It might come as a surprise, but I actually did not own a tuxedo! Crazy? Yep, I know! So, when our family friends were getting married, it was time that I changed my lack of tux ownership.
Picking out a tuxedo is no easy task and customizing every detail of the tuxedo can be even more difficult. I spent a lot of time researching almost everything imaginable about tuxedos and the end result is absolutely magnificent.
Step #1 - Brand
Select a brand to purchase your tuxedo from. Oliver Wicks is at the top of my list and it is a company that I consistently recommend (for suits as well).
Step #2 - Color
Selecting a color was an easy decision for me. If you've followed my daily Instagram posts or even my occasional website posts, it's fairly obvious I favor bold, yet subtle, choices when it comes to fashion. I think black tuxedos look great, but I like to stand out from the crowd a little more. I also feel that a blue tuxedo can be dressed down easier, which makes it more versatile (e.g. a white button down oxford shirt, gray slacks and a tuxedo jacket for a non-black tie event or even a nicer night on the town).
I also learned something really interesting while I was researching tuxedo colors that's worth sharing. Since tuxedos are mainly worn to black tie events, and black tie events are typically inside and in dimly lit venues, a darker shade of blue will actually appear more-black. And black tuxedos can appear to have a greenish tint sometimes under artificial lighting.
Step #3 - Lapels
Choosing the lapels that I wanted for the tuxedo was one of my toughest choices. While I think peak lapels look great, I think the shawl lapel on a blue tuxedo was a better choice. The peak lapels would have covered the majority of the chest area and I thought the black lapels would then overpower the blue color of the tuxedo. The slimmer shawl lapel creates a more stark contrast between the black and the blue that I was ultimately hoping to achieve. Additionally, I own several peak lapel suits, so the variety of a shawl lapel was personally a better option.
Step 4 - Fit
Oliver Wicks is a great example of a company that offers affordable custom suits and tuxedos, so the fit is going to be based on your body measurements. I wouldn't recommend buying an off-the-rack tuxedo since you'll probably own this for a lifetime!
Step #5 - Additional Options
Lining - I opted for a red paisley lining on this tuxedo since I love the color the red, and red / blue is one of my favorite color combinations.
Jacket buttons - always go with one button on the chest of a tuxedo jacket
Pants - side tabs are the way to go (no belt required because there are no belt loops)
Jacket sleeve buttons - functional button holes on the jacket sleeves
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