In this guide, you will learn everything that you have ever wanted to know about wearing a tuxedo including:
- Top 10 Best Tuxedo Brands Online
- What Is A Tuxedo?
- History Of The Tuxedo
- How To Wear A Tuxedo
- When To Wear A Tuxedo
The links above will let you jump ahead and directly to a particular section that interests you. Alternatively, scroll down to read it all!
Top 10 Best Tuxedos
In this guide, you will learn all about how to wear a tuxedo. First, we’ll present you with the top 10 best tuxedo brands that we recommend if you’re in the market for one:
- Black Lapel
- Indochino
- Suitsupply
- Charles Tyrwhitt
- Hawes & Curtis
- Brooks Brothers
- Eton Shirts*
- Turnbull & Asser*
- Boardroom Socks*
- Kenneth Cole
Feel free to use the links above to jump ahead or scroll down to discover them all!
Brands highlighted with an asterisk (*) deserved a mention but they sell evening shirts and tuxedo accessories only.
- Pricing: From $549*
- Where To Buy: Black Lapel
* With “FTOBESPOKEUNIT” Discount Code
If you’re looking for a tuxedo that will certainly turn heads, our first recommendation would be to go custom. Sounds expensive, right? Not necessarily! While Black Lapel is on the premium end of online custom clothiers, their tuxedos start at $599!
For a tuxedo, that’s actually excellent value for money and even comparable to a designer off-the-rack suit. Their standard suits are half-canvassed and made from excellent fabric. Meanwhile, their premium The Savoy Line range has full-canvassed suits with Italian fabrics.
With Black Lapel, you need only submit your measurements on their website and then choose the suit you want as a template. Afterwards, you can completely customise it to your tastes. Furthermore, you can benefit from an exclusive $50 discount with our code “FTOBESPOKEUNIT“.
"If you're looking for a perfectly-fitted and elegant tuxedo, Black Lapel would be our first port of call."
- Pricing: $449*
- Where To Buy: Indochino
* With “BESPOKEUNIT” Discount Code
It’s neck-and-neck between Black Lapel and Indochino. While Black Lapel tends to be a more premium experience, Indochino’s value for money is hard to beat. Furthermore, they have physical stores where you can get measured up rather than doing it yourself!
Their custom suits can be unbelievably cheap at around $350. Meanwhile, their tuxedos are a little pricier and start at $499. Still, this is exceedingly cheap for the quality and well worth the investment. Like Black Lapel, you can customise your suit to your heart’s content.
Finally, you can also benefit from the 10% discount code “BESPOKEUNIT” in both their stores and online when you spend more than $399!
- Pricing: From $619
- Where To Buy: Suitsupply
A retailer than has taken the world by storm since it was founded, the famous Dutch brand is renowned for its stylish yet contemporary suits. Indeed, Suitsupply has been worn by many celebrities on red carpets so it’s no surprise that us commoners want to replicate the look!
Suitsupply has a rich selection of tuxedos with many styles, colours, and textures. While some do go against our advice in the guide below, they’re still impeccable and maybe worth getting even if you do break the rules a little bit. After all, you’ve got to know the rules to break them!
Since both Indochino and Black Lapel are custom suitmakers, you have to wait a few weeks for it to be made. The convenience of off-the-rack tailoring is that it’ll be delivered to your door within days. However, bear in mind that it may still need a few alterations here and there to be your size.
- Pricing: From $549
- Where To Buy: Charles Tyrwhitt
While being somewhat younger than the other Jermyn Street brands, Charles Tyrwhitt has grown to be a respected house and part of the family. Again, they’re best known for producing shirts. Nevertheless, their range of tuxedos is definitely worth your attention.
All of their tuxedos retail at $549 save the morning dress, which is an entirely different beast altogether. However, they’re 100% woolmark, which is the global authority on Merino wool and assures a certain level of quality.
Like Hawes & Curtis below, Charles Tyrwhitt have a great selection of evening shirts, too, so they’re worth visiting for the whole ensemble.
