Tuxedos are the most formal piece of clothing a man can wear, they are extremely classy yet stylish.
If you are going for a black-tie event then a tuxedo should be your outfit of choice and that is why every man needs a tuxedo in his wardrobe.
Tuxedos might look simple at first but it is really easy to mess up this outfit.
Fashion is all about breaking the rules but when we talk about outfits like a tuxedo then you just cannot afford to break any rules.
There are a lot of rules that you must follow when wearing a formal outfit like a tuxedo but the problem is most men are not aware of these rules and they end up making mistakes because of that.
One question that a lot of men have in mind is if they can wear a belt with a tuxedo or not and in this article, we will answer these questions and clear all your doubts around it.
do you wear a belt with a tuxedo?
No, You should never wear a belt with a tuxedo and ideally tuxedo pants should not even have belt loops in them. You can though wear a cummerbund with a tuxedo if you want to.
Tuxedos are meant to be worn in a particular way and there are some things that you can’t just get around.
This is the biggest difference between a suit and a tuxedo, you have some flexibility with suits in terms of what you can do with it and what you can but when we talk about a tuxedo there are a fixed set of rules and you must follow them.
A tuxedo should not be worn with belts ever. In fact, tuxedo pants shouldn’t have belt loops in them in the first place.
This is one of the basic rules of wearing a tuxedo and you must follow it when wearing a tuxedo.
If your pants are loose then you can wear suspenders with them but belts are a no-go.
What is the tuxedo belt called?
The best that is worn with a tuxedo is called a cummerbund. It is a piece of a black sash that is worn around the waist in black-tie events.
It has a long history, The Indian soldiers used to wear cummerbund during the colonial era and it was later adopted by the British officers in the early 20th century it made its way into the US and now cummerbund has become a staple for black-tie events.
It is used as an alternative to a vest and it is there to cover up the waist area and give a smooth look so you don’t have to tuck your shirt again and again.
Can you wear a tuxedo without a cummerbund?
Yes, you can wear a tuxedo with a cummerbund. It is an optional piece to wear, if it’s too hot to wear a vest or you don’t want to wear one for some reason that is when you can wear cummerbund as an alternative.
The cummerbund came into existence because people wanted an alternate to a vest and even today they are worn as an alternate of a vest.
What Accessories Should I Wear With a Tuxedo?
Tuxedos as we have mentioned above are meant to be simple and you should not try to experiment with this outfit.
There are only a few accessories that you can wear with a tuxedo and they are as follows:
Bow tie
Bow ties are an important part of a tuxedo outfit.
Usually, if you want to dress down a suit or a formal event that is when you skip the tie but when you are wearing a tux that means you are going for a formal or black-tie event so there is no question of dressing down, therefore you should always wear a bow tie with the tuxedo.
Regular neckties can also be paired with a tuxedo sometimes but that should only be done when you want to dress down a tuxedo but generally, it is a good idea to avoid a necktie when wearing a tuxedo and stick to a bow tie.
Cufflinks
cufflinks are a great accessory in a formal outfit like this where you don’t have a lot of flexibility.
You can use different cufflinks to make your outfit more stylish and add some personality to your outfit.
Try to avoid anything too flashy or anything that is colorful as they won’t work well with a tuxedo.
Pocket square
pocket squares are an essential piece of any formal outfit but unlike a suit where you can try out different colors and patterns of pocket squares, when you are wearing a tuxedo you should stick to a simple white pocket square.
boutonniere
a boutonniere is a little flower that you see on the lapel of a suit and tuxedo, these are usually worn in weddings.
Watch
Traditionally watches were not worn with tuxedos as it was considered rude but over time wearing watches with tuxedos has become acceptable and these days you will find most men wearing some kind of watch with tuxedo.
Make sure that you wear a simple black formal watch and avoid wearing anything flashy.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Can I wear a regular dress shirt with a tuxedo?
No, you should only wear tuxedo shirts with a tuxedo as the regular dress shirts are too casual to be worn with a tuxedo.
Should tuxedo pants have a stripe?
yes, tuxedo pants should have a stripe on the outer seam made of the same material as that of the lapel. Usually, the cheaper tuxedos don’t have this stripe and they are just regular suit pants. So if you are buying a tuxedo then you should look for ones with stripes on the pants.
When should a tuxedo be worn?
Tuxedos are meant to be worn in the most formal event or black-tie events, so you should only wear them in weddings, galas, private parties or events or prom, and other such events.
What is the Flower on a Guy’s Tux Called?
the flower on a guy’s tuxedo is called a boutonniere. It is a French word for buttonhole flower and it is traditionally worn to wave off bad luck.
The Bottom Line:
You should never wear a tie with a tuxedo. It is the most formal outfit a man can wear and there are a certain set of rules that one must follow when wearing a tuxedo and not wearing a belt with them is definitely one of them. If your pants are loose you can wear suspenders and if you want to cover up the waist are then you can wear a cummerbund.
