Growing up in a rural area, the tuxedo existed only in my dreams. There were no black tie events, and my family was primarily blue-collar. Like a fish dreaming of flight, I wanted something I couldn’t have. Then, someone told me fish—some fish, at least some—could fly, and I was like, “Heck yeah.”
First, I learned the rules established around the tuxedo; then, very carefully, I did my absolute best to follow them. That may not sound like fun, but I have a passion for perfecting something worth respect— and maybe you do, too. If you learn anything here, let it be that some rules are meant to be followed.
Black tie is one of the rare arenas within menswear that requires stringent adherence to a gentlemanly code. And while that might sound boring and uniform, a tuxedo is your opportunity to flex your sartorial education through attention to detail.
The tuxedo (also known as a dinner jacket) is a suit. The details of that suit, and the accessories you pair it with, are what transform it into the formalwear we all know.
But do we all know how to do it right? Here are the basics:
The tuxedo jacket should follow the style of the tailoring house you order it from, which in turn should adhere to modern standards and your preferred silhouette. There are subtle but important differences between suits and tuxedos.
Schedule an appointment with one of our fitters to discuss these details further or to look at the countless high-end-fabric options we have available for you.
Single breasted tuxedo jackets should have a single button closure, a ventless back, and besom pockets (that means no flaps) to lend the most simple and elegant aesthetic. All the buttons should match the color of the suit material. A tuxedo should never, without exception, have a notched lapel; only a shawl or peaked lapel is appropriate. The lapel, pockets, and outseam should be faced in satin or a delicately ribbed, heavy silk called grosgrain (pronounced grow-grain). This silk facing should match the fabric of the tuxedo itself, which should be either black or midnight blue. Although, black satin on a midnight tux is ok—James Bond does it in Casino Royale. The idea is to match impeccably; the idea is subtlety.
As we continue that tradition of delicate, clean elegance into the trousers, we see those of a tuxedo differ only slightly from your traditional suit. Tuxedo trousers should never be cuffed; pockets should run along the seam; the waistband and a stripe running the length of the outseam should be faced in the same material you chose for the lapels and pockets; the waistband should be without belt loops in favor of interior braces supports (suspender buttons).
Now we get to the shirt, which—if done correctly—is a part of the tuxedo as a whole and not a separate element. However, a tuxedo shirt is simple. Traditionally, three of the buttons, at the top but not the collar button, should be missing. In these holes you will insert shirt studs. More modern shirts have four tuxedo stud holes, and many dress sets (shirt studs with matching cufflinks) come with four studs these days. I design my tuxedo shirts with three stud holes for that classic look. The cuffs should be French--meaning they fold back onto themselves and are pinned with cufflinks in lieu of buttons.
When you think of the collar in relation to black tie, I bet you think of a winged collar. But, as dress has become increasingly soft over the last century, the winged collar has found itself more at home in white tie than black. You are better off sticking with a standard turn-down or wide-spread collar.
And, of course, the bowtie is mandatory. This is not a place to get lazy or cheap. Your bowtie should be self-tie, sized to your neck (not adjustable), and of a matching fabric to your lapel. The shape can be that of your preference but keep in mind face shape and head/shoulder size when choosing to ensure a harmonious balance.
Like the crucial ornament of the bowtie, a tuxedo often looks incomplete without a simply folded pocket square. White linen is the standard.
Shoes are more simple still. You can choose from patent leather or suede oxfords or loafers, or opera pumps. The profile and decorative elements of any one of those is up to you as long as there is absolutely no broughing.
Now, we should look at what I consider to be an iconic piece of the tuxedo. (However, I will admit it is no longer considered a requirement in modern fashion.) What is it? The waistcoat (vest) or the cummerbund. Maybe you think one or the other is an esoteric relic and you decide to go without. Sure, that’s fine; I get that some people make terrible choices, and there is nothing I can do about it. Or, maybe, you decide to dress well, classically, and elegantly—in which case, you choose either a cummerbund or a waistcoat. A cummerbund should be pleated and made from—you guessed it—the same material as your lapel. That’s it.
A waistcoat, on the other hand, has a few more details. It should be made from the same material as the tuxedo, and if it has lapels, which are not required but can be fun, the lapel should be faced in that same satin or grosgrain as the other details we’ve discussed. The waistcoat should be low cut with a horseshoe-shaped opening above the four or five button closure. Feel free to choose either single or double breasted, regardless of the jacket cut.
Lastly, you need to figure out if you want to wear a flower on your lapel. My style, most of the time, leans toward simple elegance, so my tuxedo doesn’t even have a lapel buttonhole, but if you’d prefer to pop some color, I won’t be mad. You’ll want to make sure to request that your lapel is constructed with functional buttonholes and a rose holder so you don’t have to puncture the fine silk facing.
Although the tuxedo once existed only in my dreams, I did my best to find my way into a world that would require my wearing one. I found that black tie is one of the rare arenas within menswear that requires stringent adherence to a gentlemanly code and I soon learned something more: a man with style is a man with a passion for perfecting something worth respect. While the tuxedo is a suit, its details, chosen correctly, are what transformed me from blue-collar to black-tie.
Schedule an appointment with one of our fitters to discuss these details further or to look at the countless high-end-fabric options we have available for you.
Cody Smith is a journalist and the creative director at H.M. Cole.
