Beefing Up Your Black Tuxedo

Sabir Peele in Dragon Inside custom Tuxedo

Founder & Creative Director of Men's Style Pro, Sabir has…

To wrap up our Black Tie Wedding Series, I present you with the traditional black tuxedo custom-made via Dragon Inside. Understanding that when it comes to black tie there’s nothing more quintessential than a peak lapel three-piece tuxedo. Of course, once you walk into that black tie event, all the gents will begin to look like extremely tall penguins, but, they’ll be in polyester rentals. Standing out from the crowd is possible if you understand the subtle ways to beef up your black tuxedo without going overboard. Just remember, it’s all in the details.

Take the points below into your next custom tuxedo adventure.

The Importance of Owning, Instead of Renting : There are still those guys that will try to make the case that owning a tuxedo is pointless. Those same guys have to run out 3 times a year to their favorite “rental chain” and grab an ill-fitting tuxedo that has been worn by hundred of other dudes. If there’s one thing makes sense about owning a tuxedo is that “IT SAVES YOU MONEY OVER TIME”! For instance, the three-piece Italian Wool Custom Tuxedo in the feature is just over $600. In three years, you may attend 9 to 12 weddings/galas and other black tie events. Averaging $180, multiplied by the maximum of 12 events and you’ll total $2,160.
Adding a U-Shape Vest, Instead of A Cummerbund: To the traditionalist, anything but a cummerbund is menswear blasphemy. Let’s be real! Rocking a U-shaped vest gives you the same silhouette as a cummberbund, with the top button matching up with the drop of your tuxedo jacket. This will modernize what could be seen as a stuffy tuxed out look.
Expand Your Lapel : Most jacket lapels are 2 inches wide at their peak. If you’re a guy with a shoulders that are wider than 15 inches (most guys are) rocking a lapel of that width can look somewhat puny. This tuxedo is designed with a three-inch lapel, which is just wide enough to be a bit more distinguished without drifting into 70’s era terrain.
Contrast Vest Lining: Questionable? Maybe. Trendy? That’s up for speculation. To differentiate yourself from the wait staff, an iridescent contrasting vest lining may be up your alley. I’ll call this vest look, “The Reverse Prom”.
The Accessories: Keep it to a minimum. Keep your watch and slim and slightly understated. Saved the chunky, GPS sports watch for your workouts. To add some flair, a pair of cuff links with a back story is a solid option. The links featured here are from Monsieur Fox and are in the shape of a fox’s paw. Hint… foxes are my favorite animal.
Footwear : Patent leather lace ups are the norm are perfectly fine if you ready to slink into the crowd of faceless tuxedo wearers. If you’re looking for a bit of footwear distinction, but, you still want to fit in, opt for a pair of tuxedo pumps. They are essentially a patent leather loafer with a grosgrain ribbon across the vamp.