A tuxedo is the most specific garment in men's fashion. The variables are narrower than in a business suit, the traditions are more clearly defined, and the consequence of getting it wrong is more visible — because everyone else in the room is wearing the same thing. This guide covers the meaningful decisions: lapel style, button configuration, fabric, and what each choice says about the man wearing it.
The Anatomy of a Tuxedo
A tuxedo is a dinner suit — the American term for what the British call a dinner jacket. It is distinguished from a business suit by three features: satin or grosgrain facing on the lapels, matching buttons (also covered in satin or grosgrain), and a satin or grosgrain stripe down the outside seam of each trouser leg.
Everything else — the lapel shape, the button count, the silhouette, the color — is a variable that the well-dressed man gets to decide.
Lapel Style: The Most Important Decision
Shawl Lapel
A continuous curved lapel with no break at the collar, flowing from collar to the button in a smooth arc. It is the most traditionally formal tuxedo lapel, associated with elegance over authority.
When to choose it: Any formal occasion. It is the safest and most versatile tuxedo lapel. A single-breasted shawl lapel tuxedo is correct for any black tie event, in any season, at any age. If you're buying one tuxedo, this is the lapel style.
What it says: Classically elegant. Understated. Sure of itself.
Peak Lapel
Pointed upward toward the shoulder, with a V-shaped opening where it meets the collar. The peak lapel originates in the tailcoat and was brought into the dinner jacket as a more assertive alternative to the shawl.
When to choose it: Any formal occasion, but particularly effective on double-breasted tuxedos and for men with a broader build. The upward angle of the peak lapel creates a strong visual line that is particularly flattering on taller men.
What it says: Confident. Structured. More personality than a shawl lapel.
Notch Lapel
A standard notch — the lapel most common on business suits, with a V-notch where the collar meets the lapel. Technically a valid tuxedo configuration, and common on rental tuxedos.
When to choose it: When the other options aren't available. The notch lapel lacks the formality of shawl or peak and is the least traditional choice. It works, but it makes no statement.
Button Configuration
One Button, Single-Breasted
The classic black tie configuration. The single button sits at the natural waist, keeping the jacket open at the chest and creating the longest visual line. Works with both shawl and peak lapels.
Who it works for: Almost everyone. The single button is the default for good reason — it is proportional, it opens the shirt front, and it allows the bow tie to anchor the look effectively.
Two Button, Single-Breasted
Less traditional than one-button and less commonly seen at formal events. A two-button tuxedo jacket closes higher and creates a slightly different silhouette.
Who it works for: Generally, shorter men may find the higher closure flattering. It's a less traditional configuration.
Double-Breasted
Closed across the front with two parallel rows of buttons, typically with four to show and two to button (4×2). Wears fully buttoned.
When to choose it: When you want authority. The double-breasted tuxedo is a strong choice for men who are comfortable occupying space — it reads as confident and commanding rather than elegant and receding. With a peak lapel, it is the most assertive formal evening configuration possible.
What it says: Deliberate. Formal. Not for the uncertain.
Color
Black
The default. Works at every formal event, reads correctly under all lighting conditions, is never questioned. For a first tuxedo, black is the safe and correct choice.
Midnight Navy
A very deep navy that reads as richer and more interesting than black under artificial evening lighting. When a room full of people is wearing black tuxedos, midnight navy stands out without shouting. It is the more sophisticated choice for someone who knows exactly what they're doing.
At Vestium NY, midnight navy in Holland & Sherry Super 120s is our most requested tuxedo configuration.
White Dinner Jacket
Not a year-round option, but for summer, tropical, and outdoor events, the white dinner jacket with black tuxedo trousers is one of the most striking things a man can wear to a formal event. Holland & Sherry produces a proper summer formal cloth for this purpose.
Fabric: Why It Matters More Than You Think
The fabric of a tuxedo is visible in a way that the fabric of a business suit is not. The lapels are faced in satin or grosgrain specifically because formal evening events happen under artificial light — the sheen catches the light and creates the distinctive formal silhouette.
The outer cloth matters equally. A tuxedo in Holland & Sherry's midnight navy Super 120s has a surface quality that is visible from across a room. It absorbs light slightly differently. It drapes with a weight that moves as the wearer moves. A tuxedo in commercial fabric produces a flat, textureless surface that reads as mass-produced.
The Made-to-Order Tuxedo
The tuxedo is the garment where the difference between made-to-order and rental is most apparent. Because a tuxedo is worn at the most photographed events of a person's life — weddings, galas, film premieres — the quality of fit is permanently on record.
A Vestium NY tuxedo is built to your measurements in Holland & Sherry or CARNET fabric, with proper canvas construction and the lapel style and configuration you chose. It will fit you correctly in every photograph taken in it, for decades.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I choose shawl or peak lapel for my tuxedo?
For a single tuxedo that works everywhere, shawl lapel is the safer choice. For a man who wants more personality and is comfortable with a stronger visual statement, peak lapel is excellent. Double-breasted tuxedos are almost always better in peak lapel.
What is the difference between a cummerbund and a waistcoat?
Both cover the trouser waistband where the jacket opens at the front. A waistcoat (vest) is generally considered more formal and elegant. A cummerbund is a pleated silk band. Both are correct; the waistcoat is more common today.
How long does a tuxedo from Vestium NY take?
The standard lead time is 4–6 weeks. For events where the timing is important — a wedding, a major gala — we recommend beginning 8 weeks out.
What is the best tuxedo for a first-time buyer?
Single-breasted, shawl or peak lapel, in midnight navy or black. Holland & Sherry Super 120s in midnight navy is our most recommended starting point. It works for everything and will look correct in photographs forty years from now.
Can a tuxedo be worn for business occasions?
No. A tuxedo is an evening garment, appropriate from approximately 7pm at formal events. Wearing a tuxedo jacket as a blazer, or to a business context, is an error.
Work with Vestium NY. Vestium NY makes bespoke tuxedos to order in New York — shawl lapel, peak lapel, single or double-breasted, in midnight navy or black Holland & Sherry or CARNET.