Blogs | Men's Tuxedo Rentals & Suits

Blue Tuxedo

Posted on February 18, 2017 by admin

Blue Tuxedo. Is it the new black?

When people think of tuxedos, they usually think of the same thing every time. A nice, black coat with a peak lapel, vest and bow tie, maybe even some tails in the back. It’s the very picture of class, elegance, a man at the top of his game.

But lately, a different kind of tuxedo has been creeping into the spotlight. And it can look just as nice as a black tux. Dark or pastel-colored outfits have become all the rage. And possibly the post prominent of these is the blue tuxedo.

I’m not talking about royal blue, or cobalt blue; those are better as suits. No, I’m talking about the navy blue tuxedo. Whether same-color pants accompany it or the pants remain black, is irrelevant. The main centerpiece of any tuxedo is the coat. And the blue tuxedo coat is growing in popularity.

But is this a look you should think about rocking, too? You might be wondering whether a blue tuxedo is appropriate for your occasion. Is it something that’s appropriate or you to wear?

So far, nothing says you can’t

I’ll be honest, I can’t think of a single situation in which black garb is something of a requirement. The only exception that pops into mind is funerals, but you don’t wear tuxedos to those at all. There’s nothing festive about them.

Any occasion that demands a tuxedo, in my opinion, can be attended in a blue tuxedo. This includes black tie affairs. They’re called black tie, not black coat. The navy blue color is usually dark enough to easily blend in with a sea of people wearing black coats. And, it’s just enough of a color difference to help you stand out, without looking like you’re trying really hard to make a big, flashy statement.

However, if the going theme of whatever you are going to is ‘black tux,’ then I would stick with black. You don’t want to show up and be the only one in something other than a black tux. Not only will it be too obvious, but whoever is hosting might feel a bit insulted or slighted. But if there is no coat color-specific theme, then yeah, blue tuxedo all the way!

How should a blue tuxedo look?

Remember everything you already know about etiquette when it comes to wearing a black tux? Yeah, all that stuff also applies for the blue tuxedo too. Although, if you are going to rock that look, I would recommend picking a pair of matte finish shoes. Sure, you can get way with patent leather, but matte finish just matches the flat tone of the coat so much better.

In conclusion

There is nothing wrong at all with wearing a blue tuxedo. Just do your best to stick to darker, more neutral shades of blue. Mr. Formal has a great navy blue tuxedo in their rental lineup, straight from designer Ike Behar. Blue isn’t the new black, but it certainly has made it’s presence known.

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Tux etiquette

Posted on February 18, 2017 by admin

Tux etiquette. How to wear it and how to care for it after

Many people reading this have likely never put on a tux in their lives. And there’s a good reason for this. There aren’t really many occasions which call for someone putting one of these things on. If you’re a guy, then you’ll probably wear a tux for your wedding, and maybe your prom. If you’re part of a fraternal organization like the Knights of Columbus or the Freemasons, you’ll wear one more often. But the vast majority of men wear a tuxedo less than five times in their lives.

This might leave the average Joe pretty confused on exactly how to wear a tux. It’s not just a T shirt and pair of jeans, after all. Well fear not, because I have some tips handy to help you properly wear your outfit. And then some tips on caring for it afterward.

Wearing your tux

You’re going to want to start in nothing but your underwear. If you’re wearing an undershirt with your tux, put this on next. The first formal garment you’ll put on is your tux shirt. If you have cufflinks and/or button studs, put those on next.

Next, slip into the tux pants. Be careful putting your leg through the pant-leg, because the pant-leg may be hemmed on the inside. And putting your leg through too roughly could make you accidentally kick the hem out. Tuck your tux shirt into the pants properly, then do up the pant button and zipper.

Next comes the tie, regardless if it’s a bow tie or long tie. Pop the shirt collar, and then put the tie on. How to do this will vary depending on if it’s a pre-tied garment, or one that you tie yourself. Once you’re got that done, slip the vest on and button it up. If it needs adjusting, have a friend of family member help you.

Last bit is the tux coat. Put this on by sticking your arm out behind you, and slipping it on one arm at a time. Don’t put it on the same way you do a T-shirt, by putting your arm over your head. This not only strains your shoulder, but has a slight chance of damaging the coat from the tension. Button it up. You’re good to go!!

