Selecting a Tuxedo

Today’s formalwear has become more versatile and there are numerous styles, colors and designs to choose from. Here are some hints and tips to help you find the perfect tuxedo:

.Have a certain look and color in mind before going into the tuxedo shop. This will aid in narrowing down your selections

.Your formalwear should compliment the bridesmaids’ attire, color scheme, formality and time of day of the wedding.

.Get help from formalwear professionals. If you tell them how formal and when the wedding is, they should be able to help you pick out an appropriate tuxedo for the occasion.

.In addition to style, do not forget comfort. You and the groomsmen will be in your tuxedos for a long time so you should be able to move easily.

.You can use bow ties, vests, and cummerbunds to add color to your formalwear. This is a great way to tie in men’s tuxedos to the wedding’s color scheme.

Something to consider

Set the groom apart from the other men in the wedding party. This can be done in various ways.

Have the groom wear white accessories, while the male attendants wear colored accessories. Another option is to dress the groom in a different color or style tuxedo. For example, the groom can wear a white tuxedo while the groomsmen wear a black one or the groom can wear jacket with tails and everyone else wears dinner jackets.

Fitting your tuxedo

It’s a good idea for everyone to try on the formalwear at least two days before the wedding. Arrange for you and your groomsmen to meet at the store for final fittings.

If you buy

Some grooms decide to purchase their tuxedos instead of renting them. This can be a good investment because you can reuse them for other formal events such as other weddings and holiday parties.

White vs. Black Tie

After dark or 6 p.m.—whichever arrives first—there are two ensembles that can properly be called formal: white tie, which means tails, or black tie, better known as the tuxedo.

The more formal of these ensembles is white tie, which includes a tailcoat with matching trousers trimmed by two lines of braid on the outside of each trouser leg, white tie, white single-or double-breasted waistcoat, and wing-collar shirt with stiff front.

However, with the exception of a man’s wedding day, or occasions of state, a man will probably never be called upon to wear white tie, but black tie affairs are much more common. Thus, a properly styled tuxedo is one of the smartest and potentially most enduring investments a man can make for his wardrobe. Unfortunately, though, like most solid investments, a fine tuxedo is not easy to find.