The classic tuxedo for grooms can be described many ways. Subdued, serious, masculine, black, perhaps white… or not. Tuxedos come in many colors, from purple to red to green to blue. The colored tuxedo is an unusual choice and perhaps not the best one.
Note that the tuxedo pictured above — from Band Of Outsiders, Inc. — is not representative of all colored tuxedos. And of course, as in this photo, a too-short jacket and too-short pants will make you look like an ass no matter what color your tuxedo is. Oh, and if you do go for a colored tux, choose your cut and hue very carefully lest you end up looking like a pimp or a waiter or a member of a barber shop quartet or one of those fellows who wear fezzes and drive around in tiny little cars.
I’m leaning toward hate on this one, except in the case of the quirkiest, most outrageous weddings. To put it another way, a colored tuxedo could be amazing at the right wedding. A wedding that goes all the way and then some, maybe. But at a traditional wedding? No, thanks!
What say you?
I say beware the colored tux, as it can make your wedding photos look very dated!
My parents were married in th 70s, and my dad’s powder blue tux with the ruffled shirt, though the height of fashion at the time, makes me giggle whenever I see the wedding photos.
Or maybe it’s just the matching powder blue yarmulke perched on top of his giant blond ‘fro? He was one hip dude!
Sarah, that is one wedding photo I’d like to see!
That particular tux just screams “hipster wedding,” which is fine if you are actually a hipster, but I agree with Sarah that it will seriously date your wedding photos. And I really can’t wait for all of those hipsters to look back at their photos in horror, 20 years from now.
My husband threatened to rock a powder blue tux (for a March 2009 wedding, mind you!), but ultimately went with the classic black. Which made everyone involved much happier, especially the photographer and my mother-in-law!
The tux pictured above is tragic. But David Tennant’s burgundy velvet tux is an exquisite example of colored tuxes done well. It doesn’t hurt that he’s lovely, but the suit is also cut nicely and looks elegant rather than dated.
See him here: http://media.photobucket.com/image/david%20tennant%20velvet/faerie_queen/picspammychallenge10/dt09.jpg
I actually have no problem with colour. I have no problem with velvet. I have no problem with coloured velvet.
I DO have a problem with the above photo, because the man in it looks like a horse’s patoot, since he is apparently wearing his little nephew’s bar mitzvah outfit to his wedding.
Wear clothes that fit, guys. If they are too small, you look like a complete doof. If they are too big for you (T-shirts that reach your knees), you look like a moron.
Christopher Robin needs to change his clothes and put on some socks.
coooool! the only colour I dont like for men is white!
Everyone who hasn’t gone to see the photo Diane linked of David Tennant needs to go see it right now. David shows us how it’s done. Great cut, excellent fit, flattering color.
I’ve always been saddened at the thought that men get so few choices of color for formalwear. Basically, they get black and a few brave souls get white. That’s it. Men have skintones, too, you know. Some of them look better in blue or purple or maroon or olive green than they do in black or white.
Mr. Twistie happens to rock black like nobody’s business and he loves wearing it, but I feel for the guys who don’t get the chance to wear colors they look great in because society has determined that wearing anything but black (or perhaps, in certain circumstances, a bit of white) means they aren’t really men.
David, I hope other men take a page out of your sartorial book!
The dude NtB submitted for our approval/abject horror, however, has shown us How To Do It All Wrong.
Diane, that photo totally made my day!
Love – especially jewel colours, like bottle green and ruby. But then, the powder blue tux with ruffles sounds great to me, why not eh? Something to giggle over in years to come.
I don’t mind giggles later, either! 🙂 But I HATE the way the options are so stripped for men. My husband really wanted something, anything other than black but there was nothing but black, slightly blueish black and grey suits in the shops. When we’d ask a salesperson for something not black they’d give us pin stripes!!! Talk about pimp. We live in the 2nd or 3rd largest city in our frigg*n country and all I found was one horrible white rental tux and one decent but ridiculously expensive one in black brocade.
In the end I bought him a bright green and a dark purple shirt (had to go to the capital for those!) to choose from in stead of white and it gave him some colour. He does look great in the fitted black Tiger of Sweden <3 suit we got and he can use it again and again, but why wouldn't a groom wear a smashing, fun, brilliantly coloured number once in a lifetime, just like the bride? Who cares how dated it might look later, the picture was taken on a certain DATE which is probably written on the album cover.
The guys in our party had chocolate brown pin striped tuxes for our fall wedding. Each guy wore a different color vest (wine, copper, truffle, and ivory) it ended up being unique but not something that will look dated in a few years (I hope).
I agree that color can be fantastic if done right. I found some great colored tuxedos that were super fun and classy at http://www.brightcoloredtuxedos.com