You've never been to a fancy-schmancy party before, and you're really psyched about hobnobbing with the upper crust of society. Then you notice that at the bottom of the invite there are two cryptic words: "Black Tie." Your first thought: "No problem. I have plenty of black ties." Our first thought: "Moron, that means that you have to wear a tux."
Relatively few people buy full-out tuxedo ensembles. They go out of style, your height or weight can change, and unless youre a professional party crasher, there arent many occasions where tuxedos will be required. But when those times do arise (the prom, a fancy party, the Oscars, your indictment, a James Bond look-alike contest . . .), youll be grateful that you came to us for tuxedo-renting advice.
1. ASSESS THE FUNCTION
First you should figure out what type of affair you are attending, because not all formal events are created equal. Most occasions will fit into one of the following categories, usually indicated on the invitation:
A prom or other type of formalwear event that does not specifically indicate what type of dress is appropriate can be included in the Black Tie Preferred category. No one will attack you for wearing a suit, but a tuxedo is certainly expected. Choose a conservative but not overly elegant style. (We bet "elegant" has never been used to describe your clothes before. Aww. Youre getting so grown up on us.)
One word of caution: when in doubt, choose conservative and traditionalwear over newer, trendier tuxedos. Imagine looking back over your prom photos years from now and seeing yourself in a Jim Carrey-esque Day-Glo orange tux and top hat. And it seemed like such a good idea at the time . . .