Wednesday, January 27, 2016

Helpful Tips: Buying Vs Renting a Tuxedo

We are often asked by our customers if they should buy or rent a tuxedo. Some go to events, some are attending a wedding, sometimes we have a groom who is thinking about buying his own tuxedo but a lot of our customers are not sure if it is worth it. We can give you our professional opinion about when it is better to rent or buy your own tuxedo.

The first reason to buy your own tuxedo is if you want it to fit a very specific way. We will do minor alterations such as coat sleeve length and pant length and if a new size in a garment is needed we will order a new size, but we are NOT a tailor. We typically do not do anything more major than tapering the coat and it is very rare that we have to do this. The reason for this is because we need these garments to fit a range of people with different body types so altering garments too often would wear them out and make them unable to be rented. If you buy your own tuxedo and have it altered to your liking you will never have to worry about getting it altered again, you will be comfortable, and you may not need to even rent a tuxedo again.

The second reason that you may want to buy your own tuxedo is if you frequently go to events or weddings. Instead of having to get measured every single time and picking up the tuxedo everytime, you can get measured once and we'll order the tuxedo in and you'll be set. We have a good number of repeat customers who go to yearly events who eventually decided to just buy their own tuxedo instead. The tuxedo ends up paying for itself the first couple times that you have to wear it. Even if you buy your own tuxedo you can still rent a different color vest and tie if you want to mix it up each year instead of wearing the same thing. Also, you should only purchase your tuxedo if you are attending a wedding and not if you are in the wedding party. The bride and groom will want a very specific style that you may not like later on in the future, so if you rent you will not have to worry about having to keep it.

We sometimes have grooms ask us if they should buy a tuxedo or rent one for their wedding, but the answer is just going to depend on what you are looking for. Certain tuxedos that we carry are not for purchase because they are still needed for rentals and they are no longer being made, so in that case you would have to rent. The other coats that are available for purchase will range in price so it will also depend on how much you are willing to spend. Sometimes a groom is looking for a very specific style that we may not rent, but it is possible that we may have it for purchase. Regardless, just remember that it is your day and that you should be happy with what you are wearing.

Renting a tuxedo is typically best for members of a wedding party, for prom, for one time events. It would also be beneficial for younger kids who are still growing as well as adults who may fluctuate in weight because we can do minor alterations and also provide replacement garments. This way they will not be stuck with garments that do not fit.

If you are interested in purchasing a tuxedo, you are able to do so through us and we have a nice selection of styles you can choose from. Just be aware that not all of the tuxedos that we can sell for purchase will be the exact same styles that we rent, since they have stopped making certain styles. We also have a nice selection to choose from if you decide that renting is best for you.

Monday, January 25, 2016

Helpful Tips: How to Measure

A big portion of the weddings that we work with have a number of out of town people who cannot be measured in our store. Even some of our repeat customers are from out of state and we have even worked with people from out of country. We always suggest going on to Tuxedofit.com for these clients, because it shows them where they can get measured in their area and they can just email, call, or fax the measurements to us. Our clients do not have to be measured in our store to be able to rent garments from us. We occasionally get asked if certain clients can be measured at home and that is no problem.

Having general knowledge on how measurements are taken will make you become more aware if your measurements look odd if someone else has measured you, regardless if it is a friend or another tuxedo shop. The measurements that we take are over arm, chest, waist, hip, neck, sleeve, out seam, coat size and shoe size. We also like knowing your approximate height and weight because it helps us determine the accuracy of out of town measurements as well as our own measurements. This video will explain how each measurement is taken if you are curious or would like someone you know to do it for you.

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/13299761373174052/

The only measurement that was not mentioned was the hip measurement. This is done simply by measuring over the fullest part of the hips. This helps to determine the pant size that will be most comfortable for you, because your waist may fit into the pant but if your hips do not, it will not be comfortable.


We try to have customers try on garments if they are in between sizes after we are done with the measurements. So if you are out of town and feel like you are in between sizes, ask if you can try something on, because there is nothing wrong with double checking. We suggest going to someone who has experience with measuring but if you have to do it at home you will know how.

Wednesday, January 20, 2016

Helpful Tips: Men's Attire Guide

Black tie, white tie, formal, semi-formal, Casual; Hitting the right note with attire can be confusing. Here are the details of how to dress appropriately for any occasion:

White Tie: The most formal
Formal attire does not mean suits and ties! It is a substantially higher dress code, requiring clothes that most men don’t own.
-Black dress coat (tailcoat) and matching tuxedo pants with a satin stripe
-White wing-collared shirt with pleats
-Shirt studs and cufflinks
-White vest & White Bowtie
-White gloves
-Black patent leather shoes

Black Tie: Semi-formal
Don’t let the diminutive phrasing fool you — semi-formal attire is still the strictest dress code most of us will wear in our lives.
-Tuxedo, most common is black but feel free to change it up with a grey, or navy
-White dress shirt, laydown or wing-tip collar
-Shirt studs and cufflinks
-Vest and tie. Can be a bowtie or long tie. Most common is a matching black set but subdued colors are acceptable. (Think conservative; navy, charcoal, dark purple)
-Black patent leather shoes.

