Suit or Tux?

The ultimate men’s prom dilemma. By Ivan Struk

Key Elements of suit. Standard 2 Piece Suit

Neck ties.

Lapels

Hip and Breast Pockets

Key Elements of suit. (continued) Standard 2 Piece Suit

Pattern and Color flexibility

Three piece and two piece

Different materials

What’s the deal with lapels?

Shawl Lapel

Peak Lapel Notch Lapel

Lapel form is key in a suit. The notch lapel is the most commonly produced lapel, and is also cheapest to make. The peak lapel is the hardest to make and is mostly produced by high-end designer brands such as Tom Ford, Versace, Armani, and Dolce & Gabbanna. The shawl lapel is reserved mostly for tuxedos and is almost never used on suits.

Key Elements of a Tuxedo

Black (traditionally)

Bowtie

White shirt with black buttons (traditionally)

Single button

Velvet or silk peak or shawl lapels

Key Elements of a Tuxedo (continued)

Tuxedos are always worn with bowties, and always have an attention grabbing reflective fabric such as velvet or silk. Traditionally tuxedos are black or white, however many people prefer tinted tuxedos in order to separate themselves from the waiters that wear all black tuxedos. A tuxedo costs more than a suit because it uses more expensive materials such as velvet, and silk. A cheap tuxedo will likely make you look like a waiter. A tuxedo cannot be worn to a business meeting and is intended to function as evening wear. It is unlikely that you will ever need to wear a tuxedo after your wedding or prom.

Suit Pricing

Suits can be custom made (bespoke) or bought for your size and then tailored. Tailoring is a crucial part if you are buying a suit from the store. Prices range from 70 euros to 25,000 euros.

Here are brands with average prices:

50e 100e 400e 700e 1500e 2500e 3000e 7000e+

Zegna

Zara Armani

(emporio and collezioni) Tom Ford

Hugo Boss

Ted Lapidus

Tuxedo Pricing

Tuxedos tend to be more expensive than suits because of the reflective fabric used in the lapels. A waiter-like tuxedo can be bought for a low price however as your expendable income

increases you will open yourself to more options such as peak lapels and different color and material options.

Here are brands with average prices:

50e 100e 400e 700e 1500e 2500e 3000e 7000e+

Zegna

Michael Kors

Armani Collezioni

Tom Ford Hugo Boss

Versace

Pros and Cons of Suits

PROS

• Can be worn to meetings, special

occasions.

• Flexibility of materials, colors,

and cuts.

• Can be matched with a variety of

accessories such as ties, pins,

lapel pins, and pocket squares.

• Can be worn to funerals

CONS

• Not appropriate for white tie

events or the Grammys

• Patterned and light colored suits

are not allowed in many high-end

restaurants (Ritz Carlton

restaurants)

Pros and Cons of Tuxedos

PROS

• You can attend the opera in

Vienna and many black gala

events.

• Feel at home in the Monte Carlo

Casino and white tie restaurants

• Tuxedos are the outfit of choice

for when you are getting married

CONS

• Not appropriate for funerals

(unless you’re the one in the

coffin)

• Require a special type of dress

shirt (tuxedo shirt)

• Cost

• You probably wont wear it very

often

• Not appropriate if you are a guest

at a wedding.

Tailoring and Suit Etiquette

Take your newly purchased suit to a tailor to get it corrected (this applies to trousers too). Don’t spend too much on the blazer and cheap out on the belt, shoes, tie and accessories.

When standing it is appropriate to button the top button of your suit or tuxedo, however it is perfectly fine to leave it unbuttoned.

Always unbutton your suit when you sit down, otherwise it will stretch out the sides and the lapels and ruin your blazer – likewise storing your suit on a rigid coat hanger will cause the

fabric to stretch at the shoulders.

Picking the Color of a Suit The color of a suit is very important, because there are times at which some suit colors are

inappropriate. Matching your blazer with your shoes is essential. Hopefully this will help prevent you from committing fashion faux pas.

Black Charcoal Navy Grey Indigo Brown

Black Funerals Funerals, interviews, business events, weddings. Business events X

Oxblood X

Funerals, interviews,

business events Interviews, business events,

weddings. Weddings, business events.

Dark brown

X

Medium brown X

Interviews, business events,

weddings.

Light brown X Weddings

Interviews, business events,

weddings.

Business events, weddings.

Suit Color

Sho

e co

lor

Accessories for Suits There are plenty of accessories out there that can improve your outfit. Here are some

examples:

A watch, a tie, a pocket square, cufflinks, or a tie bar.

Where to buy?

Bespoke suits from the likes of Tom Ford and Georgio Armani must be ordered at flagship stores, while ready-to-wear suits can be bought a large department stores or boutiques.

Ordering online is a dangerous game because sizes are different throughout different brands.

Want to buy a suit in Belgrade? Ask Ivan about where the best places to buy suits are!

Hope this guide has helped you in some way.