Is a Tuxedo Right For Him?

A tuxedo is an formal long dress designed to cover the wearer’s entire torso except for his hands and feet. The word tuxedo, which comes from the Latin term for gown, is usually interpreted to be a black jacket with trousers. Black tie is now a semi-formal Western clothing code for evening social events, originated in American and British conventions for formal attire for evening events in the late 19th century. In British English, however, the garment code is more often called simply dinner jacket or dinner suit, for the main ceremonial item, the tuxedo, is sometimes referred to as a dinner jacket too. For most men it is the piece of clothing that symbolizes the formal part of the evening and marks the end of the evening entertainment, whether it is the ball or the wedding, the reception or the party.

When you wear a tuxedo you will need a tuxedo shirt, black trousers (preferably dark indigo or dark wash) and a matching jacket. This tuxedo shirt is traditionally full-length, but today many shirts are coming cut just below the neck and are known as the ‘one-shoulder look’. This look gives the shirt a slimming appearance around the shoulders. Tuxedo pants must be of a good quality, constructed of solid color, preferably dark wash; trousers should be of comparable quality, but avoid creases or wrinkles.

It has become a popular wedding attire for the modern man who prefers to wear a suit but wants to add some formality to his outfit. These informal pants suits are great for any formal party. You can also wear a tuxedo for a casual wedding, especially if you don’t feel like wearing a full suit. It is always a great option for a wedding if the groom doesn’t normally wear a jacket, as long as he is not dressed in a black tie tux.