Somewhere along the line, a tuxedo went from being the most majestic piece in a man’s wardrobe to something that he had to wear. As in, “Yeah, dude, I gotta wear a tux to this wedding next weekend.” You know what? Quit your carping. The fact is, you’ll never look better, more manly—more gentlemanly—than in a tuxedo said Will Welch for GQ. According to GQ, when picking your tux, start with the basics.

The Basic: Such as the classic, timeless black tux, white shirt, black bow tie (yes, bow tie—they’re back in a big way). There’s nothing quirky or dangerous about this outfit, and that’s okay. Opting for a classic doesn’t make you a square; it makes you a gentleman.

Keep It Slim: At some point in the evening, you’re going to toss the jacket. Make sure you’re wearing a slim-fit shirt that won’t blouse out pirate-style by the time you’re leading “Livin’ on a Prayer” choruses.

Go Blue:
A midnight blue tux strikes an alternative but still classic note. Generally, wear one with a white shirt and black tie. Unless you want to look all…Grammy Awards, in which case you can do like Brandon and go for a black formalwear shirt, open at the collar. Look for other versions by Calvin Klein, Tommy Hilfiger, Neil Barrett, and D&G.

Know Your Lapels: Notch
When in doubt, go with a notch lapel. Less of a statement than a shawl or a peak, it essentially mimics a conventional suit jacket and looks right on just about anyone.

Rock the Velvet
Note: velvet jacket—not suit. Like a midnight blue tux, velvet adds flair to your formalwear. Black is your safest option, but if you’re not afraid to play it up, look for one in bottle green, burgundy, or navy. Just keep the rest of the outfit simple, from the pants to the shirt to the tie.

Know Your Lapels: Peak
The original tuxedo, which debuted in 1886 in Tuxedo Park, New York, featured a peak lapel. Wear with pride.

Master the White Dinner Jacket:
The white dinner jacket—worn always with black tux pants—is part Old Hollywood (Bogart), part rocker (André 3000). Although not exclusively for summer, it’s best worn from March to October—or whenever they’re serving mint juleps.

Know Your Lapels: Shawl Collar
It had its heyday in the ’50s, worn most famously by James Dean, but it has surged back into fashion of late. Just be sure to keep the collar on the slim side.

One Tux, Two Ways
The Clark Gables and Cary Grants of the world would scoff, but the long tie has—for better or worse—become part of the formalwear canon. Just make sure it syncs up with the width and material of your lapels. So, satin lapel, satin tie.

Did you know there was so much to buying a tux? I didn’t! But, that’s what I’m here for; to advise you on these little things in life. Below are some of the tux pictures from GQ and the model certainly looks handsome and more importantly confident in his tux which is most definitely what you want.

Well, what do you think about this? Was this helpful information? You know how much I love to hear from you.

Happy shopping,

Violaine

All photo credits to Paola Kudacki

Giddy about Converse,

Violaine Diogene

The Half Windsor Knot, is a modest version of the Windsor Knot. It’s a symmetrical and triangular tie knot that you can use with any dress shirt. It works best with somewhat wider neckties made from light to medium fabrics. You can use this particular knot for a formal rehearsal dinner if you were to wear a tie.

The instructions for tying a half-Windsor knot (way 1) are shown below courtesy of  Totieatie.com. We assume that you are right-handed in the following instructions. The figures below are mirror images. They are what you will see if you stand in front of a mirror. If you would like to see a video instruction instead, please click here.

I hope these series are helping you and if they’re not you know you can just send me an email letting me know your thoughts.

 With you in mind,

Violaine Diogene

1. At the beginning, the wide end of the tie should be on your right side and the other end should be on your left side.

2. Cross the wide end over the other end. Now three regions are formed (Left, Right and Center).

3. Bring the wide end underneath the narrow end from Left to Right.

4. Bring the wide end over to the Center region.

5. Bring the wide end under the knot to the Left region.

6. Bring the wide end out of the shirt from Left to Right.

7. Bring the wide end under the knot to the Center region.

8. Bring the wide end down and pass the loop in front. Ensure that the knot is tightened.

9. Use one hand to pull the narrow end down gently and use the other hand to move the knot up until it reaches the center of the collar.

A few years ago, I learned how to tie a tie at A Macy’s in downtown Boston (I really wanted to impress my husband) and to my surprise, it was much more difficult than I ever imagined but once I learned, it was actually much easier than I had ever imagined. Now, I know this might sound odd, but the type of tie, color of the tie, and type of knot you use on a tie all can convey into a certain meaning. Try to keep up; Take the Windsor knot for example. The Windsor knot is a knot that exudes confidence and power due to its wide, triangular shape. Falsely named after the Duke of Windsor, the Windsor knot (also known as the full Windsor or double Windsor) is usually worn for formal occasions. This type of knot looks best worn with a shirt collar that is considerably cut-away.

I’ve included some very detailed instructions as well a video for you to learn this very important skill at your own pace. Next week, we’ll look into tying a different knot. I hope buy now it’s evident that I want to hear from you. I love to hear your thoughts on my post. I hope I’ve inspired you and challenged your minds in the past few months.

Always hoping to inspire you,

Violaine Diogene

Step 1: Lift up the collar of your shirt, put the tie around your neck so the wide end hangs down on the side of your dominant hand.

Step 2: Cross he wide end over the front of the thin end a few inches below your neck.

Step 3: Slip the wide end up through the back of the V-shape made by the two ends, pulling it out toward your non-dominant hand.

Step 4: Wrap the wide end around the knot and slip it up through the back of the V-shape made by the knot.

Step 5: Tuck the wide end into the front loop of the knot.

Step 6: Tug on the wide and thin ends gently from below the knot until the knot is tight.

Step 7: Hod the thin end with your non-dominant hand and slide the knot up to your neck with your hand.

Step 8: Flip your collar down and get going.

I know I’ve said this before, but I love Etsy and everything on that site. How amazing are these ties? These ties were designed by Cyberoptix TieLab and upon your visit to Etsy, you’ll soon notice the extensive colors and designs available to your fiancé and his fellow groomsmen, and yes, they have some of the same ties available for the ring bearers and junior ushers. I love the creativity in the ties; I love the array of colors available from the very simple silver to the very bold burnt orange and fuchsia. And the fact that these ties are very affordable ranging from $30 for a set of 3-4 ties to $200 for a set of 5-7 ties will really please majority of brides and grooms.

Below are my two favorite collections available on Etsy. The first tie (according to the description on Etsy) is an original illustration adapted from a client’s custom wedding stationery. Mehndi designs are traditionally comprised of floral and teardrop elements and symbolize both luck and prosperity in weddings or any special occasion. The quintessential paisley motif originates from Persia and India. The tie is made of a soft microfiber, having almost the same hand as real silk and is printed with high-quality, non-toxic, waterbased ink. And because I love anything Indian, I fell head over heels for these. My second favorite is Poppy silkscreened microfiber necktie which is a symbol of wartime remembrance; poppies are used as emblems on tombstones to symbolize eternal sleep. The opium poppy was cultivated in lower Mesopotamia as long ago as 3400 BCE. And the fact that these ties comes in pink, yellow, brown and blue really tickled my soul. What’s not to love? You know the rules, let me know your thoughts on the ties. What’s your fiancé like? If you had to pick one to these ties for him, which would you pick? If you have pictures of your fiancé in his formal wear or a picture of his tie, send me a picture and we’ll discuss it.

Love all things weddings!

Violaine Diogene