Tuxedo advice

[ArliHawk`]

My wife has a black tie affair through work, and I need a tux. Having read that you should not rent a tux after 30, I am looking to buy one. The best deal I have found is a three button tux. Is there any offensive about wearing a three button tux?

 

[freefinancialadvice]

Read it and weep:


While the two-button look is only slightly different than that of the one-button, the high cut of the three-button model has a much more noticeable impact on the overall appearance of a black-tie ensemble. Its most obvious effect is the significant reduction of the amount of exposed shirt front which consequently eliminates the deep white V traditionally associated with a buttoned dinner jacket. Secondly, its shorter lapels are not substantial enough for the sweeping shawl or the stately peak shapes making it appropriate only for the relatively modern notch style.

 

[beau nash]

You should be able to find any number of tuxedos with a peak lapel and either one or two buttons on ebay. Just don't go too cheap and do plan on spending some money on alterations. Fit is the most important thing.

 

[butkusrules]

While its not what I prefer(single button peak) I think its a great deal especially if you pair it with a stp coupon. http://www.sierratradingpost.com/men...-wool-for-men/

 

[X-Calibre]

Cross posted:

Ok, I just did this for the inauguration, and on a similar if not worse time table than you. I learned a lot about this and hopefully I can do my part to impart what I learned.

First thing first. Go on ebay and do a search for the seller armyhardhat. He specializes in selling brooks brothers clearance items and he currently has golden fleece full dress shirts with detachable collars (warning no collar studs!) and he has BB silk cumberbunds for $25. Get both of those right now before they are gone, I can wait . . .


Ok now that we've got that out of the way we need to deal with your tux. If you go to a Jos A Banks and find the shadiest SA you can and beg him to let you have the signature peak for 425, that's how much they are on sale. If he won't budge well then we've got other options. On ebay there is a seller with a phenomanal reputation by the ID of wizardofaahs, he sells what are essentially the best "bad" suits you can buy and at a really decent price. This includes a "slimmer" cut one button peak for 320. Don't buy this on ebay. Find his internet store by PM'ing him on ebay, I can't remember it off hand. Tell him you heard he gives a "style forum" discount on non ebay transactions, if he has your size you can score this tux for 280 shipped. It's supposedly quite decent. If this doesn't work for you he also has a notch tux that's also decent and usually more of it in stock. Don't dawdle cause you might need to exchange it for another size once you try it on, he's quite famous for his excellent return and exchange policy.

Next, I went to uniformalwearhouse. They have white pique full dress vests in 3 different prices. A poly blend for $30 to a full cotton one for $50. I got the cotton one and its a bit stiff, but, to be honest, the 175 dollar one at brooks I tried on in person wasn't that much better fitting.

You can get studs at a nordstrom rack, joseph abboud for about $25, or you can get them at the aforementioned uniformalwearhouse for anything from 3 to 25 USD but they are going to suck. It's going to come down with what you can live with.

Shoes, well you are on your own. I just spit shined my black captoes (oh the horror!) and it worked for me.

I'm sure there are a ton of places you can score a bowtie, I already had a crappy (self tie though) one from a while back.

I got my braces at nordstrom rack for $25 just cause I feel weird about getting used braces online. But you can get braces on ebay for a song, I got tralfalgars they are ok.

As an aside, I was at a BB outlet recently and they had brooks ease tux seperates, BB stopped making tuxes for this brooks ease line a couple of years ago so it must be old stock, but it's supposedly as good as jos a banks, and they had a single button peak. This was at potomac mills in VA.

One more aside, supposedly there is a magical BB clearance center buried somewhere in North Carolina, it's rumored this is where armyhardhat scores his sweet deals, if you are in NC and can find it, I hear they often have the white and black low stance formal vests for cheap.
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[ArliHawk`]

I found a single one with pleats. Should tux pants be pleated? Sorry for all the questions, just haven't bought one before.

 

[The Transporter]

Originally Posted by X-Calibre

Next, I went to uniformalwearhouse. They have white pique full dress vests in 3 different prices. A poly blend for $30 to a full cotton one for $50. I got the cotton one and its a bit stiff, but, to be honest, the 175 dollar one at brooks I tried on in person wasn't that much better fitting.

The vest on that site looks good, but is it proper to wear a white vest with semi-formal black tie? I thought it was only to be worn for white tie events?