11 Mar
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What kind of shirt collars can you wear with your Tuxedo?

Written by Marco Raynault

The type of shirt that you wear with your tuxedo is generally defined by the material it’s made from, the pleats, the collar, and the cuffs. In this post, we’ll talk about the 3 main type of collars that come with Tuxedo shirts.

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WingTip Collar:

This type of  collar is classic and is typically worn with a bow tie. If you don’t want to go for the bow-tie, then a 4-in-hand tie knot would also work well.

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Lay Down Collar:

This is the most common type of collar and is almost ubiquitous in dress shirts. The 4 in-hand tie knot is typically worn with this type of shirt but bow-ties can also work – although, we really do prefer the WingTip for bow ties.

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Mandarin Collar:

This type of collar is designed so that you don’t need to wear a bow tie or tie. The button at the top is the center of attention so it’s a good idea to find a button cover, either silver or gold, that works well with your outfit. These shirts typically do come with a button cover but they aren’t meant to be worn with your shirt – think of them as placeholders.

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09 Mar
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When can you wear white? What do Memorial Day and Labor Day have to do with it?

Written by Marco Raynault

Recently, we got a message from one of our readers down in Texas that asked if he could wear white shoes to an event at the end of March. White is a tricky color. It’s meant to draw attention and is a great color to wear when its hot outside (i.e. doesn’t absorb the heat). We’ve written about white shoes before in the following post: Can Men Wear White Shoes with their Suits

Generally, people wear white pants starting on Memorial Day (May 31, 2010) and stop on Labor Day (September 6, 2010). With this said, we have to really look at why this rule exists before we follow it. Following rules simply because they exist is foolish. The date range given above almost guarantees decent weather in most North American cities. Wearing white shoes/pants during winter time is discouraged since lighter colors get dirty faster and winter weather expedites this process.

If you live in a warmer climate like Texas, though, as long as it’s sunny and above 70 degrees, then we would say, go for it. Bring out the white. If you’re wearing white shoes, though, make sure to carry along your white belt – that you just have to do.

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07 Mar
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Black Dial vs White Dial on Your Watch – Which do you choose?

Written by Marco Raynault

We had an interesting question this past week about what color dial to choose on your watch. Is there a specific color you should go for during different times of the day or with different types of clothes?

Check out the following Rolex Daytona Watches to see a visual difference between the two dial colors:

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The truth of the matter is that there are no specific fashion rules on which color dial to wear. A Rolex in itself is an attention grabber – regardless of the color of it’s dial.

In general, though, we tend to like contrast. The color of the dial you wear (if you happened to own two watches with two different dial colors) can be decided based on what you’re wearing. For example, if you were wearing very light colored clothing, then a black dial would provide some nice contrast and would stand out. Similarly, if you were wearing a dark tuxedo, the white dial would also stand out.

At the end of the day, though, you could really wear either dial color – it does just come down to preference.

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03 Mar
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Dinner Etiquette Lessons – Which Wine Glass is Yours?

Written by Marco Raynault

FormalDinnerSetting

As mentioned in my last post: suit jacket buttons, I recently went to a corporate dinner/dance and was in awe at the number of mistakes I encountered with respect to dressing up and dinner table etiquette. There were too many things to go into detail – but one issue that really did bother me was that my table-mates did not know which wine glass was theirs or which dinner butter knife & plate belonged to them.

Dinner table etiquette is actually pretty simple if you stick to 3 steps:

1) Your glasses are always on the right.

2) Your butter/bread plate is located on your left side.

3) For your utensils, start from the outside and work your way in.

Another thing that I noticed was that someone left their napkin on the table when they left to go to the bathroom. If you are going to leave the table, make sure to put your napkin on your chair before you leave.

Credits: Image courtesy of http://whatscookingamerica.net/Menu/DiningEtiquetteGuide.htm

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02 Mar
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When to button up your Suit Jacket and When to leave it unbuttoned

Written by Marco Raynault

suits

Recently, I was at a corporate dinner/dance and I was amazed at how some of the attendees did not know how to wear their suit jackets properly in different scenarios. There were lots of problems that caught my attention, but one of the specifics was the buttons on the attendees’ suit jackets.

Here are a few rules to consider:

1) Generally speaking, if you are standing, all of the buttons on your suit jacket, except for the bottom-most one, should be buttoned. If you are wearing a one-button suit, you would be a special case and you would simply always have your jacket buttoned up (while standing of course).

2) If you are sitting down (i.e. for dinner), then you should leave all of the buttons on your jacket unbuttoned. By no means should you take off your suit jacket. It doesn’t matter that you may feel warm. If you do feel warm, you should simply live with it and drink cold water :) – either that, or just buy a jacket that is made of lighter fabric.

3) For the dancing portion of the evening, there are a few conventions. If you are slow dancing, then you should keep your jacket buttoned (except for the bottom-most button). If you are dancing to more modern music (perhaps hip-hop), then you can unbutton your jacket. Generally speaking, you shouldn’t take off your jacket at any point in the evening. You might still take off your jacket if you get really warm, but if you can, keep it on – it looks more professional.

