Where to cut costs when paying for whole tux?

[stanwelks]

I am buying the following clothes for my wedding:

Jacket
trousers
bow tie
shoes
shirt
cuff links
square
socks

I sort of have a budget. Just curious to hear what you guys think about where I might be able to save money by buying some items cheaper/lesser quality that are not as important. Example: I'm so far spending what ever it takes for the jacket, though I'm guessing I do not need the best socks, square and shirt since they are not as visible.

Am I wrong with this idea?

 

[mrjames]

If you spent on the jacket then you'll need matching trousers which will probably cost a bit. So maybe consider the possibility of getting an odd jacket and then you can wear any trousers you like, maybe something like a great velvet shawl collar tuxedo jacket and some lesser quality plain black trousers.

Spend big on the jacket (or if you go with a suit please get matching trousers), spent on the shoes and the shirt, accessories are where you can save. For a square you can just get a silk offcut from a fabric merchant for about $1 and then cut it to size, you can just use fabric cufflinks.

$100 on tailoring will make a suit look more expensive that it really was

 

[jonuiuc]

I'd agree with spending the most on the Jacket, then pants (or both if its a suit), get exactly what you want. With shoes, I guess it matters if you plan on on keeping them. Not a terribly popular opinion on SF, but if you aren't going to wear the shoes often, you can go with what looks good for your wedding and save money on quality. Ditto for shirts, if your not going to get a lot of re-use out of a formal shirt and it looks as good on that first wearing, you could save some money on the shirt. Accessories, I'd say the same thing, save on things you won't be reusing much. But people are going to be looking at your Jacket (and it will be in all your pictures), so get exactly what you want there, even if you won't be wearing it again.

 

[AlanC]

Go vintage on links and studs: unique, good quality at lower prices.

Get a square from Kent Wang, great price and quality.

If you wear a 15-15.5 neck I've got the perfect shirt for you...

 

[Doc4]

Originally Posted by stanwelks

I sort of have a budget. Just curious to hear what you guys think about where I might be able to save money by buying some items cheaper/lesser quality that are not as important. Example: I'm so far spending what ever it takes for the jacket, though I'm guessing I do not need the best socks, square and shirt since they are not as visible.

Am I wrong with this idea?

You are right.

The jacket/pants (ie the suit) need to be good, although that can be done for less than you might think if you shop around. The shoes, too, need to be quality.

You will keep your suit jacket on, so the shirt need not be expensive. You can cheap out on the accessories, for sure.

Originally Posted by mrjames

$100 on tailoring will make a suit look more expensive that it really was

Indeed!

 

[DocHolliday]

If you have black captoe bals -- and you should -- you could just polish them really well and wear those. Not ideal, but passable.

If you don't have black captoe bals, or something dressy in black, consider getting those instead of patent.

Of your other options, you can go cheap on the square and socks. Don't forget your shirt may require a full dress set. If you don't want to splash out for that, you may need to find a shirt that won't need studs.

 

[TheFoo]

Fly-front shirt will eliminate the need for studs. Double-breasted jacket will eliminate the need for a vest or cumberbund.

 

[howbah]

Take a look at the picture of Charles Windsor & Son (post #6332 in the Recent non-Sartorialist Looks thread).

If you already have a good point-collar white dress shirt, good black shoes (even brogues), any dark socks (black, navy, dk.grey), then you're free to spend your entire budget on a black bow tie and the best double-breasted tux you can afford. No other purchases required.

 

[Will]

Get the best bow tie and accessories you can and skimp on the dj. Good accessories make a less expensive suit look better than a great suit with inexpensive accessories.

In a few years you will probably have gained some weight and be earning more money. That is the time to invest in a better dinner jacket if you need one.

 

[wizard7926]

Originally Posted by Will

Get the best bow tie and accessories you can and skimp on the dj. Good accessories make a less expensive suit look better than a great suit with inexpensive accessories.

In all the weddings I've attended, I can't remember a damn thing about the grooms' bowties or accessories, but often their jackets were killing it. Just can't agree with either part of this post.

 

[mrjames]

Originally Posted by Will

Get the best bow tie and accessories you can and skimp on the dj

really?

