In the wedding space, there is lots and lots of talk of wedding dresses. If you’re just starting planning now, you’ve probably already skimmed over dozens of articles extolling the virtues of various wedding dress necklines, how to “dress best for your body,” and a bunch of other stuff that assumes ladies are the only people showing up to a wedding wearing clothes. But when it comes to wedding suits for men… the wedding industry is basically like, “We’re sure you’ll figure it out!” And I’ve been to enough weddings to know that’s not always the case (lots of groomsmen googling “How to tie a bow tie” in the woods with crappy cell reception is all I’m saying).
So I’m excited that we get to partner with Generation Tux to share tips and advice on how to rock a wedding suit like it’s 2019 and not the junior prom. If you haven’t heard of them yet, Generation Tux is an online company that lets you rent modern wedding suits for men and stylish tuxedos for under $100. And I’m not talking about your boxy, baggy suit from when you were a groomsmen in your uncle’s wedding. I’m talking like this:
If you’re thinking to yourself, “Yeah… renting a suit online seems like it’s going to be about as relaxing and reliable as a trip to the DMV—thanks but no thanks,” rest assured. Generation Tux has been around for years, perfecting the art of online suit and tux rentals. And with perks like an at-home try-on program, suits that arrive 14 days before your event (with free returns), and free rentals for grooms, they’ve built a nearly foolproof suit and tux rental process that means no ill-fitting attire and no awkward trips to the suit store. And as an added bonus, they’ll even handle your wedding party coordination for you (with built-in reminders) so you can focus on other things. Since they are committed to making sure your wedding suit or tux fits like a glove, we figured we’d kick today off with four essential things you should know about suits and how they should fit:
1. The difference between a suit and a tuxedo: I’m totally guilty of thinking the word “tuxedo” and picturing a morning coat or a white tie affair. But the difference between a suit and a tuxedo is actually a lot more subtle than that. Tuxedos generally have satin lapels, satin or cloth covered buttons, and satin piping along the side of the pant leg, where suit detailing matches the rest of the suit. Also hot tip: tuxedo pants don’t typically have belt loops, as the expectation is that you’ll wear suspenders with them, so keep that in mind if you’re the kind of person who wears a belt for function instead of fashion.
2. The cardinal rule of buttons: The standard classic suit features a two-button suit jacket. Despite having two buttons, you’re only ever supposed to button the top one, never the bottom, even if you’re standing. (I know, I know. But why is it there, you ask? Beats me. Maybe in case you lose one? Maybe for show? Just to keep you guessing? The world is a confusing place.) If you’re tall or have a long torso, a three-button jacket might work for you. In which case the rules adjust accordingly: always button the middle button, never button the bottom button, and sometimes button the top one.
3. The One About the Break: The trouser break refers to how much creasing happens above your shoe. See this photo from my eighth grade formal above? Notice how all of the pants are kind of… real wrinkly at the bottom? That’s because they’re unhemmed, and you don’t want that. If you’re interested in the full story on the different (dapper) choices for pant breaks, check this article out. But if you don’t have a preference, keep in mind that no break is a very modern fashion forward look, a slight break is standard these days, and a deep break tends to make your pants look more old fashioned (or ill-fitting). We’re not even going to discuss the not-hemming-your-pants-option, since you don’t even have to go down that path with Generation Tux.
4. How to Tie a Tie: It’s probably a sign of our casual dress times that at almost every wedding I ever photographed, at least one member of the wedding party was tasked with finding a YouTube video of how to tie a tie (and your odds increase by about a thousand if bow ties are involved). So let’s just save everyone the trouble, and I’ll link them below (you can also check out the Generation Tux blog for tons more information on everything from cufflinks to pocket squares):
How To Tie a Bow Tie
How to Tie a Windsor Knot
At this point and time in our modern society, there’s no excuse for wearing an old-school, overworn, ill-fitting suit or tux to your wedding. And with the option to have everything from groceries to houseplants delivered to your door these days, there is also no reason we shouldn’t be ordering wedding suits and tuxedos online too. So go check out Generation Tux and then score yourself a free at-home try-on of one of their modern (but still classic) suit or tuxedo rentals. Because non-dress wearing folks deserve to have nice things too.
Have more questions about suit style? leave them here in the comments.
This post was sponsored by Generation Tux. Founded by George Zimmer (yup, the guy from the commercials), Generation Tux is a fresh approach to wedding suits for men, and they are totally hitting the mark in both the style and convenience categories. Generation Tux’s suits and tuxedos are modern classics and the prices are affordable (starting at $69 for a suit or tux rental and around $199 for the whole outfit including shirt, shoes, and accessories). Plus, Generation Tux will coordinate your wedding party so you don’t have to. Click here to see their full line of suit and tuxedo rentals and schedule your at-home try-on today.
