Black Tie Attire: The Tux Commandments

Every fashionable man knows that nothing less than a tuxedo should be worn to any occasion that calls for black tie formal. Whatever the media or the pop culture crowd might say to detract it, the tuxedo is the time-honored attire for events that demand nothing but the best. Get over the tuxedo stereotypes fed to you by Saturday morning cartoons. Try buying or renting a set and see just how formal and elegant you can be.

Tuxedos Mean Business- and Class
Now, there is really nothing wrong with the more relaxed and liberal fashion standards of today. In fact, it is quite refreshing because you now have infinitely more clothing options available. But when you are attending a very special event that calls for style and elegance, you should not show up in anything other than a tux.

You are likely to have several or at least a few opportunities to attend a gala performance of a classical musician or a theatrical play in town. Affairs like those are almost always black tie, so you would better go get yourself a tux if you dont already have one. Even if an elegant three-piece suit is already considered formal by todays standards, it still looks relatively casual considering the formality of the event and the attire of the others in attendance.

When to Wear Your Tux
Of course, not every event calls for tuxedo. You would look downright silly if you showed up for a first date at the cinema in a tux. But for most other formal events, though, a tuxedo is a non-negotiable fashion must.

If you are planning to become a patron of the classical arts, start by getting yourself a tailored tuxedo. Ballet performances, tenor duets and opera galas all call for black tie, even when it is not explicitly mentioned in the invitation. And even if some other guys decide to show up in, heaven forbid, two-piece suits, you can take comfort in the fact that they are the underdressed fashion victims in that situation.

Aside from formal public events, any private event that mentions formal is simply screaming for a tux. Your friends wedding reception at that swanky hotel? Wear a tux to that. Your bosses birthday bash at a five-star restaurant? Wear a tux to that, too. That ball your girl wants to attend? Wear a tux!

Tuxedo Essentials
Simply wearing a tuxedo is never enough; you have to get all the accoutrements to get the proper effect. A black tie is obviously necessary to finish off your tux, and you are better off just buying one for yourself. Dont bother with those faux ties that you just slip around your collar because you cant take them off in public. Get a real black tie from a reputable store, and then just ask the salesman how to tie it if you dont know how.

Your shoes will also be a point of scrutiny for everyone you encounter at the event, so you would better make good with them too. Get formal black leather shoes. Dont dare get any other color! And definitely none of those fancy crinkled or deconstructed affairs. The simpler your shoes, the more elegant the effect. Aim for a simple cap-toe or wingtip shoe without too much decoration, and then give it a full shoeshine before leaving the house.

A tuxedo is the height of male style and elegance, and was once the very definition of formal. Unless you are planning to spend the rest of your life eating at fast food chains or watching movies in cinemas, you would better learn to wear a tux fast.

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