Do you own a Tux?

[cgab1]

This is the one that I want! I can't imagine how much it would cost to have it made, though.

Cgab

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[Tomasso]

This is the one that I want! I can't imagine how much it would cost to have it made, though.

Realistically, to have it done right you would need to see a top tier tailor, so figure 4k+ (USD).

 

[B. F. Socaspi]

On an aside, but still related.

I think that your hair and your shoes are VITAL to your formal look. Recalling my friends' outfits worn to Homecoming....atrocious is not a rude enough word.

They had bought rather expensive suits. But wore cheap, old Payless shoes. Hideous! Not even a hint of a shine, either.

But even if they had great shoes, their hair absolutely ruined it. You can NOT look like Ryan Sheckler and wear a suit or tux. Just don't.

Two bought their prom tuxes already. I'm disturbed, to say the least.

 

[John in Covina]

There is a saying, "If you want to know about a man, look at his shoes."

The condition they are in, when they are wearing them, as well as the quality and style will tell you more about their life outlook than many other things.

 

[B. F. Socaspi]

I'd say that's rather true. The teachers I have who seem to take a true interest in what they're doing tend to have a a few pairs of good shoes. The ones who are there for the paycheck wear sneakers as much as possible (including with trousers...ew) and, if not, cheap loafers.

 

[Lance Uppercut]

I own two formal tux affairs, one vintage (early 1960's) single-buttoned shawl collar and one modern Original Penguin Brand.

 

[Tomasso]

In general, proper footwear selection (and/or the required maintenance) is where most men drop the ball but it's so glaringly egregious when perpetrated on Formal and Semi-Formal outfits.

 

[Vanessa]

[/IMG]

Hubba hubba.

 

[Fu Manchu]

Tux Project Part 1: The basics

The auction ended tonight, and I think that I did pretty well! I'm having trouble uploading images, but behold:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=250328143588

Thoughts, gents?

 

[Dinerman]

Providing it fits, you most certainly did.

 

[anon`]

Yes! Someone else with a three piece sporting black grosgrain waistcoat!

Welcome to the club. We're very exclusive

At any rate, that is one nice find. Even better at that price. I can't help but wonder at the pocket treatments, though: for something that seems to be non-negotiatable (jetted pockets, that is), one sure sees an awful lot of genuine vintage articles that completely disregard it. Must be a little more negotiatable, after all...

Wear with pride!

 

[harbilly]

Back to the shoes (great tux, by the way) Here's a sales tip: few gentlemen will leave the decent shoes or watch at home when out shopping. They may 'dress down' to fool you but just glance at their shoes and you know who you are dealing with.
More than one fellow trying to get a yacht for a bargain price has blown his disguise by wearing quality shoes.
Don't blow YOUR formal look by wearing junk on your feet.

 

[c-mattio]

Hey all, I'm new to the site but I would like to show you my new vinatge dinner suit.

The shop I bought it from claim it was made in the 1910s. Not sure I quite believe that but it certainly seems fairly old. It seems to have been made for a slightly "waistier" person than I, because the jacket is larger in the waist than the chest. Its going to the tailors tomorrow to be altered to fit me better, although I have to say it fits quite well.

 

[_RAGNAR_]

Not very vintage but here they are

Left to Right
Dior SB PL
Abboud SB SL
Bill Blass DB PL
Brooks Brothers PL tails
Abboud SB NL
Ralph Lauren SB PL black velvet w grosgrain facings

I bought the Abboud SB NL for a wedding years ago before I knew anything about proper black tie and white tie, I will probably sell it on ebay as I have no use for a NL since I have much better options now.

I may get rid of the Abboud SB SL also as I just got a midnight blue one for $12.50 on ebay. The Abboud is nice and it fits well but it has two buttons and I am trying to go back in time a little with most of my style. It came with plastic buttons! Men’s Warehouse put new ones on the front and sleeves for $10. Of course they only put three on the sleeves after I asked for four, but they fixed it while I waited so no big deal.

All the rest came for Value Village, Goodwill and ebay. The Dior retails for about $3000, I picked it up at VV for $59, The BB tails I got on ebay for $85, retails for $2500. Both might as well be brand new. The Dior is very slim in fit, very “Casino Royale”. It make me look pretty damn good if I do say so myself!

I think the top hat is from Belgium (hard to read) 1890 supposedly. The Homburg is a Knox. I have a beaver Homburg coming also, that from the pictures looks really rich.

