The tuxedo (or dinner jacket) is an incredibly stylish wedding suit that many men choose, but very few manage to find a tux that fits. To avoid wearing a suit that’s two sizes too big (or too small!), take these wedding tuxedo sizing basics to heart!
Finding Trousers that Fit
Your trousers should fasten easily around your waist, so that you are comfortable when you sit and when you stand. Remember to leave some room for all the delicious wedding food. A well fitting pair of trousers will lie loosely around your underwear. If the trousers are too tight, they will pull in on your derriere and cause wrinkles beneath your rear. The trousers are too large if they hang off your posterior and sag to the thighs.
Suited with the Right Shirt
Shirts can often fit poorly at the neck and sleeves. When the shirt collar is closed, you should be able to fit in 2 fingers; this will ensure that you don’t feel choked by the collar. Your shirt’s sleeves should end just after the wrist bone, about one inch towards your palm. Half an inch of the cuff of the shirt should come out from beneath the jacket’s sleeve, but this is a guide line and not a strict measurement.
Adding a Dapper Bowtie
There are two things that you must remember about the bowtie; the first is that it should fit around your collar, not your neck. The second is that you should stay clear of clip-on dickie bows. We know this isn’t a sizing tip, but they look so much better hand tied. You also get to untie it later and look bloody smooth.
A Flattering Waistcoat
The tuxedo waistcoat is a tad different to a standard waistcoat. The tuxedo variant is cut lower so that the front of the shirt is more exposed. The waistcoat should cover the waistband of your trousers. Some have loops to attach it to the buttons in your trousers. The buttons on the front of the waistcoat should line up with the buttons on the tuxedo jacket, it’s a little thing, but it makes you look great!
The Jacket to Seal the Deal
Making sure that the tuxedo jacket fits around the torso is incredibly easy, the top button should fasten easily when stood naturally. While also standing naturally, the hem of the suit should come down and finish about half way down your hand. The shoulder should lie flat and the sleeve should meet where your arm meets the shoulder.
Put Your Best Foot Forward
A little tip for buying shoes, feet have a tendency to swell throughout the day, making evening the best time to go shoe shopping and try on a pair! Buying shoes that fit comfortably when your feet are at their largest means you’ll not spend your wedding day limping in agony from an ill-fitting pair.
Helpful Hints
Whether the tuxedo is rented, purchased off the peg or tailored to suit your exact specifications, it is important to try the suit on a few days before the wedding. This way, if any adjustments need to be made, you’ll have loads of time to get them done before the big day. When you’re buying the suit have a little boogie, make sure that the suit allows movement in your arms and it feels comfortable. Nobody wants to see you do the robot the entirety of the reception.
