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Your past experience with tuxedos may not have extended beyond renting one for prom or to participate in a friend’s wedding, and in both instances your tuxedo ensemble may have included a bow tie. The bow tie is, without a doubt, the most popular of tuxedo ties, dating back to the introduction of the tuxedo as the standard for men’s formal wear in the late nineteenth century.

The white bow tie is the most formal of all tuxedo ties; it is reserved for the absolutely highest echelon events. The white bow tie is what you are expected to wear, along with your white tails, when your invitation reads, “White Tie.” The black bow tie takes second place in the hierarchy of tuxedo ties, and other than at white tie occasions, you can’t go wrong with a black bow tie.

Colored tuxedo ties, like a bow tie chosen to match a wedding color scheme or prom date’s dress, are occasion appropriate, but it’s never a good idea to breach tuxedo ties etiquette by showing up with a chartreuse bow tie just to liven up an affair.

Tuxedo ties, however, are not limited to the bow tie. If you have a good quality silk black, silver, or dark blue necktie, or, as it is known in high fashion circles, four in hand, it will be entirely appropriate to wear with a tuxedo at a less formal wedding.

Whichever of the tuxedo ties you choose, you’re going to have to tie it yourself. Clip on tuxedo ties, whether they are those which attach to the points of the shirt collar, or are fitted around the wearer’s neck, are verboten. If your host or hostess thinks you are tuxedo material, he or she undoubtedly thinks you are cultured enough to know how to tie tuxedo ties.

Because most men learn to tie four in hand ties reasonably early in their social careers, the problem with tying tuxedo ties usually lies with bow ties. Self tie tuxedo bow ties are available in two designs; the butterfly, and the parallel sided bat wing.

You can simplify your bow tying experience by opting for a polysatin, instead of silk, tie. The ”slickness” of silk can cause you carefully crafted knot to work loose, causing you some frustration during your initial attempts. While mastering the knot on tuxedo ties is simple enough, getting the tie loops in equal proportion is not, and having the knot work loose will make that correct balance even trickier to achieve.

Begin by placing the bow tie beneath your shirt collar so that the right end is about two inches lower than the left. Working close to your neckline, bring the longer right end over the left, and upward, to form a knot. Then fold the dangling end over on itself into a loop which you will hold closed with your thumb and index finger. his loop will be the front bow of the tie.

Take the other end, which was used to create the original knot, and form it into a bow loop like the first; place the second blow behind the original one, and both bows holding them together, position the second bow in the knot behind the front one. Then tighten the knot by pulling on the bows until they are of equal size.

The secret to tying tuxedo ties is practice, practice, and more practice. Buy a self-tie bow tie far enough in advance of your formal event that you have all the time you need successfully master one of the true “gentlemen’s arts!”

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Colored tuxedos are to traditional men’s formalwear what “Dumb and Dumber” is to “Top Hat”; what polyester is to the finest wools and satins; and what a high school prom is to a royal wedding. Transitioning from the backs of carnival midway barkers to the costume trunks of vaudeville performers, colored tuxedos until the 1970s were apparel items restricted to stage performers.

But during that decade, a profound change began sweeping across the world of formalwear, and some of its more noticeable signs were that at the 1977 inauguration of US President Jimmy Carter, black, and not white, tie was the order of the day. Such break with tradition escalated, and by the end of the 1970s, colored tuxedos in every imaginable color, including canary yellow, green or blue checkered, rust, and varieties of plaid.

Many of these colored tuxedos had black piping on every conceivable edge or velvet lapels, and were designed to be worn with matching ruffled shirts and oversized bowties, and extra wide cummerbunds. In a nod to the leisure suit craze which took the 70’s Disco scene by storm, many of those who wore colored tuxedos to formal events completed their ensembles with white patent leather belts and shoes.

The colored tuxedo fell from favor when the when Ronald Regan returned Hollywood glamor to the White House; grey, black, and even striped tuxedos worn with white pleated shirts became the standard, and by the 1990s black tuxedos again had the spotlight to themselves; designers, however, began introducing distinctive styling touches.

