I'm a big believer of "there's more than one way to wear a suit" but Tuxedos seem to be full of contradicting rules. Personally in a few weeks I'am choosing to go with a Modern Tux for a military ball meaning Jacket, Non-Pleat tuxedo shirt w/ french cuffs and studs, black bow-tie, flat front dress pants and oxfords. But the more I read I hear all this stuff about stripes on pants, cummerbunds, etc. So, how do you wear a Tux?
What Defines a Tux for you?
- Thread starter ajs2294
- Start date
Alex
According to "Ask Men...Become a Better Man" (and myself for that matter), Tux's are broken down into;
Evening Time Semiformal (black tie)
"For evening weddings or the theater [after 6:00 PM], here is the correct attire: a tuxedo jacket, black trousers with one satin seam, a black cummerbund or vest, a formal (piqué or pleated front) white shirt w/ french dress, dress suspenders, black bow tie, black or gold studs and cuff links, black dress socks & patent leather pumps and a white silk scarf [optional]".
Day Time Semiformal (morning dress)
"Day semiformal [before 6:00 PM], is most likely the way you'd dress for a day wedding. This look traditionally consists of a gray morning coat (cutaway), gray or black striped trousers, a turndown collar shirt (white, pale color, cream, blue or pink), w/ french cuffs, a gray double-breasted vest, a gray tie or pinned ascot, gray gloves, a top hat and spats, a white boutonniere, pearl cuff links, and studs [and black dress socks & black oxford shoes or dress boots].
Evening Time Formal (white tie)
The chief components for men are the black dress coat commonly known as an evening tailcoat (or 'tails'), white bow tie, white waistcoat and starched wing collar shirt with stiff front w/ french cuffs, dress suspenders, white-colored (e.g., mother of pearl) studs and cufflinks, black dress socks, patent leather pumps and white or gray gloves . The dress code is also extremely rare these days as it is associated with only the most ceremonious of occasions.
Types of Formal Attire
Ask Men...Become a Better Man
"Let them see you and not the [tux]. That should be secondary". Cary Grant
According to "Ask Men...Become a Better Man" (and myself for that matter), Tux's are broken down into;
Evening Time Semiformal (black tie)
"For evening weddings or the theater [after 6:00 PM], here is the correct attire: a tuxedo jacket, black trousers with one satin seam, a black cummerbund or vest, a formal (piqué or pleated front) white shirt w/ french dress, dress suspenders, black bow tie, black or gold studs and cuff links, black dress socks & patent leather pumps and a white silk scarf [optional]".
Day Time Semiformal (morning dress)
"Day semiformal [before 6:00 PM], is most likely the way you'd dress for a day wedding. This look traditionally consists of a gray morning coat (cutaway), gray or black striped trousers, a turndown collar shirt (white, pale color, cream, blue or pink), w/ french cuffs, a gray double-breasted vest, a gray tie or pinned ascot, gray gloves, a top hat and spats, a white boutonniere, pearl cuff links, and studs [and black dress socks & black oxford shoes or dress boots].
Evening Time Formal (white tie)
The chief components for men are the black dress coat commonly known as an evening tailcoat (or 'tails'), white bow tie, white waistcoat and starched wing collar shirt with stiff front w/ french cuffs, dress suspenders, white-colored (e.g., mother of pearl) studs and cufflinks, black dress socks, patent leather pumps and white or gray gloves . The dress code is also extremely rare these days as it is associated with only the most ceremonious of occasions.
Types of Formal Attire
Ask Men...Become a Better Man
- Thread starter
- #3
Yep I'm the date this time, its my Girlfriends Battalion. Should get my own mess dress in about three years when college is finished
OldSaw
The wife's investment
What Defines a Tux for you?
Denim pants, denim shirt, denim jacket.
Denim pants, denim shirt, denim jacket.
You could coordinate your tie and cummerbund with her regimental colors.
...
Don't do that.
...
Don't do that.
