Wearing a Tuxedo Well
By kbdunn
Step 1: Style
There are a lot of different tuxedos but a man needs to focus on one style, the classic black 1 button. Read the rest of this guide to learn how to dress well as the Best Man.This is your solid black (no stripes) 100% wool tuxedo. The jacket needs to have a single button. While 2 button jackets are great for business suits, a formal black tie event requires a tux jacket with only one button. The lapels on the jacket need to be peak and in a material that matches the bow tie. If the jacket is made with grosgrain lapels, purchase a grosgrain tie and the same goes with black satin.
The Fit
Here is the most important aspect of the male silhouette - the fit. A man's jacket needs to hug his shoulders and not extend past them. Too many men purchase jackets that are one or two sizes too large, say if they wear a 40 they are buying 44 because of "comfort." The problem is they look sloppy and as if they are in someone else's clothes.
The size of the waist also needs to be taken into account. I'd say no more than two fists worth between your stomach and the fabric of the jacket. This may seem too snug at first, but your tuxedo is not meant to sleep in, it is made to make you look as presentable, and slim, as possible. This is the sacrifice men need to take when dressing in well-fitting clothing. Ask your tailor to take in the waist until it is slim and you can fit a fist or two in, nothing more!
The pants are another matter. Some men wear their pants too high (by their navels) and others too low (slouchy like lowriding jeans). The proper way to wear tux pants (and suits for that matter) is slightly above your hips and below your belly button. This is a great medium between too high and too low.
The length of pants are always sloppy on most men. Don't make the same mistake. Ask your tailor to hem the pants with a "single break." A single break is when there is just one dent in the pants as they lie ontop of your shoes. Too many men dressing up wear their trousers a tad too long and it bunches up, drags on the ground, and makes the legs look short and stubby.
Accessories
There are only a few rules to wearing the tuxedo right:
Ditch the cummerbund. This isnt the 1980's, and removing that awful thing will clean up your appearance and show more shirt.
Watch the size of your tie: A lot of the time men buy a big bushy bow tie. Find one that is slim and more modern that matches your face. A big poofy tie will make you look like a kid playing grown up.
Shoes. Don't wear square toe rubber soled shoes. Opt for classic, clean and sleek black lace-ups with a rounded toe, 3/4" stacked leather heel. If you don't know what this means then ask a shoe rep at a good store like Nordstrom (for shoes at least) or Saks.
Color: Black. Simple as that. Don't wear a baby blue or pink tuxedo, you aren't in a movie. Unless you are going to a costume party, dress your part and wear proper black tie.
Coat: When wearing a tuxedo, you need a coat that is just as elegant. Ditch the nylon zip ups, North Face jackets and anything you would wear to the slopes. You need a standard wool or cashmere overcoat that hits at or above your knees. The color of the coat is most suitably black, but charcoal gray or navy works well too.
Hats: Avoid hats with tuxedo's.
Cuff Links: These are great, just make sure they are on the minimalist side. Don't wear anything with letters or weird figures. A standard oval or square with black trim is great here. The less attention they draw the better.
How about the watch?
Your watch needs to be as slim and sleek as your tuxedo. Black tie is classic formal wear, keep your timepiece in the same league with a leather strap and basic black face. Keep those chunky chronographs with the compasses at home or on the fishing boat, you need to be dressy, not flashy here.
How about variations on the tuxedo?
Yep, you can kick the style up a notch if you are a chance-taker. Try a white dinner jacket or blue shirt to keep your look fresh. I would not recommend doing this if you are at a wedding, but for other "formal" events like New Year's Eve or a snazzy Christmas get together, feel free to experiment, with taste that is.
Comments
Can I wear a very dark navy blue tuxedo with pinstripes to a black tie event. It's a formal lawyer event but i do like to stand out a bit, but do not want to break code...
Thanks for the interesting hub. A couple of comments. One about color. Yes, black is the classic color, and rend or pink are awful, but light grey tuxedo can be very nice. I've just written a hub on that:
http://hubpages.com/hub/Grey-Tuxedo
Second comment. You seem to imply somewhere (oh...when you talk about variants) that tuxedo can be wore at weddings. I don't think so. Tuxedos are for evening events, after 6pm or so. Weddings are during the day...usually, no? I would consider it a lack of style to wear a tuxedo at a wedding. But I am from Italy and maybe that's a cultural difference...What do you think?
