It is officially party season and Elysium Magazine spoke to T.M.Lewin’s Creative Director John Francomb to get some expert tips for your tux. Read on to find out what John recommended to ensure the discerning gent looks the part this Christmas.
When shopping for a dinner suit, there are two main points to remember. First, keep it simple and second, always buy the best quality you can afford.
You may only wear it a couple of times a year but a good dinner suit should last you a decade or more. Quite simply it’s one of the best sartorial investments you’ll make, so buy wisely. First thing to check is the quality of the fabric – it’s what makes all the difference between a standard suit and a really great one.
Stick to something classic rather than cutting-edge fashion – it will not date so quickly. Black tie is a tradition and while you can personalise your look with the right pocket square or the way you tie your bow tie, this is not the time to try and stand out with anything too flashy or garish. Leave the novelty socks at home and always wear a white shirt.
Fit is everything – even the best quality suit won’t cut it unless it fits to perfection. Go and get measured up in store by someone who knows what they are doing.
A single breasted jacket is the failsafe style option and opt for a button-one style which is very flattering. The perfect fitting jacket collar should sit flat around the back of the neck and when you extend your arms forward, each sleeve should sit just at the top of each wrist.
Flat front trousers work best but belts are a big no-go – if you can buy trousers with side-adjusters rather than belt loops so much the better. Make sure your trousers fit perfectly or keep trousers in place and hanging perfectly with a pair of braces. Black, no bright colours, please.
As a general guide, the bottom of your dinner suit trousers should ideally sit with the hem just breaking on the front of your shoe – get your tailor to hem them at an angle for a cleaner finish and turn-ups are best avoided.
In recent years the evening wear rules have relaxed somewhat, with some people preferring to ditch the classic black tie altogether. In this case, swap your dress shirt for a crisp white shirt – a pin through collar works well – and replace your traditional bow with a skinny black tie.
A velvet jacket can work well – but the full velvet suit look definitely needs a big personality to carry it off. And Daniel Craig revived the trend for midnight blue tux trend when he wore one in Skyfall. Be aware that midnight blue looks blacker than black in low lighting but when the lights come up it really does look quite blue.
On a final note – it’s worth remembering that a White DJ is generally and arguably best reserved for a black-tie do on board ship.
So what do you think of John’s tux tips? Let us know by commenting below or sending us a Tweet.
For more information on T.M Lewin’s SS14 Collection visit: www.tmlewin.co.uk