- Pricing: From $429
- Where To Buy: Hawes & Curtis
Although best known for their quality dress shirts, Hawes & Curtis have a modest yet attractive selection of elegant tuxedos. Available in midnight blue or black, the prices are also quite competitive.
At the time of writing this guide, their most affordable tuxedo is only $429! Meanwhile, they also have a beautiful shawl-collar tuxedo in navy for $499, and their premium 1913 Italian collection starts around $730, though it can sometimes be found on sale.
Furthermore, if you do pay Hawes & Curtis a visit, they have an excellent range of evening shirts with different collar and placket styles to choose from.
- Pricing: From $1,098
- Where To Buy: Brooks Brothers
Brooks Brothers is an American heritage brand well known for its lavish tuxedos. Indeed, its garments are frequently adorned by men who walk on red carpets and they’re often noticed at a variety of events.
Furthermore, Brooks Brothers is surprisingly versatile. While it produces and retails many classic tuxedos, you’ll also find more modern designs and colours. It even sells smoking jackets for the adventurous gentleman!
Although Brooks Brothers is a premium brand, bear in mind that its tuxedos continue to be produced in the USA. Therefore, you’d be investing in true American craftsmanship.
- Pricing: $285
- Where To Buy: Eton Shirts
While Eton Shirts doesn’t produce suits or tuxedos, we thought that they and some of the following brands deserved a mention here. If you’re reluctant to wear a shirt with a wing collar, shiny studs, and pleats, Eton Shirts is your best choice.
This Swedish brand exudes Scandinavian minimalism with the exquisitely subtle elegance of their twill evening shirt. It has a classic spread collar rather than a wing collar. Meanwhile, the buttons are hidden under the placket save for a single onyx stud at the top, which you won’t see due to the bow tie.
Finally, it has a plain front with no bib or pleats. As a result, it’s a clean and crisp shirt that goes well with the understated sophisticated of a classic tuxedo.
- Pricing: From $395 – $745
- Where To Buy: Turnbull & Asser
Firstly, we’re sorry but we just couldn’t avoid including Casino Royale to provide commentary on Turnbull & Asser. After all, their evening shirt was worn by Daniel Craig in this very film and it illustrates their reputation in the sartorial world.
This shirt was so good, 007 actually wore it twice! However, that’s probably because it got covered in blood in a stairwell fight and then drenched under the shower with Vesper…
This particular shirt is still produced by Turnbull & Asser today and retails for $475. While it’s may be a hefty price to pay to embody James Bond, know that this is actually because Turnbull & Asser is one of the few Jermyn Street brands that continue to produce their shirts in England.
Indeed, the historical house still crafts their shirts in Gloucester as it has been doing since 1885. It’s one of the many reasons that Princes Charles awarded them one of his Royal Warrants in 1980.
- Pricing: From $14.95
- Where To Buy: Boardroom Socks
Indeed, Boardroom Socks clearly doesn’t produce tuxedos so we apologise for misleading you. However, we did want to bring them to your attention as they do make some of the best dress socks we’ve tried.
A four-generation family business that has been operating from North Carolina since 1837, all their socks are made in the USA. This is quite amazing considering that a pair costs as little as $14.95.
The reason why we’ve included them here is that Boardroom excellent Merino wool over-the-calf socks. These are perfect for a tuxedo as they won’t fall down and show rumples throughout the black tie event.
- Pricing: $170
- Where To Buy: Amazon
If you’re on a tight budget but desperately need a tuxedo, Amazon has a surprisingly rich collection. Nevertheless, it took us quite a while until we found one that seemed reasonable.
Eventually, we stumbled upon the Kenneth Cole New York tuxedo. It’s a two-button dinner jacket with satin notch lapels. Meanwhile, the trousers are correct and have no belt loops but 6 suspender buttons. Furthermore, they have the proper satin strips down the sides to cover the seams.
Overall, a pretty decent buy for $170!
Everything You Need To Know About Tuxedos
When a man dons a perfectly-fitted, detail-correct tuxedo, he is transformed into the most handsome, dapper version of himself. As an ensemble reserved for special occasions, a man may not have many opportunities to wear a tux, but when an opportunity does arise, he should take advantage to the fullest extent.