Black Tie Optional:
-Follow all black tie rules unless you cannot get a tuxedo, then a black, 3 piece suit and conservative tie will be acceptable.

Business formal:
-Dark business suit
-Dress shirt
-Matching vest (optional)
-Long tie
-Leather dress shoes
*Always check and follow your companies dress code*

Business casual: Dressy Casual
-Sport coat or blazer with slacks or khakis
-Dress shirt, casual button-down shirt, open-collar or polo shirt
-Ties are optional
-Dress shoes or loafers
*Always check and follow your companies dress code*

Casual: Laid back
A “casual attire” invitation is mostly open ended, but there is still the expectation of dressing up for a social event.
-Khakis or good jeans (clean, no holes)
-Cargo or Bermuda shorts—depending on occasion and climate
-Plain T-shirt (no slogans), polo shirt
-Casual button-down shirt and/or sweater
-Loafers or sneakers 



Monday, January 18, 2016

Auto Show Charity Preview 2016

We had a wonderful time working with all of our customers for the Auto Show Charity Preview this year. We got to see some repeat customers as well as a lot of new faces. We have a special promotion specifically for the Auto Show Charity Preview every year and we love to see new faces. This year we doubled our orders and met a lot of great people. If you need a tuxedo next year or know someone who does, send them our way. We also want to thank all of our customers who rented from us this year. We couldn't have had a successful Charity Preview without all of you.

Saturday, January 16, 2016

Helpful Tips: Do I Really Need To Try On My Tuxedo?

We have had customers ask us if it is really necessary to try on their tuxedo even when they were measured prior to it arriving in our store. In short, yes it is still extremely important to try it on and there are a couple of reasons why.

Firstly, measurements are not exact. Measurements give a good idea of the sizing and most of the time they're good but everyone has a different body type and that can change how some garments will fit on certain people. We will take the time to have you try on garments if you are in between sizes, but we do not always have the exact garments in store. If you are unable to get measured at our store, take the time to go to a reputable tuxedo shop or tailor. Also make sure to send us your correct height and weight because it helps to perfect your fit. This brings me to my next point.

Everything is going to fit differently than what you're used to. The tuxedo coats come in different fits and most of our customers have never worn a tuxedo coat before. When you try on your tuxedo, we explain how it is supposed to fit you and then make sure that you are also comfortable with the fit as well. We want you to look good but we also want to accommodate for your comfort.

Lastly, if you need replacement garments we need time to get them ordered and into the store. We want everyone who rents from us to look good in what they are wearing, so we do not want anyone going to any wedding or event in ill-fitting garments. That's why you should always come to try on your tuxedo on your scheduled pick up date so that we have time to get replacements if necessary.


Always make the time to try on your tuxedo because the sooner you try it on the easier your fitting will be. 

Tuesday, January 12, 2016

Helpful Tips: What do people normally wear at a wedding?

A lot of the new weddings that come into our store are usually unsure of what they want the guys to wear. What does the groom normally wear? What about the groomsman, dads, ring bearers, or ushers? We hear these questions all the time and the answers are very simple.

The first thing to know is that everyone normally wears the exact same tuxedo. The color of the tuxedo does not matter; we have seen this in every color tuxedo that we carry. The variation usually doesn't come in until the vest and tie colors are chosen.

We have been seeing a lot of people choosing the same color vest as their tuxedo to create the three piece look and then doing a different color tie. Either way, the groom will normally wear an ivory or white tie to match his bride and the groomsmen will match the color of the bridesmaids' dresses with their ties. The bestman will either match the bridesmaids or the maid of honor. If there are ushers, they normally wear the same thing as the groomsmen so they do not feel as if they have a lesser role in the wedding. The fathers will normally wear the same tuxedo as everyone else in the wedding party but it will be paired with a neutral vest and tie. The reason for this is because they will not clash with the mothers' dress colors and they will still stand out as honorary figures. We see the fathers wearing colors such as black, charcoal, or silver. The ring bearers will either match the groom and be a mini groom or they will match the groomsmen.

Of course we have seen a number of different variations of this, but this would be considered the "norm" of what most people end up picking out for their wedding. If you want to keep it simple and you are not sure what you want for your wedding, this would be a good way to go. Just remember that it is your day and that you should get exactly what you want.


Friday, January 8, 2016

Helpful Tips: Losing Weight for the Wedding

We get quite a few questions about what the guys in a wedding party should do if they are losing weight beforehand. When should they get measured? Should they wait until it is closer to the date of the wedding? Well there's a very simple answer.

You should never put off getting measured. The reason being is that we want to get the tuxedos reserved for the wedding ahead of time, especially if the wedding date falls into the busy season. You would want to still get measured as soon as possible, but you would want to also get remeasured about a month before the wedding if you feel like there is a significant difference in your weight. This way we will already have an order for you and it will be easier to change sizes if necessary.

Getting remeasured doesn't take very long at all and this also works for any out of town groomsmen that may be losing weight as well. We have had people in the past who had forgotten to get back to us after they had lost a significant amount of weight, and getting remeasured lowers the chances that you will have to come back into the store for replacement garments on a different day.

The Auto Show Charity Preview

Do you still need a tuxedo for the Charity Preview? Well don't worry, there's still time. We are still taking orders and we have a special going on right now just for the occassion.