6 Reasons You Need a Great Tuxedo
So, I was invited to fancy black-tie wedding this past Fall in Los Angeles. I hadn’t worn a tux in a while and didn’t even know if I still owned one. But I dug through my closet and found the required supplies: jacket, pants, shirt, cummerbund and ties. I even found a sweet pair of my Dad’s old suspenders that were still functional. I knew my wife wasn’t going to let me show up (with her) in a less than acceptable set of duds to this wedding, so I had the jacket and pants professionally cleaned and the shirt pressed. I tried on my clean tuxedo and evaluated myself in our long mirror on the back of our closet door. Save for some minor pinching in the button of the jacket, it was as good as new. No threadbare spots. No tears. No stains. This tuxedo that had lasted me at least 20 years and dozens of boozy affairs was still serviceable. Plus I was still thin enough to wear it. It got me to thinking about all of the parties and weddings, a nostalgic journey where different women accompanied me to significant events though different times in my life. I dug up some old photos and reminisced about my college friend and fraternity bother Ken’s wedding where I broke out my guitar and serenaded him and his new bride. I thought about another wedding where my friends and I were forced to swim across a Cape Cod harbor back to our hotel at 3am. When we returned the next day to collect our tuxes, there they were, wadded up and stashed in the bushes behind the hotel bar we had closed down. And then there was the unfortunate incident at a particularly over - the - top fundraiser in Connecticut that involved lots and lots of booze and a trampoline. I split the pants of my beloved tux that night, and yet somehow that repair job from the local tailor had held up. In fact, these pants were stronger now than they were when I got them. And then I thought about when and where I got my tux, and I remembered a little custom shop in Manhattan’s garment district where my father had taken me. My father loved clothes and knew all of the best spots in New York to buy them and have them customized. He was tall and handsome and knew what he liked. I was less so, but now, about his age then, I realized how important it is to have a suit that makes you look good and feel good. Of course renting is still an option, and you can do so here, but there are lots of great reason to consider owning a tux. And so here, without further ado, the six reasons to splurge on a nice, quality tux and take good care of it.
Comfort and Style
Looking and feeling good cannot be over-valued. If you are the sharpest looking man in a room of sharp looking men, then you are the king. And being the king has benefits. You’ll attract the right people, engage them in humor and wit that they will remember, and have fun doing it. Plus, if you play your cards right, the next morning you can sport the classic no tie and open shirt look that Daniel Craig has perfected.
Economics
If you do the math, own a tux and having it last 10 wears will probably be more economical. Renting a tux will run you between $75 and $100 for a night, and then you have to bring it back to the shop. I will never forget returning my own rented tux from my own wedding (As the groom, I had to wear a morning suit) and
Confidence
In life, there are moments where your nerves get the best of you. Maybe you get to meet Tom Brady or Derek Jeter, or maybe it is another moment. But your adrenaline will flow and you’ll feel a pit in your stomach. You will be trying to listen but you’ll be distracted by the nagging feeling that you’re
Accessorizing
Let’s face it, it is 2017 and people like spice up some old norms. Men these days like to try and push the envelope and trot out the rainbow cummerbund, the yellow vest, the t-shirt tux, the tux-with-sneaker look, novelty cufflinks or even the pink suspenders. If you are the kind of man who likes to show off your rebellious side without being too annoying or looking too ridiculous, then a black-tie event will provide you with the opportunity to do so.
There will a lot pictures taken at black tie affairs, and they’ll find their way onto social media. The last thing you want is to see a photo and wish you had a better fitting, better looking tuxedo on. Pictured last forever, make sure you are looking your best.
James Bond
As if this needs to be said, there was a reason James Bond had a way with the ladies (and men), and it wasn’t just the martinis and the swagger, it was the tux. He looked so cool and he was cool. My favorite is the scene from Skyfall when Daniel Craig is inside the Macau casino and drinking the martini. He is so fit and his tux is snugly tailored, but he is a million bucks.
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