Learn about Our Tuxedos and Suits

Difference between tuxedo and Suit

Tuxedo

A tuxedo is an ensemble (or outfit) of clothing which includes a white dress shirt, a bow tie, dress pants, a tuxedo suit jacket (sometimes called a dinner jacket), leather dress shoes, and sometimes a vest or cummerbund, top hat and gloves. In European countries, this outfit is called black tie. Many men wear this outfit in Western countries on formal occasions like a marriage ceremony or a fancy party or dance. The white dress shirt is usually made of cotton or linen. A dress shirt has a stiff collar and it is ironed before it is worn. A bow tie is usually made of silk or polyester, and it is usually black or white. Dress pants are made of wool or polyester, and they are ironed before they are worn. A tuxedo suit jacket is usually made of wool or polyester. Suit jackets have a collar, pockets, and a silk or polyester lining. Leather dress shoes are usually made of dark-colored leather which is polished. Sometimes, a person wearing a tuxedo will also wear a sleeveless vest with buttons in the front, a black top hat, and white gloves. Some men wear a tuxedo for their jobs, such as symphony orchestra musicians or waiters in expensive restaurants. Since most men do not wear tuxedos very often, they rent them when needed instead of buying them. Sometimes, men's tuxedo vests and ties match the dress of the woman he is with. They are mainly worn to big events such as weddings, dinner parties or some sort of smart dressed do.

Example: Blue silk tuxedo with marbled aquatic pattern and dark lining. Sleeves are complete with rounded hem and black buttons.

Suits

A suit is a set of clothing intended to be worn together. It may be a semi-formal 'lounge suit' or 'business suit'. It always includes a jacket and trousers (pants). In classical gentlemen's tailoring, a waistcoat (U.S: vest) is usually worn with single-breasted suits. In formal or semi-formal wear, the suit is worn with various other items. Quality socks, leather lace-up shoes, and a tie are essential: if a tie is not worn, that is casual wear. This outfit is worn in many countries by men in professional jobs such as business, law, and politics. It is also sometimes worn by women and in such cases a dress skirt or tailored trousers are worn. A suit can be part of a dress code, a set of rules that say what people should wear at an event. Ideally, a suit is tailored to the individual wearer. 'Off-the-peg' suits are much cheaper, but they may need adjusting by a tailor.

What is Black Tie

Black tie is a semi-formal Western dress code for evening events, originating in British and American conventions for attire in the 19th century. In British English, the dress code is often referred to synecdochically by its principal element for men, the dinner suit or dinner jacket. In American English the equivalent term tuxedo (or tux) is common. The dinner suit is a black, midnight blue or white two- or three-piece suit, distinguished by satin or grosgrain jacket lapels and similar stripes along the outseam of the trousers. It is worn with a white dress shirt with standing or turndown collar and link cuffs, a black bow tie, typically an evening waistcoat or a cummerbund, and black patent leather dress shoes or court pumps.[1]

Accessories may include a semi-formal homburg, bowler, or boater hat. For women, an evening gown or other fashionable evening attire may be worn. The first dinner jacket is traditionally traced to 1865 on the then Prince of Wales, later King Edward VII (1841–1910). The late 19th century saw gradual introduction of the lounge jacket without tails as a less formal and more comfortable leisure alternative to the frock coat. Similarly, the shorter dinner jacket evolved as a less formal alternative to the dress coat out of the informal smoking jacket, itself derived from out of the banyan.[citation needed] Thus in many non-English languages, a dinner jacket is still known as the false friend "smoking". In American English, its synonym "tuxedo" was derived from the village of Tuxedo Park in New York State, where it was introduced in 1886 following the example of Europeans. Following the counterculture of the 1960s, black tie has increasingly replaced white tie for more formal settings in the United States, along with cultures influenced by American culture. Traditionally worn only for events after 6 p.m., black tie is less formal than white tie but more formal than informal or business dress.[2]

As semi-formal, black tie are worn for dinner parties (public, fraternities, private) and sometimes even to balls and weddings, although etiquette experts discourage wearing of black tie for weddings. Traditional semi-formal day wear equivalent is black lounge suit. Supplementary semi-formal alternatives may be accepted for black tie: mess dress uniform, religious clothing (such as cassock), folk costumes (such as highland dress), etc.