I go fully equipped as you stated for a very formal event. If there is dancing and the mood is a tad less formal, I go wtih with the tux suit coat and pants, but wear a regular shirt underneath. With a standard black shirt and tie under the coat, and maybe a flower matching my date's dress, I think you can't go wrong. But for a military ball, I would go tradtional, skip the cumberbun, and try to get a vest underneat (I like the ones with a full back for the times I take my coat off). Hope this helps.
"The Count" gave you a good breakdown of formal and semi-formal wear (except that "tuxes" are just the black tie semi-formal option, and the other two are technically not "tuxedos".
For lots more information, check out the Black Tie Guide: http://www.blacktieguide.com/Classic/Classic_Tuxedos.htm
For lots more information, check out the Black Tie Guide: http://www.blacktieguide.com/Classic/Classic_Tuxedos.htm
- Thread starter
- #8
Single breasted peak would be what I have decided to go with.
I also decided to just go two piece, so I'm not sure if its even a "true tux" but I'm surely I'll be best dressed among the men in civvies lol
Single-breasted, peak lapel is totally classic and a great choice.
By "two piece" I assume you mean no vest? That's fine. I strongly recommend a cummerbund, though.
- Thread starter
- #10
Yes no vest, my only vest if for a gray suit and hides too much shirt anyway. Not sure how I feel about cummerbunds...They seem so large and odd to me...
I'm with Bob on this one. If you're wearing a tux, either a cummerbund or a waistcoat is acceptable, but you need one or the other.
doc4's URL link is absolutely excellent if you want the authenticate background on black-tie/tuxedos.
I, too, would say you really should have a waist-coat or cumberbund--not both. Waistcoat is said to go better with peaked lapels, cumberbund with shawl lapels. But trasitionally waist of trousers should not be exposed. Daniel Craig playing James Bond supposedly popularized wearing a tux without waist coat or cumberbund. Waistcoat, which means vest, should be black--not contrasting stuff for tradtional black tie--and to me, anyway, should be the kind that is cut low in the front, not the kind as for a business suit that goes high up.
If you want to be a bit whimsical, sure maybe a colored cumberbund and matching tie. (Sorry TNH!) But to be fully "correct" and I am not saying you have to be, black for both. And you should have a bow tie not a long tie, and you should sure as heck hand tie that bow tie!
Patent leather, or very shiny and plain shoes. Silk or nylon see through black socks, if you want to be really cool--you will probably need sock garters--or bbalck socks with "clocking" down the sides. (Google it.)
Are boutonnières okay at a military shin dig? If so, why not?
Braces for sure. I do not think tux trousers have belt loops.
There seems to be some controversy over whether winged collars are okay. Turned down collars are okay. You need studs and cufflinks. I would match them up and keep them plain, but here some whimsy might be just fine, too. I like a white silk scarf, too!
Will all of this, you should really be rocking it old school!
I, too, would say you really should have a waist-coat or cumberbund--not both. Waistcoat is said to go better with peaked lapels, cumberbund with shawl lapels. But trasitionally waist of trousers should not be exposed. Daniel Craig playing James Bond supposedly popularized wearing a tux without waist coat or cumberbund. Waistcoat, which means vest, should be black--not contrasting stuff for tradtional black tie--and to me, anyway, should be the kind that is cut low in the front, not the kind as for a business suit that goes high up.
If you want to be a bit whimsical, sure maybe a colored cumberbund and matching tie. (Sorry TNH!) But to be fully "correct" and I am not saying you have to be, black for both. And you should have a bow tie not a long tie, and you should sure as heck hand tie that bow tie!
Patent leather, or very shiny and plain shoes. Silk or nylon see through black socks, if you want to be really cool--you will probably need sock garters--or bbalck socks with "clocking" down the sides. (Google it.)
Are boutonnières okay at a military shin dig? If so, why not?
Braces for sure. I do not think tux trousers have belt loops.
There seems to be some controversy over whether winged collars are okay. Turned down collars are okay. You need studs and cufflinks. I would match them up and keep them plain, but here some whimsy might be just fine, too. I like a white silk scarf, too!
Will all of this, you should really be rocking it old school!