Colored tuxedos are available today, but if you are considering one be very sure that it is appropriate for the social occasion you have in mind. Unless it is a themed celebration, like a vintage wedding, a colored tuxedo will be a distraction. You should never wear a colored tuxedo to a wedding unless you are a groomsman and your tuxedo is going to coordinate with the bridesmaids’ dresses. Otherwise you will be calling attention to yourself and away from the bride, which is a very bad idea.

The most common place to see colored tuxedos, in fact, is at the school prom. After the release of the film cult classic “Dumb and Dumber” in 1994, orange, powder blue, baby pink, and red tuxedos were much in demand as Hallowe’en costumes complete with matching shoes, hats, canes, shirts, ties, and cummerbunds. They also found their way into senior proms, but anyone seriously considering a colored “Dumb and Dumber” tuxedo for a prom which does not have a vintage theme should clear it with his date in advance. Why?

No self-respecting formalwear shop will sell such tuxedos; they are made of cheap polyester, and cut extra long to fit as many renters as possible, so you’ll have to use safety pins to keep yours at the proper length. The “Dumb and Dumber” tuxedo ensemble, in fact, not only includes matching accessories, it is available with teeth wax and Jim Carrey or Jeff Daniels wigs!

And, while an online search will lead you to websites from which you can rent real vintage colored tuxedos of a much better quality, you should again consult with your date. She deserves to know how the prom photos she intends to treasure for a lifetime are going to turn out!

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Tuxedo vests serve two purposes. They both allow their wearers to achieve a distinctive look in a room full of other tuxedo clad gentlemen, and provide them with a still formal, if somewhat relaxed, appearance even when their tuxedo jackets are removed.

While black satin tuxedo vests are the most traditional and a safe choice no matter the occasion, colored vests matched to the bridesmaids’ or prom date’s gowns are popular in Europe and becoming increasingly so in the US.

Tuxedo vests have more or less replaced cummerbunds as the accessories of choice for contemporary tuxedo ensembles. For those events, however, when wearing a vest is not mandatory, and you can choose between a vest and a cummerbund, let your waistline decide. If you’d prefer that it not be obvious, go with the vest; if you’re proud of your chiseled physique, wear the cummerbund and stand tall.

Tuxedo vests are meant to be worn with either bow, or neckties. The bowtie, as long as it is self tied, is generally regarded as more elegant. The greatest tuxedo vests in the world, of the finest fabrics and cut, will be ruined with clip on ties. If you don’t know how to tie a bow tie properly, either start practicing well in advance of your big event until you have mastered the technique, or finish your vest with a black silver, or dark blue silk necktie.

Tuxedo vests are normally made from silk, satin, or microfiber; while silk and satin provide a marvelous luster which catches the light in a most romantic way, they can become very warm after an extended period at a crowded gathering. Synthetic microfiber, while not quite as lustrous, breathes much more easily, and is therefore much more comfortable.

If you’re comfortable with the idea of novelty tuxedo vests, and even more importantly, if your host or hostess is comfortable with it, you can have a great deal of fun picking one which will make a very personal statement about you or the event your are attending. There are some absolutely striking tuxedo vests designed to celebrate the Christmas season, Mardi Gras, and a variety of patriotic US holidays.

There are also very colorful, tropically themed tuxedo vests for those formal dinners aboard cruise ships, or romantic evenings on the jasmine scented verandas of upscale tropical restaurants. At the other end of the tuxedo vests spectrum are those of camouflage fabric, perfect for the rugged outdoorsman, and surprisingly tasteful with their subdued earth colors and leaf, grass, and branch patterns.

Tuxedo vests are the accessories which, along with cufflinks and shirt studs, allow men to personalize their looks in much the same way as jewelry, shoes, and evening bags individualize women’s evening attire. Eye catching tuxedo vests can make all the difference between good looking tuxedos, and great looking ones!

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When you get your first invitation with the “Black tie” notation, you’ll need to prepare by renting or buying a tuxedo ensemble with a cummerbund, bow tie, and coordinating pocket square, or with a tuxedo vest and tie. Choosing a men’s tuxedo vest and tie will give you a chance to individualize your tuxedo in a very distinct way, and you will not be limited to a strictly black tie.

There are still, however, for which your choice of a men’s tuxedo vest and tie will be limited. Groomsmen at weddings are often requested to wear vests and ties to co-ordinate with the bridesmaids’ dresses; and at prom time the men’s tuxedo vests and ties are often matched to the color their dates are wearing. You can find a great selection of colored men’s tuxedo vests and ties at www.tuxedosdirect.com.

If the event doesn’t demand that you arrive wearing a men’s tuxedo vest and tie, you may be confused about whether a vest and tie, or a cummerbund, will look better on you. Making the better choice, however, is fairly straightforward. A cummerbund will draw attention to your waistline; you should know without asking if that’s going to work for you and go with a vest if it won’t.

Once you’ve settled on vest, completing the men’s tuxedo vest and tie pairing is simply a matter of choosing between a bow tie and necktie. Most fashion experts agree that the bow tie is the more elegant, but only if it’s the self-tie variety. You can ruin the effect of the classiest men’s tuxedo vest and tie with a clip on bow tie. If you need to ask for help with tying a bow tie, ask for it.

If you’ve settled on the men’s tuxedo vest and tie for your formal wear, and aren’t under any restrictions as to their color or pattern, you can have a field day choosing the combination which will say something really unique about you, or the event. One of the latest trends in men’s tuxedo vests and ties is the camouflage look; if you’re an outdoor or military enthusiast, they could be perfect for you.

Other combination men’s tuxedo vests and ties are designed for holiday wear; www.tuxedosdirect.com has some sets perfect for Mardi Gras; Valentine’s Day; Independence Day or any patriotically themed US event; and any gathering of the Sons of Erin.

Men’s tuxedo vests and ties, in other words, are the guys’ answer to the ladies’ perfectly accessorized jewelry, handbag, and shoes. Having a perfectly fitted tux is great, but having a men’s tuxedo vest and tie which makes every pair of eyes in the room turn to watch your entrance is even better!

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Although the particulars of its arrival on the Americana formalwear scene are a bit hazy, there is little doubt that the tuxedo is a uniquely American contribution to the world of formalwear.

The name Lorillard, of the Lorillard tobacco family, looms large in every recounting ot the tuxedo’s invention, and the general premise of the story is that Pierre Lorillard IV, the family scion in 1886, decided he had had enough of evening wear copied from the royal salons of Europe. Inspired by the standard tailless hunting jacket, he asked his tailor to come up with a evening wear jacket of the same style. The tailor obliged with several models, but on the evening of the 1886 Tuxedo Park Club’s Autumn Ball, Pierre Lorillard balked at his fence and showed up in the expected white tie and tails.

The fashion torch however, had been passed to a new generation, and Lorillard’s son Griswold, cut from a different formalwear cloth, donned one of his father’s newly tailored short jackets, adding insult to injury by completing his look with a scarlet hunting vest. He was an overnight hit, and his entire set was soon appearing in what had become known as the tuxedo. Their scarlet vests, however, were replaced by more elegant black ones.

The tuxedo jacket, named after the Tuxedo Park Club, has changed only in minor ways over the years. But the tuxedo ensemble has added some flourishes. The bow tie replaced the four in hand during the Roaring 20s, and is still considered the more formal. The vest was for a time usurped by the British cummerbund, but has again become the standard.

The tuxedo is the accepted men’s attire for all but the most formal of events, when tailcoats and white ties are required. The best tuxedos are constructed of black or midnight blue wool worsted weighing between 260 and 280 grams. The jacket will have one or two buttons, and satin or grosgrain faced lapels. The most formal jackets have notched lapels, followed by peak, and then shawl lapels, but in recent years, the mandarin style tuxedo jacket has developed a following. This jacket may be popular because it eliminates the need for a tie.

The classic tuxedo ensemble includes a white pleated front shirt, normally worn with cufflinks and studs; black cuffless trousers with double black satin stripes on their outer seams, black socks and black patent leather shoes, a black silk or polysatin bow tie, and a silk, satin, or microfiber black waistcoat or cummerbund. In warm weather, or in tropical regions, a white jacket may be substituted.

The tuxedo rental business in the US exceeds five hundred million dollars a year, but the most exclusive men’s clothiers do not offer tuxedos for rent. If you want to dress as the other half does, you’ll have to come up with between $400 and $5000 for your own custom tailored tuxedo.

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While a tuxedo may not be the first item of apparel you think of when putting together you boy’s wardrobe, the demand for boys’ tuxedos is large enough that they are available around the globe in a wide range of styles, sizes, and prices.

So many brands of boys tuxedos are manufactured, in fact, that your difficulty may not be in finding one but in finding the perfect one from among so many. All manufacturers, naturally, will bombard you with claims of the merits of their boys tuxedos, and unless you know what to look for and what to avoid when purchasing yours, you may be very easily misled.

There are four factors to consider in looking for top quality boys tuxedos: their fabric, colors, design, and price. By learning what to look for in each of them, you’ll be in a much better position to gauge the truth of what any manufacturer is telling you.

First, the fabric: Do not settle for any boys tuxedos which are not made of 100% wool, with a density of between 260 and 280 grams. Lighter wool will wilt, and heavier wool will appear stiff, and be uncomfortable to wear. You may have enough of a challenge convincing an active youngster that he needs to wear a tuxedo at all, so don’t add to your dilemma by buying a boys tuxedo which binds and chafes him.

Second, the color: While you may think traditional solid black is the safest choice for any formal occasion, your youngster may have another opinion. The truth is that the best boys tuxedos are available in with vests and Windsor ties in a rainbow of colors, so that you can co-ordinate with the bridesmaids’ dresses if the occasion involved is a wedding. The jackets and trousers of boys tuxedos can easily be found in white and ivory as well as black.

Third, the design: The designs of boys tuxedos will vary from manufacturer to manufacturer, but the best ones will have the same care taken in the lining construction and workmanship as fine men’s tuxedos. Boys’ tuxedos should be designed to keep their shape and tailoring while remaining comfortable. The finest ones will have adjustable waist bands and two inch hems on the trousers so that they can accommodate growing boys.

Finally, the price: The boys tuxedos of the best wools with the most painstaking workmanship will, of course, be more expensive than those without them. But after doing your research, you may be able to find some acceptable compromises, and get a boy’s tuxedo of reasonable quality which will serve you young man for a year or two without breaking your budget!

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The tuxedo, until 1966, had been for eight decades the standard for men’s formalwear. While it remains the standard for men’s formalwear to this day, in 1966 Yves Saint Laurent threw the haute couture world into a fashion frenzy by introducing “Le Smoking,” the tuxedo for women.

Yves Saint Laurent knew a secret: women look far better in tuxedo pants than men do in formal gowns. His Le Smoking was designed to create an androgynous look with its straight women tuxedo pants and jacket lines. Le Smoking was intended to create a style, not a passing fashion, and it succeeded so well that more than forty years later it is still being copied by the best fashion designers on the planet.

There are as many varieties of women’s tuxedos as there are of men’s; women tuxedo pants and jackets are available in full dress with tails for ultra formal events; cutaways for daytime affairs; black or white jackets are paired with black or white women tuxedo pants, and often worn without dress shirts. Women tuxedo pants have shown up at the Oscars, in the wine colored velvet favored by Ellen DeGeneres and the navy blue favored by Melissa Etheridge.

If you want to give women tuxedo pants a try, just remember that the most crucial element of any great looking tuxedo is its fit. You can take a chance on off the rack women tuxedo pants if you like, but you’re much safer being measured professionally. Have as many fittings as it takes to get your women tuxedo pants fitting perfectly.

Women tuxedo pants have the traditional satin or grosgrain braid down their outer leg seams, and like men’s pants, should never have cuffs. The best women tuxedo pants are constructed of lightweight wool worsted, velvet, or silk crepe de chine, but less expensive polyester wool blends are also popular.

100% polyester, although available, is not recommended for women tuxedo pants both because it lacks the lustrous finish associated with fine fabrics, and because it does not breathe well, becoming very uncomfortable after a short time in a crowded room.

Most designers offer both pleated and plain front women tuxedo pants, and adjustable waistbands for plus size women. Adjustable women tuxedo pants have a three size variance; a size eight adjustable women tuxedo pant can be adjusted to fit both sizes seven and nine.

Whether you purchase your women tuxedo pants as part of a tuxedo ensemble, or as separates to wear with a dressy satin, velvet, or silk top, they will add an unforgettable touch of dash and elegance to your evening wardrobe!

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Forty miles northwest of New York City there once lived a tribe of Algonquin Indians, and legend has it that they named their homeland “P’tauk-Seet-tough,” or “Home of the Bear,” after one of their chiefs, P’tauk Seet.

The Algonquin tribe is but a distant memory in present day New York City, but the elite gentlemen of New York, every time they don their formal finery to go out and be seen, may be paying tribute to P’tauk Seet and his “tough.”

According to written records from 1754, “P’tauk Seet tough” had been variously transformed into, among other names, “Tuxetough”, or “Tugseto”, or “Tuxedo Pond.” But it might have remained in obscurity had not the Lorillard family of tobacco riches begun buying large tracts of land around the “P’tauk Seet tough” area. In the early to mid nineteenth century they created a hunting getaway for New York’s upper crust, with an enclave of exclusive homes, naming the complex “Tuxedo Park.”

When a resident of Tuxedo Park, James Potter, visited London in 1886, he was invited by the Prince of Wales to have the royal tailor Henry Poole & Co. design for him a short tailless evening jacket similar to one of the Prince’s own. Potter triumphantly displayed his jacket to his fellow members at the Tuxedo Park Club on his return.

The Tuxedo Park crowd decided to celebrate themselves, that same year, with the first Autumn Ball, and in honor of the occasion, Griswold Lorillard arrived at the Tuxedo Club. Having abandoned the required white tie and tails for a short, vibrantly red, Potter-inspired evening jacket, he was rather like a scarlet macaw descending on a flock of white tailed swans. The macaw carried the day, however; and the tailless jacket became the first men’s tuxedo.

In the ensuing hundred and twenty years, men’s tuxedos have become the formalwear of choice in the US, and in 1903, Samuel Rudolphker of Philadelphia, established the “gentlemen’s tailoring factory “to mass produce men’s tuxedos. By the Depression, perhaps to take advantage of the millions of movie going Americans addicted to Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers musicals, the first rental men’s tuxedos were available.

Men’s tuxedos had made the transition from the Tuxedo Park enclave to the neighborhood dance hall. When the practice of renting men’s tuxedos caught on, they became the unchallenged standard for men’s formalwear in the US. Tony Martin men’s tuxedos came along in the 1950s, with wash and wear convenience, and in the 1960s and 1970s, color, ruffled shirts, and satin or velvet lapels were introduced into men’s tuxedos.

While the 80s and 90s brought a both the return to more sedate black and grey as the preferred men’s tuxedo colors, and the entry of major fashion designers into the men’s tuxedo market. Giorgio Armani seems to have become the men’s tuxedo designer of choice for the Tuxedo Club member’s modern counterparts. If past is prelude, however, the future of men’s tuxedos will be as fluid as its past.

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Whether you will be the groom or a groomsman at a black tie wedding, or simply a guest invited to attend one, having the “Black Tie” on the wedding invitations will set an elegant tone for the big event. And you’ll need to dress accordingly.

Any wedding after 6:00 PM to which wedding tuxedos will be worn is a black tie event; the choice of tuxedos depends on how formal the ceremony will be. A black tuxedo jacket and trousers worn with a white shirt, black vest of cummerbund and bow or neck tie, with black patent leather shoes and black socks, will have you properly attired for all but the most formal weddings. If the invitation says “White Tie”, shed your black tuxedo jacket for tails with a white vest and bow tie.

If you’re participating in an evening wedding in the tropics, you can substitute a white tuxedo jacket. White wedding tuxedos are also fine for daytime or warm weather and outdoor weddings no matter their location. And, while colored wedding tuxedos have most tuxedo etiquette experts rolling their eyes, they are a popular choice for vintage weddings. Many couples also like to replace the black vests and ties of traditional wedding tuxedos for those colored to coordinate with the bridesmaids’ gowns.

The best time to start arranging for your wedding tuxedos is as soon as possible. Once and your fiancé have chosen your wedding’s date and time, and settled on how formal you’d like it to be, you should start the process of lining up you wedding tuxedos. All of this, ideally, will take place at least five months before the wedding date so that whoever is providing your wedding tuxedos will be able to schedule enough fittings, and make any necessary adjustments for each of the groomsmen.

If any of the groomsmen lives elsewhere, you can ask your wedding tuxedos provider to mail or email him a measurements card; almost any formalwear shop will provide a free courtesy measuring. He can fill out and return the card, so that all of your wedding tuxedos will be made by the same people.

You may not be aware that, if you are the groom, it’s considered your responsibility to cover the rental cost of all the wedding tuxedos. There can be a bit of sticker shock involved with that particular tradition, but if you give yourself enough advance time, you can shop around for wedding tuxedo rental packages. Some of the larger formalwear chains will actually provide your tux at no cost, and offer you a discount on the rental fees for the rest of the wedding tuxedos.

By the way, unless you run with a crowd who all happen to have black patent leather pumps tucked away on a closet shelf, you’ll have to spring for renting the tuxedo shoes as well. You can’t rent the socks, so make sure the groomsmen know they have to be black over the calf socks, preferably of silk.

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It’s a formal occasion, and you’ve already accepted that you’ll have to wear a tuxedo. But you’d like your tux to make a statement about you, and not just be a cookie cutter affair which does nada to distinguish itself from all the other tuxes in attendance.

One way you can be guaranteed to have heads turning in your direction is to jettison the traditional black tuxedo vest. Replace it with one of the many styles of camouflage tuxedo vests and let your outdoorsman or commando instincts show through!

While you might find the idea of a camouflage tuxedo vest a bit lacking in the elegance department, a search of the many Internet formalwear sites which now offer them may change your mind. Stop thinking strictly military khaki, although if that’s your thing, there’s sure to be a camouflage tuxedo vest to accommodate you.

Start thinking fabrics patterned after the works of great botanical artists, with strikingly detailed leaves, grasses, twigs, and tree limbs with bark so clearly rendered that you can almost feel its texture. Add to them shadows so correct that the camouflage tuxedo vest itself takes on three dimensional depths. Throw in a color palette of earthy browns, grays, russets and natural greens, and camouflage tuxedo vests are not merely apparel; they are works of textile art!

A camouflage tuxedo vests can be made from a variety of fabrics or fabric blends, but like the best tuxedos, the best camouflage tuxedo vest is of light wool, with a density of 260 to 280 grams. Wool of this weight allows a vest to hold its shape while not being so stiff that it is uncomfortable. But you can also find a camouflage tuxedo vest in twill, cotton, and cotton polyester blends. Like traditional vests, a camouflage tuxedo vest will be lined with silk or satin.

The website of one formalwear supplier which has an extensive line of camouflage tuxedo vests is www.tuxedo-formalwear.com. Their seventeen camouflage patterns range from standard military to wetlands to several mossy oak designs with differing color themes.

The Tuxedo Formalwear camouflage tuxedo vest has buttons covered with self-matching fabric, and waist adjustment ties inside of its back lining. Each vest can also be constructed with a pocket if the customer wishes.

Another website which provides very clear picture of how its camouflage tuxedo vest looks is www.jimsformalwer.com. You can view a highly detailed fabric swatch of their Mossy Oak New Breakup vest, and even order a pocket square sample. The Mossy Oak New Breakup camouflage tuxedo vest can be accessorized with a matching Windsor or bowtie.

A visit to either of these sites will give you an both an accurate idea of what is available in camouflage tuxedo vests, and whether any of them is what you need to make your presence known at the big social events in your life!

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