Tux dress for men

[Jarronwood]

It has been such a long time ago when I last dressed up and hubby wore a tux that I need some advice on the correct wear for a tux.

 

Norm seems to be the oracle on formal wear so my question is for him really :

 

Its about a silk hankerchief - i have bought hubby an extra xmas present which is a bow tie and matching hanky (my ballgown is burgundy so I bought hubby a burgundy bow tie). Anyway I cant recall ever seeing matching hankies in men's top pockets. So your advice on whether its correct dress for a hanky would be great.

 

Also when would a man wear a cumberband. The man in the mens shop said usually if a man is on the porky side then a cumberband tends to hide his belly but if he is really very slim (hubby is trying to reach a 30 inch waist, he is about a 29 inch at the moment) then for him to wear a cumberband would look silly.

 

Again Norm your advice and guidance would be greatly appreciated.

 

Having gone to a girls school where I was taught how to waltz, dress etc the one thing they never taught us girls was about mens dress.

[bububr]

John and I have mixed and matched ties and cummerbunds with both dinner jackets and tuxes. John likes his burgundy pocketsquare and matching tie, along with the companion cummerbund. I tend to prefer a black cummerbund ( sometimes textured ) and I ocassionally wear an off white poket square with my tux or a black one with my dinner jacket.

 

The cummerbund isn't to hide chubbiness, Its acts as additional pockets in the pleats. The pleats should always be worn UP, not down. In addition a pair of braces or 'suspenders should hold up the slacks, not a belt hidden under the cummerbund...It does show through especially in pictures.

 

I know you posed this query for Norm, I also look to him for advice on etiquette and he has never proved me wrong. Heres a couple of pics:

 

Dave:eek:

 

BTW: I'm sure both of you will look great!

 

[Keith1010]

I think the hankerchief is great as it adds to the overall look.

 

No matter what size his waste is a cummerbund is very appropriate. I am on the thin side and I can assue you it looks great.

 

Keith

[Charles4515]

Also when would a man wear a cumberband. The man in the mens shop said usually if a man is on the porky side then a cumberband tends to hide his belly but if he is really very slim (hubby is trying to reach a 30 inch waist, he is about a 29 inch at the moment) then for him to wear a cumberband would look silly.

 

 

A cumberband is what I would call an "old style" accessory that everyone wore with a tux. These days it can be dispensed with and I recomend not wearing one. In my opinion if one desires an accessory a vest would be more fashionable.

[dmarch@islc.net]

No matter what size his waste is a cummerbund is very appropriate. I am on the thin side and I can assue you it looks great.

 

Keith

 

I agree, it's traditional as well.

[Keith1010]

I agree, it's traditional as well.

 

Whether it's traditional or not, many men still wear a cummerbund and look great in it. Others wear a vest. Others wear a bow tie. Still others wear a long tie.

 

I like the look both ways as I have both vests and cummerbunds and change the look on different formal evenings. Sometimes, my wife likes me to match her dress which I can easily do with a bow tie and cummerbund.

 

Anyways, I don't think there is anything wrong with some tradition.

 

After all, the tuxedo itself while it has evolved over the years, has a lot of tradition to begin with

 

Keith

[greeneg]

I would also second the comment about wearing a vest rather than a cummerbund. That's usually what I do, it protects my formal shirt from "accidents" and lets me wear one of my antique pocket watches and chain which I like to do.

[wvufan]

And then there is the crucial:rolleyes: issue of whether the tips of the shirt collar go over or under the bow tie. You will see a lot of both, but James Bond wore his over, which is good enough for me.

 

For the most part, us guys are simply backdrop for the ladies who always look stunning in their formal "get ups" and the main thing is for us to avoid goofing up the pictures:D. So. cummerbund, vest, etc. all work fine. Well, maybe one should leave the chartreuse set and ruffled shirt at home for the next high school reunion. ;)

 

I will note, however, that I wear a cummerbund and welcome the "accidents" on my shirts. It's sort of like the male equivalent of women's scrapbooking. I save the shirts and can always go back and reminisce about the goat cheese soufle, creme brulee, etc. I got one from the Normandy specialty restaurant that I'm thinking about framing.

 

OOOEEE:D :D Bob and Phyl

[bububr]

I like to use my cumberbund like a ladies purse. I hide snacks in the folds just in case I can't find any food later that night......Then just unbutton the jacket and Voila a walking buffet!!

 

Dave:eek:

[Rev22:17]

Jarronwood,

 

It has been such a long time ago when I last dressed up and hubby wore a tux that I need some advice on the correct wear for a tux.

 

Norm seems to be the oracle on formal wear so my question is for him really :

 

Its about a silk hankerchief - i have bought hubby an extra xmas present which is a bow tie and matching hanky (my ballgown is burgundy so I bought hubby a burgundy bow tie). Anyway I cant recall ever seeing matching hankies in men's top pockets. So your advice on whether its correct dress for a hanky would be great.