Yes, braces. (Suspenders, that is.) Black or white ... black is 'more proper' for black tie (tuxedo) and white for white tie formal, but personally I went with white braces for my tuxedo and think it's just fine. Albert Thurston make the best ... http://www.albertthurston.com/categoryfast2.cfm?catid=1
Proper tuxedo pants won't have belt loops. They may, however, have side tabs for adjusting the fit.
Personally, I would go with turn-down collars for tuxedo ... IMHO the wing collar seems more 'white tie", but maybe that's just me. For the studs and cufflinks, the truly orthodox 'tuxedo' option is onyx, which is a black semi-precious stone. Personally, I prefer mother of pearl, as I don't like the stud 'buttons' to show up so clearly down the middle of the shirt. Silver is another excellent and accepted option for studs and cufflinks.
You know your stuff, Doc4! I cannot find it now, but my recollection is that wing collars are okay with a tux in the States but not in the UK, at least post WWII. In the UK, black tie is strictly turn down collars. White tie wherever is always wing collar. I wear a wing collar with black tie because I do not think I will ever get to wear white tie and it is fun to wear a wing, detachable collar shirt.
Also, I was wrong about color of waist coat for black tie. Apparently white pique (or however it is spelled) is okay as well as black for a waist coat.
Apparently mother of pearl studs are perfectly correct for black-tie. Necessary, of course, for white tie. My impression is that silver studs and links are fine, too What about gold studs and links, Doc4? I agree that black onyx is most common.
I do not have an opinon about color of braces, except whatever color they are, they are not really seen.
You know your stuff, Doc4!
Apparently mother of pearl studs are perfectly correct for black-tie. Necessary, of course, for white tie. My impression is that silver studs and links are fine, too What about gold studs and links, Doc4? I agree that black onyx is most common.
I do not have an opinon about color of braces, except whatever color they are, they are not really seen.
Odd concept with braces ... they "have to be black or white" aaaaaand ... they "have to never be seen." But there is, of course, some pleasure to be taken in knowing that you have "done it right" where no one else will ever know ... your little secret of excellence, as it were. And of course, a man who wears a proper tux is more likely to have a date ... aaaaaand to let her see his braces.
(Less interestingly, brightly-coloured braces might be spotted when one is bending over, sitting down, getting up, or whatever ... white or black would probably be "invisible" but bright red &c would pop out and grab attention. For studs, I'd be fine with gold, especially if matched with gold cufflinks. My personal preference would be to silver (or ideally MOP) but I see nothing wrong with it. Just make sure they don't match the metal on your watch ... because you make sure you are not wearing a watch.
That's right, D4, not watch. No pocket watch either!
<But there is, of course, some pleasure to be taken in knowing that you have "done it right" where no one else will ever know ... your little secret of excellence, as it were. >
When it comes to black tie, I think so, too. It is an area of dress that for some reason many folks think has very particular "rules." I bet having very specific stuff for black tie goes back to the Brits making sure that the "classes" are easy to indentify and sort out. After all, the hoi poloi (sp?) is not going to be wearing black tie often compared to a real gentlemen. (How's that as a thought for those who think being a gentleman is all a kind and respectful thing? To me there is a dark side to the gentlman thing in the old days, for sure!)
And, I suppose, you do not want to look like you are going to the prom or are wearing costume. I suppose I have something of a sense that breaking away from tradition in a select area but not overall may show some acceptable flair. Although a white silk scarf is absolutely "correct" and does bring some flair!
I think a kilt, with all of its rules, is absolutely acceptable as a part of black tie. Someone correct me if I am wrong. As I recall lots and lots of rules about wearing a kilt and all of the accessoiries!
Also, checking with one's date is always a fine idea. I think she will be able to keep you away from looking like you are going to the prom or about to pull a rabbit out of a hat. But I bet there is not one woman in a thousand who knows all of the silly rules about tuxes! I am not saying these rules are "right" in any way. I am saying, for better or worse, that I do get some satisfaction out of knowing and implementing the=m. At least to the best of my ability. I could be wrong on some of this stuff. And who really knows what was okay and not okay in pre-WWII Britain, which I am sure is the original of most of this stuff.
