September 3, 2018

Published by Brent Kraus

The start, the shirt should ALWAYS be white, no exceptions here. The vertical razor pleats are the calling card of a proper tuxedo shirt. Without them you are just wearing a dress shirt. French cuffs should be a given, as they are a classic look. Lightweight cotton is nice, as it is far more comfortable. As is a turn down collar, although a wing collar is far more dressy.

We could go on forever here. But lets hit the essentials. We will save the advance stuff for The Tuxedo:102. Always go the for the peaked lapel vs notch lapels, the peaked is far more timeless and will last you over the years. A notch lapel makes you sort of look like a waiter. The shawl lapel is the other option here. Less timeless than the peak, far more trendy in its appearance. Black wool fabric is desireable for the body, although wool can run hot. If you are in the south, or summer months a plain weave might be the better options here. Back to the lapel, always opt for grosgrain as it will last far longer, when compaired with a satin lapel, which will more than likely snag over time, showing its age. Color is a matter of choice. More about that later.

Shawl -Collar | Peak Lapel | Notch Lapel

Standard Peaked Lapel

Shawl-collar lapel examples

ELLA BING Black Silk Bow Tie No. 863

3. The Bow Tie

The bow tie holds a special place in our hearts. If you do not know how to tie one, you should learn. We have two rules for neckwear when it comes to the tuxedo. 1. Never-ever wear a necktie. 2. For cripe sake, do not wear a clip-on bow tie. Typically speaking you want to wear either a silk satin or silk grosgrain, black bow tie. Velvet is also appropriate, although ensure your bow tie is solid, with no print.

The classic white linen pocket square with a straight fold.

4. The Pocket Square

Keep it simple. A white linen or cotton pocket square is perfect here. Stay away from silk in general as they will slip down into your pocket. If you can get your hands on a white linen pocket square with a nice black rolled hem you will add excellent contrast to your tuxedo. Keep the fold simple as well. The straight fold is just fine here. No need for anything more flashy than that.

The Cummerbund

This is where we like to escape the norm. The tuxedo is a timeless piece that should not be messed with. The shoes are your chance to show a bit of self expression. Certainly, you could go with patent-leather shoes, they always look sharp. Or even a good pair of well polished cap toe oxfords. But, that is what everyone will be doing. For the shoes, we suggest a dress slipper. They are modern, elegant and fancy all at the same time. Plus they allow you express yourself in a certain way that the traditional shoe just does not allow.

Duke & Dexter Star Dress Slipper

Lastly, lets talk about color. In our honest opinion a tuxedo should be worn in three - four different colors only, with mix and match posibilities. Obviously number one is the traditional but timeless, black tux you litterally you cannot go wrong here (as long as you follow our suggestions above). The second option, and perhaps our favorite is the Midnight Blue Tuxedo. Its a modern twist on the traditional tuxedo and looks killer when fitted correctly. Pro tip: The darker the blue the better, if you opt for a lighter blue, the tuxedo will start looking cheap. Lastly we have the White Dinner Jacket, which could also be substituted with an Ivory Dinner Jacket. Always wear these jackets with Black tuxedo pants and follow the same rules as the traditional black tuxedo.