I just ordered shirts from vintage shirts in the UK. In the past I have been using Nordstroms ones which I have never liked. The best deal recently I got was on a Ralph Lauren turn down collar, pleated front shirt with studs for $25 on ebay. It’s pretty nice and will probably become my black tie standard. I also got a really good looking Italian made pique fabric turn down collar shirt that will also for black tie.

For topcoats I only have a normal black cashmere full length coat with a white silk scarf. I hope to find a good deal on a Chesterfield some day. I did win an Inverness Cloak recently and am waiting for it to arrive from Japan. I hope it fits as it will be awesome with the top hat and tails and a nice cane. (Sword cane of course!)

I’ve had all my black tie stuff for a few years but the white tie is new to me which has led me to a lot of reading and forums like this one (though I had visited this one before after reading some threads on AR15.com) The study has led me to want to make my black tie stuff much, more formal and correct. The “proper” wear looks WAY better once you see it.

For shoes I have some ok military ones (not the super thick soled ones) and some rental type from Goodwill for $5. Both are good in the dark and for running around town, and look fine with black tie.

Since I have gotten so many killer deals on stuff I did recently spend some money on myself and bought some very nice Italian opera pumps and the Lauren velvet dinner suit. (The bad guy in Casino Royale was wearing something like it during the poker game and I thought it was just too evil! Not very classic but very cool) I bought both on ebay for very good prices and used live search buy it now and got a 25% refund. I also got a white wool dinner jacket (SB SL) with silk facings, it looks from the pictures to have ugly buttons but I bought some mother of pearl ones from ebay and will redo it.

My goal this year is to wear black tie at least once a month, and any to find any reason possible to wear white tie.

 

[Midnight Blue]

I do. I have 4 tuxedos. All are peaked.

1. Run of the mill black tux. Good for anything.
2. White Tie get up (tailcoat etc) in midnight blue for horribly awful evening events where common formal wear is not on the menu.
3. Morning Coat (cutaway) in gray with striped trousers etc.
4. Stroller in gray with appropriate trousers.

That's an amazing collection you have. However, I have to point out that only the first suit is a tuxedo. This mistaken terminology is likely due to the influence of the American formalwear industry which persists in categorizing all jacket and trouser sets as "tuxedos" rather than using the correct term "formal wear". Retailers who label tailcoats as "tuxedo tailcoats" really drive me around the bend; it's the same as calling a suit "bespoke ready-to-wear" or a Scotch whisky "single-malt blended"!

 

[DBLIII]

No, I don't have a tux, though I would love to own one. But, out here in the sticks, there would just be no place to wear it.
My buddy Gus, however, wears his all the time (my avatar). He looks stunning.

 

[Subvet642]

fftopic:
I wonder why the stripes emerged as the de-facto standard.... They would be my personal aesthetic preference, but other that coincidence of subjective opinions, were there any other factors that led to them being pretty much the only thing you see in "correct" morning dress nowadays (as opposed to contemporary options, such as black wool herringbone trousers that match the tailcoat)? I presume all were equally correct with semi-formal daywear, so it wasn't simply a case of 'one pair of trousers suits all formal / semi formal daywear occasions)?

I believe that it's an echo of military uniform. After all, why else would minature medals be allowed with evening wear?

 

[resortes805]

 

[Edward]

I believe that it's an echo of military uniform. After all, why else would minature medals be allowed with evening wear?

Certainly, the piping on evening trousers do, I would agree, though it's less obvious a link with daywear. Still as good an explanation as any of which I can think.

 

[Subvet642]

I recently bought a "tux" when I found that I suddenly needed one. I became a Freemason in a small Lodge, and was needed to fill an officers' position. It made no sense to rent, when I would have to wear it once a month, at least. The Master (also my father-in-law at the time) told me "nothing flashy". Short on money, but wanting to look as correct as possible, I bought a retired rental. It needed work, but it was complete. I took it to my tailor, and he re-crafted it to look like it was made for me. :eusa_clap It's a single button, notch collar with satin facing on the lapels, a satin vest and "papillion", as my tailor calls it. At our last meeting, my father-in-law noticed my pocket square. It was a simple white one, pressed into a 2 point. He made me take it out! He said that pocket squares aren't allowed as they are too individual and do not promote equality. :eusa_doh: