Tips For Selecting A Tux

In the previous Oscar round up, we were alerted to a few fashion faux pas for the gentlemen and their tuxedos they were wearing ..."...I see bad tailoring or design details on this most elegant and simple men’s wardrobe staple and now I’m just compelled to speak up. I mean, doesn’t anybody ask George Clooney who hems his pants?" exclaims Jackie Streiker Here are a few tips to ensure a perfect fitted tux for your next event... red carpet or otherwise. Your JACKET You may select a single, two or three-button black tux jacket, the choice is yours. If you have a long torso, a three button may be the best place to start. The collars differ, too. There are notch, cut-away, diamond or peak collars. I personally love the one-button jacket with the shawl collar. Now for the jacket measurement. Your chest should be relaxed while holding your arms out and then when the tailor wraps the tape measure around you, relax your arms to your side. Normally for the jacket size there is about a 7-inch difference between your waist measurement and your chest measurement. The jacket sleeve should stop at your wrist so that your shirt just sticks out below it with little effort. To confirm you have the correct length jacket, with your hands down to your side, you should be able to wrap the tips of your fingers over the bottom edge of the jacket hem. If you are a tall guy request a long instead of a regular. Your TROUSER For the pants the waist should be measured no lower than an inch below the belly button, however if you normally wear your pants higher than this make sure to tell the tailor, so your trousers will be comfortable for you to wear. When measuring for the length there are two acceptable ways, either with or without your formal shoe. The measurement should be taken from the top of the pants down the side to the bottom of your heal. There should be very little brake to none (I like none) the hem should shiver on the top of the shoe, NOT puddle. Brad Pitt's puddled, Tom Cruise and P. Diddy, each had breaks, but constrained by comparison.Your SHIRT Your white tux shirt should be measured from the middle of the base of the neck, across the shoulder and down the arm about an inch below the wrist. For around the neck you should be able to put no more than two fingers between the tape measure and your neck. There should be very little blousing around the torso or excess shirttails. The fit should be comfortable and clean. Minimizing the tuck in tails and blousing, minimizes the bulk tucked in to your trouser and under your jacket. Your shirt collar style is up to you, "lay down" and "wing tip" are the most common. As for the color, white should be the only color you consider. James Bond always wore a crisp white shirt. Your TIE OR BOWTIE Decide between a bow tie and traditional tie. Pay attention to match to the jacket lapel, if in satin especially. The satin sheen can vary, be insistent, don't let the salesperson hand you one willy-nilly, this is YOUR investment. Your SHOE We know if you rent a tux, they give the shoes to wear, but those can be spotted a mile away and probably feel as if they have been worn a million more. If you are investing in a tuxedo, then go the extra mile and purchase your own formal shoes. Any fine department store, such as Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus, Nordstom or Bloomingdale's will be able to assist in selecting the proper one. Tie or slip-on, it is totally up to you. Tom Ford, Salvatore Ferragamo, Gucci, Ted Baker and so many more are available to choose from... have a little fun! This is a valuable set to have in your closet, take extra care to store on cedar hangers, covered in a heavy cotton garment bag after dry-cleaning. This will ensure your suit will breath, not get musty or stale and the moths will not make a snack out them. To read "The 2012 Academy Awards Red Carpet - Here We Go Again" by Jackie Streiker in it's entirety go here http://robertballew.com/2012/02/the-2012-academy-awards-red-carpet-here-we-go-again/