Caring for tux when you’re done with it

You could wear your tuxedo several times before it needs to be dry cleaned, as long as you take good care of it. However, if you pull it off and toss it into a corner when you’re done wearing it, it will wrinkle terribly. So taking good care of your tux can save you money in the long run with dry-cleaning bills.

Fold the tux pants neatly, making sure the crease from each leg lines up. Put them on a sturdy, thick hanger, preferably one with a cardboard cylinder-guard or pants clips. Put the coat on the hanger next, making sure it goes over the pants. The shirt should be washed after a single use, so put that aside. The vest and tie can be hung up on a thinner wire hanger. If you want to keep things together, pinch the head of the thin wire hanger around the neck of the thicker coat-and-pant hanger.

That’s it!

And that’s how you wear your tux, and take care of it after. Treat your tux right, and it will make you the best-looking person in any room you walk into!

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Tuxedo shoes – which ones are best

Posted on February 18, 2017 by admin

Tuxedo shoes. Which ones are best?

A tuxedo is much more than just the coat and pant. It’s made up by the entire outfit you choose to wear as part of it. Coat, pants, shirt, vest, tie, and yes, shoes.

Tuxedo shoes come in many different looks and styles. But there are a few categories they can be broken down into. Knowing these could help you choose your tuxedo shoes when it’s time to rent or buy. Because you don’t want to be that guy that thought white shoes with a black tux was a good idea. Not unless it’s part of a theme, in which case, knock yourself out.

Matte finish shoes

Matte shoes is one of the two biggest categories you can break tuxedo shoes down into first. These generally have a less glossy finish, looking more like an actual leather good. Matte shoes are a bit more flexible than their patent leather counterparts in terms of choice. You can wear a pair of black matte shoes with a suit or a tuxedo.

Patent leather shoes

These are the fancier, less flexible of the two major tuxedo shoe categories. These are a lot glossier, and the cheaper ones are sometimes made of plastic. These look great with the classic black tuxedo, and really round out your ‘elegant’ appearance, so to speak. However, wearing these with a less dressy outfit like a suit, is a bad idea. You’ll just look silly.

Square toe vs round toe tuxedo shoes

Now this is really a matter of personal preference and comfort more than looks. Sure, some people have a beef with the way one or the other looks. For example, I once watched a loud groomsman proclaim that the round toe shoe made him feel ‘girly’ and like ‘less of a man.’

Personally, in my opinion a real man would suck it up for a day and show his buddy the support he deserves on his wedding day. But digressions aside, that’s just an example of an opinion on one or the other.

The issue more people take to heart with tuxedo shoes is the fit. Round toe shoes look more tapered toward the toe. But this makes them smaller in that area, too. Not really good for people who have wider feet (which I find a fair amount do.)

Squared toe tuxedo shoes

Squared toe tuxedo shoes are a bit more comfortable, and thusly I find more people prefer them. They feature a flat, wide toe area, and generally wider around the ball of your foot too.

But square toe tuxedo shoes that have too flat of a toe area look a lot bulkier. They also tend to be a lot heavier in the heel area, which makes them more susceptible to heat damage and breaking apart.

In my experience, a hybrid toe is the best. This combines the comfort of a square toe with the elegance of a round toe; the best of both worlds. And judging from the rental tickets during my years of experience, I’m in the majority with that opinion.

Conclusion

There are many other small variables when it comes to tuxedo shoes. Things like color, design, etc. are all noticeable little details. But those two categories are what you’ll notice first. And to me, they’re the most important.

Just make sure that whatever tuxedo shoes you choose, you’re comfortable in them too. After all, you’ll be standing around for a long time in these things, and they’re not built like tennis shoes. Presentable, you look nice. But presentable AND comfortable? You win.

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White Tuxedos – case for and against

Posted on February 18, 2017 by admin

White tuxedo; cases for and against wearing one

When people walk into our tuxedo shop at Mr. Formal, they always inevitably look at our white tuxedo. And why not? It stands out among the many other black coats, and has a look of it’s own.

In fact, there are a few occasions where a white tuxedo would be heavily preferred to a black one. I’ve made note of a few of those, in the course of my employment at Mr. Formal.