Did I mention detachable collar shirts? Love them! Can barely get the collar on though! There's a bit of subtle flair for you.
Also for white tie, for some reason, the shirt should require cufflinks, but the cuff is not folded over. It is single cuff, but fastened the same way as double cuff. Did folks know there was such a thing? Makes sense. Why are all shirts for which cufflinks are used involve folding over cloth at the wrists? I do wear that kind of shirt with a tux, even though I realize double cuff is probably more "correct"!
<But there is, of course, some pleasure to be taken in knowing that you have "done it right" where no one else will ever know ... your little secret of excellence, as it were. >
When it comes to black tie, I think so, too. It is an area of dress that for some reason many folks think has very particular "rules." I bet having very specific stuff for black tie goes back to the Brits making sure that the "classes" are easy to indentify and sort out. After all, the hoi poloi (sp?) is not going to be wearing black tie often compared to a real gentlemen. (How's that as a thought for those who think being a gentleman is all a kind and respectful thing? To me there is a dark side to the gentlman thing in the old days, for sure!)
And, I suppose, you do not want to look like you are going to the prom or are wearing costume. I suppose I have something of a sense that breaking away from tradition in a select area but not overall may show some acceptable flair. Although a white silk scarf is absolutely "correct" and does bring some flair!
I think a kilt, with all of its rules, is absolutely acceptable as a part of black tie. Someone correct me if I am wrong. As I recall lots and lots of rules about wearing a kilt and all of the accessoiries!
Also, checking with one's date is always a fine idea. I think she will be able to keep you away from looking like you are going to the prom or about to pull a rabbit out of a hat. But I bet there is not one woman in a thousand who knows all of the silly rules about tuxes! I am not saying these rules are "right" in any way. I am saying, for better or worse, that I do get some satisfaction out of knowing and implementing the=m. At least to the best of my ability. I could be wrong on some of this stuff. And who really knows what was okay and not okay in pre-WWII Britain, which I am sure is the original of most of this stuff.
Did I mention detachable collar shirts? Love them! Can barely get the collar on though! There's a bit of subtle flair for you.
Also for white tie, for some reason, the shirt should require cufflinks, but the cuff is not folded over. It is single cuff, but fastened the same way as double cuff. Did folks know there was such a thing? Makes sense. Why are all shirts for which cufflinks are used involve folding over cloth at the wrists? I do wear that kind of shirt with a tux, even though I realize double cuff is probably more "correct"!
When I was living in Jakarta the expat commmunity was a lot tighter than here and there were numerous balls and events that called for a "DJ" so I had one made, traditional shawl lapels and a satin stripe down the trousers, all fairly plain. I had a number of different cummerbunds and proper bow ties, but what really set it off were the shirts. One of the guys had one made with a really bold patterned material on the back and sleeves, while the front and cuffs were starched white. I hit on the idea of using Indonesian batik for the back and sleeves and I still have three left that I wheel out every so often for things here. It's quite amusing to see peoples' reactions toward the end of the evening and you take the jacket off and this stunning material is revealed. I do miss those events...
I love this entire concept! Perfectly "proper," too, as far as I know! Brilliant.
Interesting that the "Jakarta the expat commmunity" would have so many events requiring a dinner jacket! I like that concept, too.
Why have a non-business evening event that calls for a business suit rather than something more festive? Most men look great in a dinner jacket!
I realize one can brighten up a business suit with colorful ties and shirts, and interesting cufflinks one might not wear to the office. But still, different clothes have different uses, and a suit has to send a more somber subliminal message than a tux!
- Thread starter
- #20
I regret to go against the words of wisdom but I'm going to have to let my youth show, no room in the budget for a new vest and still not feeling the cummerbund. Hopefully it'll look good when it all comes together, the shirt should come in soon. I opted non-pleat laydown with french cuff, real bugger to find long sleeve shirts these days. For shoes I'm just going to re purpose my Uniform Oxfords. As an ROTC guy myself hair cut and clean shaven are a definite, most likely will get my usual 3,2,1 fade the day of!
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