There are various cummerbund styles which you can freely choose. If you want some flare on your tuxedo, then put on a matching colorful bowtie and cummerbund in your special formal event like the prom. Wearing one can give a complete nice impression on your tuxedo suit.
You people don't get it do you? Enough of this square, anal, narrow-minded ideas about mens fashion. It's time for another Peacock revolution man!! get with it! No more "classic tux" my left foot! We need: ruffled shirts of all colors, wide tall velvet bow ties, three-piece tuxes with backless vests, bellbottom pants, jackets with wide lapels and contrasting velvet piping on the jacet lapels, shoes with a stacked heel, can you dig it?!! where is the freedom that we should have rather than the repressed sexually insecure men that you are trying to promote?!! Well, at least I have sense to wear a 70s tuxedo to an event. Mine is a mocha three piece with brown velvet piping, off-white ruffled shirt, and brown velvet bow tie, with 3 inch heel platforms! You dig it?!!
Just don't listen to whoever wrote this. They are unable to decide whether they live in the 70s or in some time that has not yet occurred.
Pants should be worn at the same height as a Proper pair of jeans, Never wear a white jacket unless your are part of a band, cummerbund can be ditched only if you opt for a waistcoat instead.
Peak collars are traditional, but only the traditionalist are resisting the fact the notch collars are the most popular and most standard. 2 buttons is fine, but no more than that unless you are going double breasted. If you are a rebel you can wear a slim tie instead of a bowtie, but it isn't generally accepted.
IF YOU HAVE POCKETS THEN TUCK IN THE FLAPS. Pockets should be single or double piped.
One split in the back of the coat, and no tails unless it's halloween, you're a ballroom dancer, or in a play.
Don't have cuffs or pleats on your pants
Vince, you are a pure loser, man, even YOU can't decide if you want freedom or is you want to be another odern-day casualty. MEN LISTEN UP!! Do you want to be free to express yourselves or do you want to continue taking a back seat while your DATE flaunts her attributes? We need to walk right beside women, so PEACOCK REVOLUTION it is my friend! We desperately need to bring back the 70s tuxedo and forget about the passe "classic tuxedo" or the Mad men revolution. ONly this way will the "classic" tuxedo store come back into business. Has it ever occurred to you why so many tux shops went out of businiess? I wouldn't be surprised if it wasn't because of the poor selection, and hey, Men's Wearhouse should also go out of business. Long live bellbottoms and platform shoes and ruffled shirts. Peace out!!
A few more fashion tips for wearing a true 70s tuxedo:
1) Make sure that your date is not the only one causing heads to turn. You want to pick the color of the tux that will match her gown. If she wears a powder blue dress, your tux should be powder blue as well. That way you both look pretty. Remember, God made for man and woman to be united in matrimony (and don't you DARE sue me for using God's name!)
2) Pants should be flat front and should flare out at the knee. The circumference of the flare should be between 20 and 22 inches (the latter is a classic bellbottom which won't look so disastrous). Jacket lapels should have a high-cut notch or gorge and the widest point should be about 4 1/2 inches in width. The bow tie should be 3 1/2 inches or 4" tall and velvet or satin. Vests should be form-fitting and backless, which can allow for adjustment. Finally, shoes should sport a stacked heel of no mroe than 2 1/2 inches. I know that wearing higher stacked heels is better (at least my personal preferene is 3 inches) but for a formal event, we should keep it minimal. 2-inch heels is standard. The ruffled shirt can have contrasting stitching, but keep in mind that the contrasting stitching should match the bow tie color or the piping on the lapels.
3) The objective is to have fun wearing your clothes! Don't just rent a tux because it is necessary. Let's have fun wearing a tux and make it something to look forward to. Choosing the right tux a la 70s style should be as much fun as for your girlfriend to choose her gown. What makes the so-called "classic tux" so repulsive is that besides restricting choices, it is oppressive because the rules are so square. Let's "think lutside the box" people, and you fashion designers, please start giving men some more consideration and give them back the rebellious nature of the 70s. Catch you all on the flipside!
