Celebrating the special moment in a tuxedo (pre-wedding photoshoot)

Although not very typical at weddings, a tuxedo is a good choice for any gentleman wanting to make a statement about themselves. Its association with glamorous events coupled with details, such as the shape of the lapel or enhanced presence of satin, provide further space for expressing one’s personality and what they stand for.

This photoshoot prompted us to make a proper introduction to tuxedo and explain to you, our readers, a bit more about how it came about and how it differs from your traditional suit. Let’s dive into it.

Tuxedo is a formal attire expected to be worn at black tie events, such as dinner parties or even weddings. It’s considered to be an evening dress and is, therefore, supposed to be worn only in the evening after 6 pm.

Tuxedo usually comes in black, midnight blue or white colour and is made out of 2 or 3 pieces – jacket, trousers and an optional waist coast. Its defining feature is the satin jacket lapel and similar stripes along the outseam of the trousers (or sometimes even sleeves). Those who would like to go for a muted, less glossy look, can also opt for an alternative fabric called grosgrain. Men would wear a white tuxedo-specific dress shirt, a black bow tie and black glossy leather dress shoes with a tuxedo.

A shirt that comes with a tuxedo is just as elaborative, if not more, than the tuxedo itself. It comes in many variations and the style you might want to choose largely depends on your endgame. Typically, the customisation includes selecting the collar style (such as a wingtip collar), bibs, pleats, plackets and studs.

A short look into history reveals that tuxedo was born in the 19th century in the UK when the social elite wanted to differentiate their dress at the evening outdoor activities from the usual daily formal wear. Men started to experiment with a dinner jacket that evolved from a tailless coat and a smoking jacket and turned it into high-profile dress we know it today. The actual word tuxedo is derived from the name of the town in New York, Tuxedo Park, where dinner jacket was first introduced on the American soil.

Now when you know what it is and how it came about, you may be wondering how a tuxedo differs from a suit. We will explore both physical and psychological differences.

The biggest physical difference is the presence of satin. While you won’t find any on your suit, tuxedo, as previously mentioned, is fitted with satin on a number of places, such as lapel, sides of the trousers, buttons or pocket trims. However, there are exceptions to this rule as you can find a few formal options that come satin-free.

Another telling sign is accessories you would wear with a tuxedo. Originally, it was worn with cummerbunds or waistcoats (although increasingly less so nowadays) and a black bow tie. On the other hand, a suit is traditionally accompanied by a necktie or is worn open-collared.

Physical differences aside, there’s more to tuxedo than meets the eyes. Wearing a tuxedo is predominantly about sending a message that is different from wearing a suit or any other garment for that matter. The main point of wearing a tuxedo is to commemorate a special occasion by wearing something special that you wouldn’t wear anywhere else. It is about standing out and being somewhere or with someone special.

We could also conclude that tuxedo comes with a certain glamour that you may be familiar with, for example, from the movie screens. Have you seen ever James Bond? Daniel Craig, the main actor in the installations, such as Casino Royale, Quantum of Solace or Skyfall pulled his tuxedo off to the point of becoming nothing short of a style icon.

Even though suits are slowly losing their significance in everyday life as the workforce is dressing down, they are still prevalent and more common than tuxedos. That’s why wearing a tuxedo will outdo wearing a suit even though if you look killer in it.

We hope now you have a better understanding of what a tuxedo is about, how it differs from a suit and how you can introduce it into your own arsenal as a special dress for special occasions (just leave the gun at home if you are going for the James Bond style). If you want to see more photographs from Navin’s (pre)wedding photoshoot, be sure to follow us on Facebook and Instagram.