But, what is a tuxedo? When should you wear one? How does it differ from a suit? Furthermore, what’s a smoking jacket, and how is it different than a tuxedo?
If you’ve ever asked these questions, you’re in the right place!
What Is A Tuxedo?
A tuxedo is evening semi-formalwear for men. Referred to as a “dinner jacket” in the British Isles, le smoking in France, and un esmóquin in Spain and other Spanish-speaking countries, it is a simple, high-contrast ensemble consisting of the following:
- Matching black jacket, trousers, and cummerbund or waistcoat
- White French/double cuff shirt
- Black patent leather shoes
- Black bow tie
There are variations on the above, but we will address that later.
History Of The Tuxedo
As with most things we wear in the Western world, the story starts in England.
Before the mid-nineteenth century, men of means and status wore traditional tailcoats for dinner in their homes. Beautiful as this looked, it was a chore to get into and out of a tailcoat and trousers. But, rules being rules, men abided by this code regardless of the nuisance it entailed.
In the mid-1800’s, Savile Row was beginning to flourish as a bespoke tailoring destination. One the tailors on the row was a gentleman named Henry Poole, whose shop is still at 15 Savile Row. Henry was fortunate in that he had friends in high places: specifically, King Edward VII. His Majesty commissioned Poole to create a short jacket to replace the tailcoat for dinners, as these would be more comfortable.
They were, and the decline of the tailcoat’s popularity began as those in the King’s social circle ordered their own short jackets and the style became commonplace for dinners in the home.
Where Does The Word “Tuxedo” Come From?
As it happens, the word “tuxedo” is an American term. It comes from Tuxedo Park, a small town in New York’s Hudson Valley that was an enclave for Manhattan’s social elite. The word came into common usage around 1888, thanks to a Tuxedo Park resident named James Brown Potter.
He and his wife Cora met the then-Prince of Wales at a court ball, and the Prince, somewhat taken with Cora, invited them to Sandringham, his hunting estate in Norfolk. Potter inquired about what to wear, and the Prince instructed him to visit his tailor in London to have a short jacket made up. He did just that, and returned home to Tuxedo Park with his garment in tow.
Upon his return, other Tuxedo Park residents were quite taken with this ensemble and copied it, as they felt it was more appropriate for informal dinners than tails.
There’s a story that a few Tuxedo locals went to dinner sporting their tuxes at Delmonico’s, which was the only public local establishment in which men didn’t have to “dress” for dinner. The other patrons had never seen anything like this before, and when they inquired about it, they were told that that was just how men in Tuxedo dressed for dinner. The name stuck.
Humorously, Tuxedo Park’s founder, tobacco tycoon Pierre Lorillard IV, attended Tuxedo Park’s first Autumn Ball wearing this “tail-less dress coat.” He was asked to leave.
Colours & Materials: What Is A Midnight Blue Tuxedo?
Traditionally, tuxedos are made from worsted barathea wool. What this means is that it has a hopsack twill weave, which creates a texture that is lightly pebbled or ribbed.
However, it’s not uncommon for tuxedos to now be in different weaves such as a fine twill or a herringbone. Nevertheless, the latter is particularly rare.
Tuxedos are typically black, but midnight blue tuxedos have grown in popularity. These aren’t as recent as you’d expect, though. In fact, they came into fashion when the Duke Of Windsor had one made on the premise that very dark blue looks blacker than black under artificial light.
As it happens, he was right! Black actually has a greenish cast to it under synthetic lamps.
Two key additionally materials in tuxedos are silk or grosgrain. Either of these materials can be used for facings for lapels, buttons, pocket seams, and trouser outseams. This is a key distinction between a suit and a tuxedo.
How To Wear A Tuxedo
In the following section, we will break down how you to properly wear a tuxedo and look the part.
How Should A Tuxedo Fit?
Your tuxedo should fit just like a normal suit. We have an entire guide to suit fit if you’re unsure of the particulars there.
The one exception to this is in the case of certain smoking jackets, which are intentionally cut more loosely than standard dinner jackets.