I doubt anyone would ever think to themselves hmmm that's a nice bow tie he has on. Jacket quality (and more importantly fit) is going to be a lot more noticable to the non-sartorially minded individuals

IMO a silk bow tie is a silk bow tie is a silk bow tie- as long as it's made from quality silk then quality is a non issue

as long as the silk on the tie matches the facings and you pay attention to the details I think you'll be fine to cheap out on the tie- when I say cheap I still mean $50 not $5



+1 on fly fronted shirt, go for a minimalist take on black tie and then you have less accessories to buy. Get some fake patent leather shoes from your local aldo- they'll fall apart soon enough, but they'll look good on the night. Patent oxfords are the in thing right now (at least in europe) so they're ten a penny

 

[TimelesStyle]

Originally Posted by mrjames

If you spent on the jacket then you'll need matching trousers which will probably cost a bit. So maybe consider the possibility of getting an odd jacket and then you can wear any trousers you like, maybe something like a great velvet shawl collar tuxedo jacket and some lesser quality plain black trousers.


Sorry, can't really agree with this. First, a velvet smoking jacket isn't really appropriate for a wedding, particularly the OP's own. An ivory DJ, perhaps, but only if it's in the summer/a tropical climate. And even if it's an odd jacket, the trousers should still be formal trousers, with a satin/grosgrain side stripe and waistband designed for braces.

I agree with everyone here that the suit is what the OP should spend the most on. I'd spend on the shoes only if they are calf and can be worn (in a less polished state) for other things after. If you're getting tux shoes, go budget, patent shoes look like plastic anyways (IMHO). The shirt can be cheap as long as it fits, and I honestly can't tell the difference between a nice cummerbund and a crappy one. The bow tie should be self-tie and again, it's hard to tell a $50 bow from a $250 bow. Just make sure it isn't so flimsy it's hard to tie.

You left out braces, but that's another item you can go cheap on, just get black or white button-on ones. As for links and studs, why not ask your father or grandfather (if still living) whether they have a set you could use? Might be nice to get married using one of their sets. Socks can be had for $5 and I personally would skip the square, but those can be had for cheap as well.

 

[DocHolliday]

The trouble with trying to go cheap on the DJ is that most cheap tailored clothing is cut so terribly. Even if it fits, it doesn't.

Combine that with the general scarcity of DJs, and finding something both inexpensive and attractive becomes difficult. Maybe Polo or Brooks ... but it may take some looking.

 

[Sotiris]

Originally Posted by DocHolliday

The trouble with trying to go cheap on the DJ is that most cheap tailored clothing is cut so terribly. Even if it fits, it doesn't. Combine that with the general scarcity of DJs, and finding something both inexpensive and attractive becomes difficult. Maybe Polo or Brooks ... but it may take some looking.
So true. I'm getting married in a few weeks. Bought the JAB signature PL tux in Jan/Feb for only $200. Lost ~20lbs and exchanged the 40R for a 38R (their smallest size). Well, the shoulders were still about a good INCH too long on each side. And the pants were beyond baggy as all hell, though they fit at the waist. Found a very good tailor, and had him do very major surgery. I'm happy with the outcome, quick happy (though he kept the full padding on the re-cut shoulders which is a bit more strong than I was planning - but it works pretty well). All in all about another $200-250 for alterations. So still a good deal for all the "correct" elements for a DJ, but it was a lot of work, and I was lucky to find a skilled tailor in a relatively short amount of time that I could trust to do the job. If I had to go through this again (no plans to), I'd tell myself to reconsider at least trying Paul Stuart, Hickey Freeman, Polo or Brooks first.

 

[makewayhomer]

here are the costs of the entire black tie rig I put together

jacket + pants: Paul Stuart $475 from Keezars in Cambridge
shoes: $80 ish AE Park Avenue's, won 2-3x. these look far better than any rental patent shoe I saw
tie: $30, unknown brand, Made In Italy, purchased from member on b/s
cufflinks/studs: $35 ish, vintage MOP set, awesome, purchased from member on b/s
braces: thurston, ebay, $25 ish
waistcoat: $125 ish from Brooks Brothers. this is the 1 thing I couldn't find cheap anywhere, and was kind of silly b/c it was barely visible at all

the only piece I cringed on was the waistcoat, which you can totally skimp on. I have a cummerbumb I will sell you for cheap from Brooks Brothers.