery of the Roaring Twenties is on the cards. It seems the time has come to bin the sweatpants and don the finery. But, after months of dressing as comfortably and casually as possible, what do we now wear when we wish to look smart?

For starters, not a tie, pocket square or cufflinks. Comparing pre-pandemic style to now, Casely-Hayford says there has been a distinct move away from dandyish furnishings and towards a stripped-back “kind of futurism”. This style recalls some of the minimalist outfits from films that are set many years in the future, he says, like Demolition Man or Blade Runner. And it’s reflected in recent red-carpet looks from the likes of Mr Timothée Chalamet (see: his all-black, sequined matching crew-neck and trousers by Haider Ackermann donned for the 2021 Venice Film Festival) or Mr Riz Ahmed, who sported an all-black Prada ensemble – suit and knitted crew-neck jersey – for the 2021 Oscars.

In many cases, silhouettes are softening. The comfort we’ve become accustomed to over the past couple of years is working its way into our formal attire, so lines are becoming “flowing and sinuous,” in that elegantly slouchy 1980s Armani way, says Casely-Hayford. That means slightly roomier trousers and deconstructed blazers.

Don’t you dare mistake this for casualness, though. “What’s key is that the formality is still there,” says Casely-Hayford. “The guys getting it right look just as sharp as the guys in traditional formalwear.” How to convey smartness in lieu of form-fitting tailoring or fussy bow ties? Through the clean minimalism of your outfit.

For upcoming weddings, Casely-Hayford’s clients – who tend to be fashionable types working in industries including architecture and advertising – are wearing shirts buttoned up to the top, sans tie, and double-breasted blazers. Unlike a single-breasted design, which has a gap at the waist, double-breasted versions create “that really clean line at the bottom of your jacket,” he says. These blazers are being stripped of pockets and most or all buttons. Often the ensembles are monochrome, such as all-black or all-navy. And they’re being teamed with chunky black Derbies.

The relaxing of formalwear rules means there’s scope to play with colour and materials – a prospect that excites Mr Dag Granath, cofounder of Swedish tailoring brand Saman Amel. For too long, boring dark business suits that guys wore to the office ended up being worn for social occasions, too, “simply because it was like, ‘I’m never going to be wrong wearing this,’” Granath says.

Unsurprisingly, Granath is keen on seasonal looks that you wouldn’t find in a boardroom. For a summer wedding, that might mean linens or wool-silk-linen blends that become slightly bleached by the sun and creased over the course of the day. It could be a suit in taupe or aqua blue, colours that feel “urban”, but not corporate, he says. In cooler months, it could mean playing with textures by pairing a charcoal, baby camel-hair jacket with fuzzy flannel trousers. “It’s a tonal dark grey outfit, but when you go a little bit closer, you see, ‘Oh, this is interesting, the jacket is a little bit hairy looking – and when I touch it, it feels really good,’” he says. “All of a sudden, you’re starting to think about these things.”

Savile Row tailor Drake’s also excels at tailoring that looks refreshingly un-corporate. Its clothes “take the glamour of classic formalwear, but is made contemporary and comfortable,” says creative director Mr Michael Hill. Many formal Drake’s pieces, such as its unstructured jackets, can be zhooshed up for a formal event (perhaps teamed with a bow tie, beanie and sneakers for a youthful spin on the dress code) or thrown over a chunky Shetland knit and jeans for a more low-key affair.

But the most transgressive thing you can now do when dressing for an occasion? Consider sexiness. Guys have long been awkward about admitting that they want to look desirable, but Granath says it’s time to embrace tailoring that gets onlookers’ hearts racing. And that needn’t mean unbuttoning your shirt to the navel. Instead, he says to choose jackets with peak lapels (the angles are rakish) and fine knitwear – such as Saman Amel’s feather-light, cashmere-silk-blend crew neck – that “shows a little bit of the chest’s silhouette, which I think is quite elegant.” Finish off the look with a loafer (“They are sexy,” he says) or, for a smart-casual combo, Loro Piana’s open-walk ankle boots, chukka boots or even espadrilles.

As ever, it’s best to look to Mr Brad Pitt for cues. For Granath, one particular outfit from a Brioni campaign shot a couple of years ago best captures the current mood: the square-jawed actor is wearing a structured, double-breasted coat over a knitted beige crew-neck sweater. His hair is slicked back and the coat is extremely formal. But, when worn open, and without any accessories or other flourishes, there’s a certain ease and simplicity to the look. It’s coolly seductive. It’s unstuffy. It’s the new formal.