Tuxedo is formal wear, the classic attire for men who lead more relaxed activities than business events. There are some rules which you should follow to wear a tuxedo ideally.
Do You Wear a Belt with a Tuxedo?
The short answer is no. The long answer is that it depends on what you wear. If you wear a bowtie and cummerbund with your tuxedo, then no: leave the belt hanging on the rack. The belt doesn’t do anything to complement or match either of those two accessories. Now, if you want to show off your suspenders, then yes: you’ll need a belt (suspenders don’t look good with belts). Since suspenders are your one accoutrement, they should complement the rest of the outfit in some way—otherwise, you’re just wearing them because they’re not pants. Now, if you wear a bowtie but no cummerbund or waistcoat, then a belt might be required to hold your pants up. But if you don’t wear a waistcoat, then why are you wearing a tuxedo? I have no idea.
Do You Wear Suspenders with a Tuxedo?
Yes. If you’re wearing a tuxedo with buttons, then suspenders are what secure your pants to your body. If you don’t want to wear suspenders, go for the belt route instead of the button route because suspenders + belt is an awkward fit (the suspenders will always bunch up the belt). The issue is when you can’t tell if someone’s wearing a belt or suspenders—that’s the definition of a poorly fitted tuxedo.
What Should I Wear With a Tuxedo?
For your first tuxedo, wear a white shirt with a slim-fit tuxedo jacket. If you want to wear suspenders, then that’s fine too. You can also wear black shoes or dress shoes with the white tuxedo. Make sure there are no other accessories on your outfit, and there should be zero contrast.
What Kind of Shirts Should I Wear With a Tuxedo?
Any kind: a button-down, a regular collar shirt (collar should not be popped), and even a turtleneck, if you want (although I don’t recommend it). Just make sure that the pocket square matches your tie. You can wear either a bowtie or necktie with your tuxedo.
Can I Wear Jeans with a Tuxedo?
No.
What Accessories Should I Wear With a Tuxedo?
You can wear a pocket square, bowtie, necktie, boutonnière (buttonhole), and cufflinks. It would help if you also carried a handkerchief and sunglasses case. If you don’t want to go over the top, get a solid-colored handkerchief and sunglasses case instead of the character ones. Having character accessories is good if you want to make a statement or show off. But for more formal events, don’t overdo it on the charms.
What is the Flower on a Guy’s Tux Called?
A boutonnière (button hole).
What is the Black in a Tux Called?
The bowtie and cummerbund (a waistband that goes around your waist and through your legs). The alternative to wearing a cummerbund is overlaying the front of the shirt with fabric, which looks better on guys with flat abs. The third alternative is wearing suspenders, which are for guys with big posteriors to hide behind.
What Shoes Should I Wear with a Tux?
Black patent leather shoes, unless you’re at a wedding in the summertime. Gray suede shoes are fine too. If you want to get fancy, then get patent leather shoes in black and patent leather shoes in white. The advantages of having two sets of patent leather shoes are
1) you can wear them with both black and white tuxedos
2) the soles will be better for walking instead of sliding everywhere because they’re rubber.
At events where you don’t have to walk, such as a nightclub or cruise ship, then the sliding problem won’t exist, and you can wear whatever shoes you want—even sneakers.
Conclusion
If you wear suspenders with a tuxedo, then the suspenders should complement the rest of your outfit somehow. The belt is another option for securing your pants to your body if you don’t want to wear suspenders. If you’re wearing buttons with a tuxedo, then switches are required for attaching the shirt to the jacket.