Tuxedo Jacket & Trousers
The jacket and pants are the main components of any tuxedo.
A tuxedo jacket is typically black or a dark navy blue, however other fabric colours exist for less formal occasions. For instance, you’ll occasion see white or ivory jackets too.
A peak lapel is the most traditional and formal lapel style for a tuxedo jacket, but it is possible to wear a shawl collared tux to a black tie event, while a notch lapel is more appropriate for semi-formal occasions.
Tuxedo Shirts
The tuxedo or “evening” shirt is traditionally white and takes either a wing collar or a regular spread collar with a pleated front. However, the stringent rules have softened a lot here in certain respects. In all cases, though, these shirts will have double “French” cuffs.
We already introduced you to a few excellent brands but you can read more about their different characteristics and styles in our guide to tuxedo shirts.
Tuxedo Shoes
Proper tuxedo shoes are black patent leather oxfords, Venetian loafers, or opera pumps. Oxfords in calfskin with a high shine are also acceptable, as are velvet slippers (though these are only acceptable in less sartorially fusty instances).
We don’t want to cover it in too much detail here as we have a full guide to tuxedo shoes! This features some recommended brands too if you’re in the market for a pair.
The Bow Tie
The bow tie should be black and match the facings’ material on your lapels (either silk or grosgrain). As with any bow tie worth wearing, it must be self-tied.
Don’t know how to tie a bow tie? No problem. Visit our step-by-step guide on how to tie a bow tie.
Semi-Formal Waist Coverings
Your choice is a cummerbund or a waistcoat. Our guide to cummerbunds will have everything you need to know about them as well as some recommended brands for you.
If you opt for a waistcoat (“vest” for our American readers), it should traditionally match your jacket and trousers.
Black Tie Accessories
Studs that take the place of shirt buttons and cufflinks are all the jewellery you’ll need. Technically, you’re even wear a watch as it’s traditionally considered rude to check the time at an event you’re supposed to be enjoying.
Yet, that’s extraordinarily rare these days and most people love to flaunt their most prized timepieces. However, if you do want to wear a watch with black tie, you might want to check our guide to dress watches first!
If you’re going to wear suspenders just note that they should be white. It might be tempting to wear bold colours here but it’s not perceived as part of black tie.
While the socks should be black silk, this is quite rare these days. We already recommended Boardroom who produce excellent fine over-the-calf merino wool socks.
When To Wear A Tux: Black Tie Dress Code
Technically speaking, a tuxedo is regarded as evening wear and should actually only be worn at night. Traditionally, this means any semi-formal event that begins after sunset or 6pm, whichever is earliest.
If you’re invited to an event that has a black tie dress code, the expectation is that you will wear a tuxedo. Click the preceding link to access a top-to-bottom, highly-detailed, garment-by-garment presentation of what’s acceptable under that dress code.
You should wear a tuxedo to any black tie event, and you may also wear a tux to an event with a black tie optional dress code.
Wedding
If you’re attending or involved in a wedding, it’s obligatory to wear a tuxedo if the soon-to-be newlyweds want it to be a black tie affair. Depending on your role in the wedding (if any) you may have to wear a rented number, which we typically don’t advise under other circumstances. Click the preceding link for more information on weddings.
Prom
If you’re wearing a tux to the prom, that’s great! You can opt for something traditional or venture into the world of creative black tie. If black tie is a new concept and you’re preparing to go to a prom, head to our full guide where we’ll walk you through it!
What Is The Difference Between A Suit & Tux?
There are many subtle difference between suits and tuxes, outlined graphically below:
Read our page on the difference between a tux and a suit for an in-depth explanation.
Conclusion
Wearing a tuxedo is a wonderful way for a man to look his best.
Bespoke Unit’s Tuxedo series is a comprehensive, detail-oriented resource for black tie attire. First-time tuxedo wearers will find immense instructional value in our guides, and seasoned dinner jacket connoisseurs will learn even more about the clothes they love.
Each of our guides has been thoroughly researched and written with a painstaking attention to detail, not to mention an immutable passion for formal-wear. The full suite of pages are below:
