Tuxedo Vests
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!
Tags: Tuxedos