Baptisms

The traditional catholic baptism calls for a white garment. And if the boy is over a certain age, then a white tuxedo is a favorable look. The white garment is a symbol of the purity of the newly baptized person. Therefore, picking a tuxedo that’s black, or any other color, would be inappropriate. And it’s one of those occasions where the boy involved needs to look his best.

Quinceaneras

No, I’m not talking about the girl wearing a white tuxedo. The girl usually wears a big, colorful dress.

But for the quinceanera, the girl will usually pick a male to be her ‘escort.’ And quite often, I would hear the girl ask about a white tuxedo for him. I’m not sure why this is done of what purpose it serves. All I know is that it seems to be a popular pick for this specific occasion.

white tuxedo

Cases against the white tuxedo

As much as it might stand out, it’s not always a great idea to pick a white tuxedo. Unless the event itself dictates that you pick it, it comes down to personal preference. And it’s not always a good idea.

For example, if you’re the kind of person that has a really pale skin tone, it probably wouldn’t look good. Guys like this would be better off picking a black, grey, or even navy blue outfit. If you have a somewhat darker skin tone, then you may be able to pull it off though. Try one on, and see if it’s something you look good in.

The biggest case against it though, is…

Unfortunately, a white tuxedo is often pricier than it’s black counterpart. This is mainly due to the fact that white tuxedos generally a much higher upkeep cost. They get dirty a lot faster, and are much much harder to clean and maintain. Especially when it comes to white tuxedo pants. You could save some money by getting black pants, and a white coat, if you must have a white tuxedo.

This isn’t just bad for the cost, either. Consider the fact that she smallest signs of dirt or other mess will show up VERY obviously on a white tuxedo. You would have to be a lot more careful when wearing one. And the risk for un-repairable staining would be much higher…a mistake that is very costly for rentals.

On the other hand, if you are going to be buying your white tuxedo, then go for it. There should be no reason they cost more to buy than black tuxedos, unless it’s just a better tux. However, keep in mind that buying one puts YOU in charge of keeping it cleaned and maintained. You’ll be dry-cleaning it a lot more frequently.

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Tuxedo Rentals

Posted on February 18, 2017 by admin

Tuxedo rentals; getting it right

In pretty much every man’s life, there is one or two times where he needs to put a tux. And most guys don’t just have a tuxedo sitting around their house. After all, you hardly ever wear one, so why would you?

This is when you need to get a tuxedo rental. Usually it’s for a prom, or because you’re getting married. Some guys need to wear a tuxedo regularly, multiple times per year. But let’s face it, must guys don’t have occasion to wear a tuxedo a whole lot. So as a result, the vast majority of tuxes you see at weddings and proms are tuxedo rentals.

Seeing is believing; and also essential

tuxedo rentals

There really is no wrong way or right way to do your tuxedo rental. However, I do strongly advocate for actually seeing your tuxedo rental before you get it.

Nowadays, there are many different websites where you can rent a tux without ever seeing it beforehand. This is touted as a more ‘convenient’ option. But that convenience comes with a price in itself.

You have no idea how you’ll look in an online tuxedo rental.

You can look at as many pictures of models wearing that tux as you want. But chances are, unless you yourself are a model, it’s not an accurate representation. So when you get your tuxedo rental in the mail, put it on, and don’t like the way it fits, you’re out of luck.

But what if I don’t really care how I look?

The only reason you even put a tux on to begin with is because you DO care about your look. I don’t meant to sound too blunt, or too harsh here. But there’s a reason that people don’t just walk around in their pajamas all day. There’s a reason the streets of every city aren’t full of guys who dress like Kevin Federline.

It’s because we care about the way we look. And you should definitely care about the way you look when you put your tuxedo rental on. Chances are you are wearing that tux for something important. And if you don’t care about how you look on your wedding day…well, again, hate to be harsh here, but maybe you should reevaluate why you’re getting married, if looking as presentable as possible to her isn’t important to you.

So what do I do to get it right?

Something as important as a tuxedo rental shouldn’t be skimped on when it comes to detail. Rightly so, since even a cheap tuxedo rental can set you back at least $70.

There is no shortage of tuxedo rental places that let you see and feel the product before renting. Mr. Formal in Arizona even lets you try the tuxedo on before you decide to rent it!

In conclusion

Even if you don’t care about your wedding, and how it looks…she does. And nothing shows your effort like making sure you look the best you can in your tuxedo rental.

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