In formal dressing, there is nothing better than a tuxedo. Yes, regular suits can also be an option for men’s formal wear. However, the tuxedo is a top choice to achieve the next level of supremacy. But it is not simple to choose the best tuxedo that fits perfectly to you. Especially for your wedding or for some other certain occasions, a tuxedo should be spot on. 

Yes, all the tuxedos are formal and can be used for any formal event, but choosing the right tuxedos for a particular formal gathering is essential. This guide will discuss things to consider when choosing a tuxedo to help you choose the best one. 

Why Tuxedo is Formal Than a Suit?

First of all, is a tuxedo a suit? Yes, it is also a formal wear suit, but not all suits are tuxedos. Some key elements differentiate a tuxedo and make the tuxedo more formal than regular suits. 

  • Lapels: Unlike simply designed lapels on suits, a tuxedo comes with shawl lapels that are accent fabric and give an elegant look for formal wear. The regular suits only have simple lapels.
Why Tuxedo is Formal Than a Suit
  • Pants: Another thing that differentiates a tuxedo from a simple suit is pants. Unlike suits which usually come with simple and plain pants. Tuxedo pants are fabricated with contrasting color accent fabric stripes that look special.
  • Buttons: The shiny and classy look of tuxedo buttons enhances the beauty of tuxedo suits. Moreover, accent shiny fabric on buttons makes the tuxedo more formal than simple metal buttons.
  • Satin: The use of satin or silk in a tuxedo’s lapels, buttons, pockets, and pants magnifies its elegance. Therefore, it looks far better than suits for high-profile formal events.

In short, a tuxedo is a preferable choice for formal wear. Now, we are exploring further, how to choose a tuxedo for weddings or other formal events. 

is a tuxedo a suit

Things to Consider When Choosing a Tuxedo

No doubt, all tuxedos are formal and you can choose any one for your function. However, it’s important to select a perfect tuxedo for a particular function. You can not wear any tuxedo for any event, the wrong tuxedo selection badly impacts your personality. The below-mentioned tuxedo buying tips surely help you find the tuxedo that best fits you.

1: Event or Function

Before moving further tips, understand the event type where you are going to wear a tuxedo. If you are looking for a tuxedo for your wedding ceremony, then a traditional black tuxedo with a contrasting bow or tie is the best option. But if your skin is faded and your black tuxedo looks odd, then you can go with navy blue or any other light-shaded tuxedo. 

You can choose any tuxedo specified with a specific dress code for another formal or semi-formal event. For summer functions, beige, light gray, or other classic tuxedos are preferable for outdoor activities.

2: The Fabric

There are a few options available in tuxedo fabrics. However, wool, velvet, and silk are more common and best materials for tuxedos. Wool is more versatile, durable, and charming than others, you can wear it in any season, fit for all events. However, velvet is preferable in winter, especially for night functions. You feel more comfortable and elegant in velvet. 

Silk is another top-choice fabric for formal wear, light colors in silk fabric tuxedos enhance your look. Silk is one of the right tuxedo selections for the summer or fall season.

3: Color and Style

Choosing the right color is also essential when buying a tuxedo. Tuxedo comes in plenty of colors like black, gray, charcoal, navy blue, burgundy, green, light brown, beige, dark brown, white, and many others. Among all the colors, the traditional black tuxedo with shawl or peak lapels, and double-breasted jacket is the most versatile formal wear choice.

Choosing the right color when buying a tuxedo

However, for dark skin tones black is not recommended, you can go with light color tuxedo. Aside from black, charcoal, navy blue, and light gray are also good choices for every skin tone. As for style, you can go with notch, peak, or shawl lapels, along with contrasting or same-color trousers, it mainly depends on your own choice.

4: The Lapels

Lapel is one of the key elements that not only differentiates tuxedos from suits but also makes tuxedos more formal and eye-catching. As a first-time buyer, you may not find any difference between notch, peak, and shawl lapels on first look. Particularly, it’s not simple to understand the basic difference between notch and peak lapels.

But it’s good to select the best lapels for your choice and occasion. The notch lapels have a triangular indentation at the lapel collar joining point, whereas the peak lapel cut is v-shaped just below the collar line. The different case with a shawl lapel, comes with a smooth, rounded edge without any cuts.

If your height is good and have a tall face, you should go with notch or peak lapels. Similarly, for round-face men, shawl lapels are highly recommended. You should keep your own style and look while choosing a lapel for the tuxedo. The peak or notch lapel tuxedo is the right tuxedo selection for parties, birthdays, black tie, or other formal events. For weddings, business meetings, or other formal or semi-formal events shawl lapel tuxedo is good.

5: The Vest

Unlike lapels, buttons, or pocket squares, the vest is not a part of every tuxedo. However, it’s good to have a vest with your tuxedo that gives formal vibes and the dress looks complete. If a vest or cummerbund is available with a tuxedo, well or good, but if not you should buy one.

In vest selection, you can go with the color of a tuxedo or select one from a suit jacket, or trousers. For formal wear, it’s better to have the same color of vest and tuxedo. But for semi-formal or casual occasions, the vest is not essential.

6: The Buttons

It’s another key factor when choosing the right tuxedo for formal wear. The number of buttons depends on the tuxedo jacket style whether it’s single-breasted or double-breasted. The single-breasted jacket has only one row containing two to three buttons. This is a versatile style and looks formal. 

