The Style

The StyleThe Style ... ...

After so many months on the couch, wedding guests are excited to have the opportunity to get dressed up again and they’re going all out!

Black-tie is back in a big way! Women go for the glamour. Pull out those floor length gowns and gorgeous cutaway styles. No need to shy away from black dresses at a wedding any longer when they exude elegant sophistication. Metallic shoes and glitzy accessories or bright colors elevate even the simplest black dress and add contemporary flair. Touches like embroidered flowers or a chiffon underskirt can give black a softer, more feminine look. And your jewelry can either dazzle or be delicate. Other dark hues like navy and burgundy and jewel tones are popular too, and pink continues to trend. You can never go wrong with a sequined dress at an evening reception!

If you’re not following a black-tie dress code, as always, consider venue and time of day when dressing for the wedding. Cocktail attire generally suits for evening events, while outdoor beach wedding will allow you to be more casual. If you’re attending one of those themed parties we mentioned earlier, feel free to pull out all the stops (as long as you don’t overshadow the bride)!

Turning to the gents, let’s talk tuxes. What does black-tie really mean? Is a tuxedo necessary? While rules aren’t always strictly observed (especially here on island time), when the event specifies black-tie as the attire, a classic tuxedo really is preferred. A formal dinner jacket paired with well-tailored dress trousers is an acceptable alternative. When your invitation indicates “black-tie preferred,” that means you can opt for a less formal suit instead of a tuxedo. Rather than floor length formals, women can then choose shorter cocktail dresses.

Over the years, tuxedos and business suits have both evolved so the differences between the two have become blurry and confusing. If you don’t have a tux hanging in your closet, don’t want to rent, and want to invest in some new wardrobe items that you’re sure will be appropriate for your social event schedule, here are some guidelines to suits, tuxedos, and the ubiquitous dinner jacket.

Most obviously, you can differentiate a tuxedo from a suit by the fact that it has satin lapels and accents. Satin (or occasionally grosgrain) facing is used on a tuxedo’s lapels, buttons, and pocket piping, as well as down the side of the pant legs. The lapels of a tuxedo also differ

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from those on a suit because they are frequently shawl lapels, as opposed to the notch or peak lapels on a suit. While you can find tuxedos with notch lapels, these general signify a more casual style and are not appropriate for formal occasions. Suit jackets generally have one to three buttons, but a tuxedo has a single closure button to create a long, clean, sleek and sophisticated look. Double-breasted tuxedo jackets do exist, but they don’t fit the bill for timeless classic attire. Tuxedo jackets boast jetted pockets with discrete satin piping on the opening, a subtle complement to the jacket’s clean lines, avoiding the traditional flapped pockets you see on suits and casual blazers.

Suits have the edge on variety of colors and patterns available. If you’re looking to show off your sense of style, tailored suits are a fabulous way to do that. The tuxedo’s appeal is the simplicity of classic elegance. The traditional tuxedo is black, though other colors are certainly available in a more limited range. Midnight blue is also a popular color choice. Regardless of color, the satin facing on the label will almost always still be black. Dinner jackets generally do not have satin facing collars, offer more variety in color and fabric, and, when paired with well-tailored trousers, white shirt, and appropriate tie, can stand in nicely for a tuxedo on formal occasions.

Tuxedo pants do not have belt loops, so you’ll want to make sure that they fit properly. Always wear a white shirt with a tuxedo. Traditional tuxedo shirts have wing tip collars designed to be worn with a bow tie. Spread or semi-spread collars found on typical dress shirts have become acceptable to pair with a tuxedo regardless of style of tie. Button-down collars are too casual.

To round out your look, you may choose to wear a tuxedo waistcoat (essentially a vest with a lower button stance that can be hidden under the jacket) or the satin sash known as a cummerbund. The waistcoat or sash was initially intended to hide the waist of your shirt when the jacket is unbuttoned; however, if you have a clean and freshly pressed shirt, this rule seems unnecessary and outdated. Finally, the tie. Since we live in the South, it’s easy to keep this short and sweet: wear a bow tie. Black preferably. Hand-tied. Period. You’ll make your mama proud.

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