The term, Casual Tuxedo, is truly an oxymoron. What I’ve done, with the permission blessing of the crew at Indochino, was create a tuxedo with suiting elements, not typically seen in formal wear. In this feature, the Midnight Blue Custom Tuxedo is outfitted with;
- Patch Pockets
- Half lined with a mustache pattern lining
- Suit buttons, instead of cover tuxedo buttons
- Cuff on the pants
The overall goal is to show that rocking a tuxedo doesn’t have to mean you’re wearing a “penguin suit”. Plus, you can get a bit more use out of your formal wear if executed appropriately than expected!
Full Tuxedo
Custom Midnight Blue Tuxedo – Indochino | Cobalt Blue Houndstooth Shirt – Thomas Pink | Blue Bandana Pocket Square – Topman | Vintage Patent Leather Tuxedo Loafers
Disclaimer: This is my 3rd tuxedo, so I felt a bit of liberty to stray away from traditional tuxedo details.
Rocking a full tuxedo is easy, dapper and almost expected with the recent resurgence of menswear. There’s surprisingly more events that just the yearly nuptial engagement that will give you the chance to “formal suit up” (thanks Barnery Stinson). For this look, instead of going with a traditional white tuxedo shirt, I opted for a blue on blue, mini-houndstooth shirt to highlight the midnight blue color of the tuxedo.
Style Tips
- Since this full tux acts as a grounding agent due to its neutral blue coloring, pairing it with a shirt and accessories in a same color family makes for a cohesive look. Think about adding a heightened color in the same family to make the tuxedo pop
- This is the time to rock traditional formal footwear. A tuxedo loafer or Oxford lace up is the way to go. Save the slippers for an occasion when you’re wearing the pieces a separates
- Grooming: Often overlooked, grooming is one of the most important details to pay close attention to when donning formal duds. Clean up your beard, get a fresh outline/haircut and moisturize your skin. This doesn’t mean you have to be clean cut, but, it does mean you should look you care
The Anti-Tuxedo
Custom Double-Breasted Midnight Blue Tuxedo Jacket – Indochino | Black Collection T-Shirt – Frank & Oak | M3 Slim Straight Black Jeans – 3×1 | Custom Sunglasses – Lookmatic | Black Hannigan Chelsea Boots – Johnston & Murphy
Guess what?!? You can wear a tuxedo jacket as a blazer, but, there are some things to keep in mind.
Wearing A Tuxedo Jacket As A Blazer
- Fit: As with all great looking pieces, the fit should be well-tailored. If you’re rocking a boxy rental, DO NOT WEAR THE JACKET AS A SEPARATE. Pay close attention to the shoulders and torso of the jacket. The fit should accentuate your body, not hide it (which most guys don’t seem to understand)
- Length: Most guy wear their tuxedo/suit jacket way too long. To give you a clear example, I get most of my custom suit jacket/blazers cut at 29.5 inches long. This tuxedo jacket cut at 29.25 inches. This modern length makes the jacket more versatile and easy to wear as a separate
- Pant Pairings: don’t be afraid to have some fun with your pants when pairing them with you tuxedo jacket. For the novice, opt for jeans or pants that complement the jacket (black or white jeans, worsted wool greys)
This is actually the exact look that I wore this past New Year’s Eve out to dinner with my wife. To give the look an urban-rockstar edge, I’ve paired them with a pair of black selvedge jeans, Chelsea boots and U neck t-shirt.
Just The Pants
Moto Jacket – H&M | Heat Tech Turtleneck Sweater – Uniqlo | Custom Midnight Blue Custom Tuxedo Pants – Indochino | Custom Whole Cut “Baldy” Shoes – Incedo
The pants for a midnight blue tuxedo are extremely versatile because they’re essentially a pair of suit pants because of the color. They’re obviously not something that you’d wear often (outside of rocking a full tuxedo), however; this gives you a great option for:
- Holiday Parties
- Dinners
- The über casual wedding (yeah they exist)
- Or, when you want to show off your new style acumen
Footwear Style Tip
- Opt for a very structured shoe to complement the formal nature of the tuxedo pants (like the whole-cut Oxfords in this look)
- A double monk strap shoe or even a minimalistic sneaker could be a option too
Photo Credit: Marina T. Peele
Styled/Modeled/Authored: Sabir M. Peele
Best,
Sabir
