If you are in two minds about what to wear for a sophisticated formal gathering, the ultimate answer would be a stylish Tuxedo. Nothing accomplishes your personality better than this classic dressing. However, wearing your brand-new Tuxedo will go down unnoticed if you don’t know how to carry it.
Suit is more demanding than probably any other formal menswear you can name. From head to toe, you have to pay attention to every single feature. Something as little as a poor selection of a square pocket can make you look completely out of place.
You must read the following detailed guide if you don’t want to take any risk with your appearance:
1. Selection of Shirt
People make the mistake of wearing a white business shirt with a suit. It is because they assume that shirts really don’t have much standing when it comes to a suit.
Unsung as they may be, shirts play a key role to elevate your personality if you are wearing it considering the vibe of the occasion. We recommend you to invest in a dinner shirt. These shirts come up with different bibs and placket styles. A concealed placket gives you a formal and minimalist look.
Apart from placket, you should be equally attentive to their collars and cuffs. Though there was a wave when people were more tilted towards peaked collars, standard collar fashion has become alive again. As for cuffs, you can choose between barrel cuffs and French cuffs according to the feel of your gathering.
2. Picking Right Jacket
The jacket is the most important piece of the whole suit. There are two main categories of tuxedo jackets. Namely, single-breasted and double-breasted. Though double-breasted-jackets are very much acceptable, single-breasted ones are considered far more classic.
An improper jacket fitting could land you in an embarrassing situation. The fitting should be done in accordance with the following features:
- The arms of your jacket should cover up your wrist bone. Not more than one or half-inch of your shirt sleeves should be exposed.
- The jacket shoulders should not go beyond your shoulder tips.
- Make sure your jacket covers the bottom entirely – till the lowest curve. You can rely on Dobell for perfect jackets.
3. Wearing Necktie and Bow-Tie
While necktie is an option people prefer on tuxedos, bow-ties are far more popular. You may receive an invitation inscribed “black tie optional”, but this a diplomatic and indirect way to say that you “must” wear black tie. If the black-tie was not important, they would not have even mentioned it in the first place.
When it comes to buying a bow-tie, the first priority should always be given to the fabric. Once you have singled out the best fabric, you can choose between styles like a butterfly, semi-butterfly, pointed and straight end.
4. Cummerbund, Vest or Neither?
Cummerbund: Sometimes stylists go out of their way to recommend cummerbund. However, it does nothing more than controlling the shirt bunching and it is increasingly gaining the reputation of “old fashion”. So if you want to wear one, you may but that’s not a “must-have” by any means.
Low-Cut Vest: It is also known as a waistcoat. Compared to cummerbund, it is regarded as more formal. A low-cut vest would not serve its purpose if you leave any of its buttons unbuttoned.
Bare: These inners may not go with somebody’s personal style. So, unlike the popular assumption, you can overlook them and still be completely acceptable wearing a tuxedo.
5. Tuxedo Pants
Apart from not being cuffed, tuxedo pants have two silk stripes – one on each side of the leg. Tuxedo trousers and jackets are made from the same material. As for color, nothing beats the black because, to a large measure, it is acceptable in every formal meetup. You can also choose between midnight blue and navy.
6. Tuxedo Shoes
It offers a lot of flexibility in terms of picking your shoes. But that does not mean you can wear ones with extensive stitching, square-toes or cowboy shoes. They have to be plain and round-toed. With tuxedo, simple shoes are supposed to add much more flair in your overall appearance.
7. Proper Accessories for Tuxedo
Accessories are the part where you can afford to be a little more adventurous. The simple formula is that your button studs should complement the cuffs you are wearing. So ensure that you use the same metal in both of these accessories.
Let’s turn our attention to pocket squares. If you are not good at folding them, there are simple ways to fold your pocket squares. A plain white pocket square would be the best fit for any formal gathering. Apart from polyester, silk, cotton and wool, any fabric will do the job.
The Final Verdict
Being able to afford a tuxedo is not enough. You have to master every small details in order to make the most of it. Follow the guide and you will be the center of attraction in your next gathering.