 

Your husband definitely should have a "hankerchief" in his pocket. Tuxedo shops now sell small squares of fancy cloth that one never would really use as hankerchiefs, but that match one's tie and vest or cummerbund, to wear with white dinner jackets. With a tuxedo or other black dinner jacket, your husband can go with a matching color if it has sufficient contrast or with white. Somebody in the tuxedo shop should be able to show you how to fold/roll it so it will protrude from the pocket properly (generally about 1/2 inch).

 

Also when would a man wear a cumberband. The man in the mens shop said usually if a man is on the porky side then a cumberband tends to hide his belly but if he is really very slim (hubby is trying to reach a 30 inch waist, he is about a 29 inch at the moment) then for him to wear a cumberband would look silly.

 

For "black tie" events, either a vest or a cummerbund is acceptable. A gentleman always wears one or the other. Most tuxedo shops offer a "cruise package" that provides both a vest and a cummerbund with matching bow ties to give the gentleman two different "looks" since most cruises have at least two formal evenings.

 

Again Norm your advice and guidance would be greatly appreciated.

 

Having gone to a girls school where I was taught how to waltz, dress etc the one thing they never taught us girls was about mens dress.

 

And you did not marry a guy who went to a similar school??? ;-)

 

Seriously, thanks for kind words and your vote of confidence!

 

Norm.

[Rev22:17]

Charles4515,

 

A cumberband is what I would call an "old style" accessory that everyone wore with a tux. These days it can be dispensed with and I recomend not wearing one. In my opinion if one desires an accessory a vest would be more fashionable.

 

A tuxedo or dinner jacket always requires either a vest or a cummerbund.

 

Norm.

[Drew B]

I personally prefer a vest to a cummerbund, but both are appropriate. It's just a matter of taste. The matching handkerchief is also appropriate, but not required. One thing I would like to point out is that I would encourage people to tie their own bow ties rather than go with the clip-ons. It's much "classier", IMO.

 

 

For the most part, us guys are simply backdrop for the ladies who always look stunning in their formal "get ups" and the main thing is for us to avoid goofing up the pictures:D. So. cummerbund, vest, etc. all work fine. Well, maybe one should leave the chartreuse set and ruffled shirt at home for the next high school reunion. ;)

 

LOL! On my last cruise, by the third formal night, I was getting bored with my tux, so I swapped out my white formal shirts with a beautiful chartreuse dress shirt I have (no ruffles). I got way more compliments that night than on my more traditional nights...

[daysatsea]

Also when would a man wear a cumberband. The man in the mens shop said usually if a man is on the porky side then a cumberband tends to hide his belly but if he is really very slim (hubby is trying to reach a 30 inch waist, he is about a 29 inch at the moment) then for him to wear a cumberband would look silly.

I actually think a vest looks better on a man who is on the "porky side". The cumberbund tends to emphasis the waistline and draw attention to that area making it look bigger.

[SusieV]

I know this is a little off topic but since it's about men's dress I figured I'd ask here...

 

What really is the difference between a sports jacket and a suit jacket? My husband owns a tan sports coat and a black one, and the black one looks like a suit jacket to me anyway!

[hajekfam]

A suit jacket has matching pants from the same material as the jacket. It is normally sold as a set (pants and jacket), however some stores sell them individually.

A sports jacket is sold separately. You then need to get pants that look good with it. A sports jacket can also be made from more casual materials than a suit. It can be corderoy, nubby or thicker weaves, a little bolder herrringbones, and more colors. Sometimes the buttons on a sports jacket are brass or silver while a suit always has buttons that blend into the color of the suit. Therefore a sports jacket is more casual than a suit.

[Rev22:17]

SusieV,

 

I know this is a little off topic but since it's about men's dress I figured I'd ask here...

 

What really is the difference between a sports jacket and a suit jacket? My husband owns a tan sports coat and a black one, and the black one looks like a suit jacket to me anyway!

 

The primary difference is that a suit coat comes with matching trousers, and sometimes a vest, made of the same material, and it may be a material that would not coordinate well with other fabrics or even with the same fabric in a different shade. It's generally intended that one would buy a whole suit as an outfit even if it's sold as separates. A sport coat, OTOH, is intended to be worn with slacks of a different color and material that are sold separately, so it's usually is made of a material that will coordinate with a variety of other colors and fabrics. It's generally intended that the sport coat and the slacks would be separate purchases, perhaps even from different stores.

 

Secondarily, there are usually differences in styling (lapels, buttons, pocket details, etc.) that make a suit coat more formal than a sportcoat. For example, a suit coat may be double breasted whereas a sport coat usually is not.

 

Norm.