I say wear what you want if you're comfortable but in my opinion nothing can beat Cary Grant or Dean Martin in the classic 1 button tux
Exactly. The object is to have fun wearing your clothes. And I daresay you'll have more fun if you know you look your absolute best. Wear your rented lime-green number and your frilly fuschia shirt. I'll stick with black, white shirt, black tie. Let the girls decide. One reason it's classic is because it works. It doesn't matter if everyone else is wearing the same thing. You will still look the best you can possibly look. And nobody will laugh at you.
I don't wear a cummerbund. I would if I still had a flat belly, but I don't. I either wear a waistcoat or go without. However, if you go without, always keep your jacket buttoned, at least when your standing up. The waistcoat should rise no higher than the solar plexus. And no four-in-hand ties, please. People wear four-in-hand ties because they're too lazy to learn how to tie a bow tie. I can do it in forty seconds without a mirror, so it isn't that hard. It just takes a little practice.
I also prefer ruffled shirts. Not for any particular reason, except that I happen to like them. With blue jeans too.
HOWEVER. Never those polyester abominations that infected the '70s, with the massive poufy ruffles and the contrasting trim. I like a single ruffle, not too wide, trimming each side of the placket. That's all. It's neither garish nor girly. The worst problem with those horrible '70s things is that they ruined it for everybody. A decent ruffled shirt is all but impossible to find.
The saddest thing about tuxedos is nobody wears them any more. They have become a costume. It's not any harder to wear than a suit, and if you feel like your tie is choking you it means your shirt collar is too small. Nobody wears the same size shirt they wore in high school, but everybody thinks they do.
Even I hardly ever wear a tuxedo any more. I wear a black suit instead. I still wear the ruffled shirt sometimes though.
I agree that you shouldn't get married in your tuxedo, unless it's a formal (well, technically semi-formal) evening wedding. If you want daytime formal, wear what's called a stroller, which consists of cashmere-striped trousers, a light gray waistcoat and a dark gray or black coat without tails. Wear it with a solid or striped four-in-hand tie and white or blue shirt with French cuffs. The collar MUST be white, and should be starched as stiff as possible. Why? Looks better. That's all. It's another really great-looking outfit that withered because people thought it was stuffy and patrician. You'll look good in one, dammit! Who cares whether you're *supposed* to wear it or not.
Otherwise, for a daytime wedding wear a dark suit. Just make sure it fits.
Never rent a tuxedo. Buy one, and make sure it fits you. Wear it often, even if you're just going out to dinner or on the town. You'll enjoy it. Everybody (including women) looks great in a tuxedo. Maybe if enough of you realize that tuxedos are party clothes they'll come back.
Is it ok to wear a two button tux, red bow tie and red cummerbund to a Xmas party ?
By the way, it's in the uk and it's not " a black tie" Party - it just says dress smart I I hardly ever get to wear my tux...?
"Is it okay to wear a two-button tux, red bow tie and red cummerbund to a Xmas party?"
"By the way, its in the uk and it's not "a black tie" Party - it just say dress smart! I hardly ever get to wear my tux...?
---You may wear what you like. Personally, I never wear anything but a black bow tie with a tuxedo. Everybody (incuding women) looks better in a tuxedo, and the austerity of black-and-white has a lot to do with it. However, it's better to wear it with a red bow tie and cummerbund than to leave it hanging in the closet. The tuxedo is party clothes! It shouldn't be left hanging in the closet waiting for the Debutante's Ball.
I realize this is several weeks after the fact. I hope you wore it, even with the red bow tie.
Oxfordian 2 years ago
Watches are not worn at all with black tie!!! Since it is a black tie event, you are not supposed to be worried about the time. Daniel Craig wears the watch merely for the advertising money.
Also, if the occasion is not extremely formal and people are merely there to have a good time and possibly get drunk, then a loud and coulourful bowtie is perfectly acceptably. Especially in Britain. This is especially encouraged if you have to go to black tie events more often than once a month. A withe tuxedo will make you stand out and look more ridiculous than a loud bowtie and handkerchief.
While the cummerbund is not necessary it makes you seem more formal. If the occasion is formal enough to require a black bowtie, you should probably wear the cummberbund. Shiny patent leather shoes will perfect that impression and make you look proper.