The double-breasted jacket comes with a couple of button rows and a wide overlap of fabric. Four to six buttons in a double-breasted tuxedo jacket produce an ultra look. You can wear it to make a bold statement. However, generally single-breasted jacket is good for formal or semi-formal events.

In short, a single-breasted tuxedo is the right choice for black-tie or regular formal events. For an event where you want to look unique and make a positive statement, a double-breasted jacket with two rows and more buttons is the best. The use of accent fabric in tuxedo buttons gives an elegant look.

7: Skin Tone

Remember to consider your skin tone while choosing a tuxedo for formal wear. If your skin is not fair enough or dark, don’t go with a dark-colored tuxedo. Dark brown, black, and charcoal-colored tuxedos are not recommended for faded or dark skin tones. For a dark skin tone, light colors like light gray, light brown, beige, white, or even navy blue are good.

Similarly, the traditional black color tuxedo is the top-notch option for fair skin tone. You can go with charcoal, burgundy, or dark brown color. However, it’s not essential to choose our recommended option, you can select one as on your taste and choice.

8: Actual Tuxedo or Pieces

There are a couple of choices when selecting a tuxedo, you can select an actual two or three-piece tuxedo. The two-piece tuxedo comes with a jacket and trousers, three-piece tuxedo includes jackets, trousers, and a vest. So, you can either buy a two-piece or three-piece tuxedo, or purchase each jacket, trousers, and vest separately. 

It’s a good practice to take an actual tuxedo with a jacket, trousers, and vest, and usually, people do it. However, sometimes one is not satisfied with a vest or trousers combination with the jacket and looks for a different design. But sometimes there is no vest included with the actual tuxedo and one has to go with a separate vest.

In short, if a complete three-piece tuxedo is available should buy this as it is. However, one can buy pieces separately according to his style. 

9: The Perfect Size

Another important and considerable factor of the guide “How to Choose a Tuxedo” is size. No matter how elegant is your tuxedo, the wrong size selection would make it ordinary. Therefore it’s essential to choose the right size tuxedo for a wedding or any other formal wear. The large or oversized tuxedo looks odd and one does not look comfortable because of loose jackets or trousers. Moreover, the large-sized tuxedo makes you look odd at formal gatherings.

rent or buy a tuxedo

Similarly, small or extremely fit tuxedo jackets, vests, or trousers not only make one look restrictive and awkward but also sophisticated. It’s difficult to bend smoothly with the tight tuxedo. So, keep in mind your shoulder, chest, and waist size while buying a tuxedo. If you are going to purchase a tuxedo online, must be accurate with the tuxedo size.

Accessories Selection with Tuxedo:

What is the best combination of shirt, bow tie, shoes, and vest for a tuxedo to enhance its grace? 

Bow Tie Selection:

The right bow tie enhances the glance of the tuxedo, so it should have been selected precisely. If you are going to wear a traditional black tuxedo, the classic black bow tie is the perfect combination. Similarly, for a navy blue tuxedo, a midnight blue velvet finish bow tie is the top choice. For any dark-shaded tuxedos, a little textured classic black bow tie is recommended.

However, if the color of your tuxedo is light, you may choose the above-mentioned black textured bow tie as a contrast or select the same color bow tie as the color of the tuxedo.

Accessories Selection with Tuxedo

Shirt Selection:

The right shirt selection with a tuxedo creates a classy look and elevates your style and personality. Some people think white is the best color for a shirt with all tuxedos. To some extent, you can say white is the all-around shirt. However, for the traditional black tuxedo, off-white or skin is also highly recommended.

Similarly, you can go with the same color of shirt and tuxedo jacket. So, carefully select the shirt with a tuxedo for weddings or any other formal events.

Shoes Selection:

It’s not necessary to buy new shoes with your formal tuxedo. If you already have black leather or velvet shoes wear them with the formal tuxedo. However, If your shoes are getting old and lose their shine, must purchase a pair of shoes with a tuxedo.

The velvet black color shoes are perfect for a black tuxedo fabricated with velvet stuff. On the other hand, if your tuxedo is classic white, burgundy, or brown, classic leather brown color shoes are the top choice. You can select black leather or velvet shoes as of your style with a navy blue, charcoal, or gray color tuxedo.

Instead of our recommendations, you can select any color of shoes with your tuxedo according to your style and choice.

Rent or Buy?

It’s commonly asked query whether to rent or buy a tuxedo. There is no specific answer to this question, it depends on your budget and how often you wear a tuxedo. If you frequently attend formal events and looking for a tuxedo for multiple events, buy one. Yes, renting a tuxedo is cost-effective if you do not need to wear it frequently but not a good option to rent a tuxedo quite often.

Let’s suppose you need to wear a tuxedo almost 10 times a year, it would cost around 1500$. Alternatively, you can buy a top-notch tuxedo for 500$ to 1000$. So, in such a situation buying a tuxedo is better than renting. There is another scenario if you have no budget issues, then renting various styles and colors of tuxedos according to the occasion is good instead of using the same tuxedo for every event.

Bottom Line:

By following this comprehensive guide on how to choose the right tuxedo, you will be able to find the best tuxedo for formal wear. Consider all the above-mentioned elements while selecting a tuxedo. Keep in mind, the wrong tuxedo selection will badly impact your personality. Time to choose one and enjoy your day!