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26 Feb
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What is the difference between a tuxedo and a suit?

Written by Marco Raynault

Tuxedos

We’ve been writing about tuxedos a lot lately and one of the things that we still haven’t mentioned is, what is the difference between a suit and a tuxedo anyway?

The good news is that the answer is quite simple:

1) Tuxes will have satin covered lapels whereas suit lapels will just be made from the same material as the rest of the suit is made of.

2) Tux pants will usually have a satin strip down the outer legs.

3) Shiny shoes are required.

There are more differences but those three are the most common ;)

Credits: Image is courtesy of http://www.thebridesofoklahoma.com

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24 Feb
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What Kind of Tuxedo Should I Wear According to my Body Type?

Written by Marco Raynault

tuxedo

Depending on your body type, you may choose to wear a different type of tuxedo in order to make you look your finest. In this post, we’ll discuss some body types and what kind of tuxedos would match them.

Short and Strong

Shorter men should always go with a tuxedo that has less buttons… 2 to 3 buttons at the most.  Notch or shawl lapels will also help you look taller and as a result look slimmer. Avoid the double-breasted jacket as this will only make you look bulky.

Short and Slender

As mentioned previously, 2-3 buttons look best on shorter men. If you have a slender fit, you can go with peak or notch lapels. The peaked lapels will make your frame look bigger. A double breasted tuxedo will also add to your frame size but only wear one if you also like the way it looks – they’re not necessarily a “modern” phenomenon.

Tall and Strong

Taller men can go for the 3+ button jacket as it has a modern look and feel to it and looks better on taller men. If you have an athletic fit or maybe a slight belly, then avoid the double breasted tux as this will only make you look bulky.

Tall and Slender

All choices work for this category. Go for what looks best on you. We like 3+ button single breasted tuxes since they have a modern look/feel if you were wondering :)

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21 Feb
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Number of buttons on your suit Jacket – Part II

Written by Marco Raynault

We’ve previously written about the number of buttons in your jacket here at SuitUpp. Last time around, we talked mainly about 1, 2, and 3 button suits. In this post, we’ll talk about 3+ button suit jackets.

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Since you would normally wear a 1-3 button suit, when would you wear a 3+ button suit?

Typically, 3+ button jackets are worn by taller gentleman who want to portray a more modern style. More buttons is going to mean a smaller lapel. This type of jacket is also recommended for those with a thin build. If you have a bit of a belly or a larger chest (i.e. you can bench 225 lbs),  then this type of suit will likely not fit your body type… while there may be exceptions, this is usually the case.

As with the 2 & 3 button suit, 3+ button suits will still require you to leave the bottom-most button open. Finally, when sitting down, make sure to unbutton all the buttons on your jacket. On a 4 button jacket, this will obviously be more work :)

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05 Feb
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Single Breasted vs Double Breasted Tuxedos

Written by Marco Raynault

This week at SuitUpp, we’ve written about the Fabrics used in Tuxedos, and Tuxedo Maintenance Tips. We’ll wrap the week up by talking about single and double breasted tuxedos.

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Single Breasted Tuxedo

A single breasted tuxedo (as shown above), just like a suit, will have the suit buttoned-up right in the front. This type of tuxedo is usually worn unbuttoned (which means that it will look less bulky – good for men with a larger frame). If you are going to wear your tuxedo unbuttoned, you should try to wear a vest underneath. The nice thing about the single breasted tuxedo is that it can also be worn buttoned up (depending on your own taste).

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Double Breasted Tuxedo

A double breasted tuxedo will have a flap come over so that it is buttoned on the right side ( remember the picture’s left is your right – you probably knew this, but just in case).

This type of tux will make you look like you have a bigger frame and so it is a great choice for men with smaller frames. If you are wearing a double breasted tux, make sure to button up (this is mandatory).

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03 Feb
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Fabrics Used in Tuxedos

Written by Marco Raynault

Tuxedos are the theme here are SuitUpp this week, and so in this blog post, we’ll talk about the different types of fabrics used in tuxedos.

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Polyester / Polywool Blend
Polyester tuxes are really the lowest in cost. This factor is important for individuals that will be wearing their tuxedos more often. For example, if you are a musician in an orchestra, this is important to you. This type of fabric will also last longer but is not the smoothest.

100% Worsted / Burlington Wool
When you go to rent a tuxedo, this is the type of fabric that you’ll see most often. The fabric is still affordable but is more soft than polyester. Typically, 60 threads per inch is what you would expect.

Super 80, Super 100 and super 120
As with suits, wool based is the most extravagant and nicest type there is (this basically means that you will have to spend more $). Just as with suits, super 80 means 80 threads per square inch, 100 and 120 are 100 threads per square inch and 120 threads per square inch respectively. The higher the thread count, the softer the suit will be (and typically more expensive).

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