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Tuxedo shirts

banksmiranda

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For tuxedo shirts the top half of the center is made of pleated (usually pique?) fabric. Is the rest of the body of the shirt usually made of pique or poplin/broadcloth? Must studs be used with tuxedo shirts? Is it acceptable to use white or dyed black MOP buttons to close the shirt, and if so, can it be a standard french front or placket front, or must it be a fly front covering the buttons?
 

bengal-stripe

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A tuxedo shirt has either a pleated or a pique front. It's a shirt made from fine cotton, silk or linen and has an additional "bib" (a second layer of fabric) attached to the front. That bib is either pique (marcella) or is pleated (traditionally seven pleats on either front). The pleated bib is usually the same material used for the main shirt. Cotton-pique would be too heavy to be pleated.

The shirt might take studs, then it has buttonholes on both fronts (one set going lengthwise, one crosswise). Alternative it has ordinary buttons, in this case they are covered by a fly front and are not visible.

Get your shirt first, then you will know whether or not you need studs.
 

banksmiranda

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Is it acceptable for the body of the shirt to be made of pique cotton if the bib portion is pleated but not made of pique cotton?
 

bengal-stripe

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No, the cotton-pique used for tuxedo shirts is very stiff and heavy (not like the cotton-pique used for polo shirts). You definitely would not want a whole shirt made in this stuff.
 

banksmiranda

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Are there usually 3, or 4 studs to close the bib portion of the shirt front?
 

jcusey

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Are there usually 3, or 4 studs to close the bib portion of the shirt front?
Of the RTW shirts that I've seen, the 4-stud configuration is more common.
 

bengal-stripe

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I think it's three dress studs and one collar stud. The dress studs (because they are visible) are made from precious materials; the collar stud (as it is hidden by the bow tie) is a utilitarian one (usually plastic).
 

bengal-stripe

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Just checked on eBay. http://search.ebay.com/ws....ref=C12 There are sets with two, three and four (masonic) studs on offer. There might be differences in the studs for (semi-stiff) tuxedo shirts and stiff shirts to go with white tie and tails. (One seller offers a tailcoat set, containing also studs for the waistcoat. But he might confuse the shirt studs with the waistcoat studs) As the saying goes: "You pays your money, takes your choice".
 

NavyStyles

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Are there usually 3, or 4 studs to close the bib portion of the shirt front?
Every stud set I've seen comes with four studs and, of course, two cufflinks.
 

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