Therein is the problem. "Tuxedo event." People have decided that dinner suits are to be worn only for specific occasions, for example a gala. A dinner suit is a dinner suit worn in the evening. You eat supper daily, don't you? Evenings happen still. There was one yesterday. There is one tonight. There will be one tomorrow. Now, I'm not saying one needs to wear a dinner suit daily, but you could certainly wear it going to a fine restaurant, to a posh club, etc. Men need to make their own events rather waiting for the invite.
I feel rentals are a big reason why dressing up has come out of fashion, at least in the US. The quality in both look and feel are so bad that most men think suits are uncomfortable and don't give them their best look. GG is out here trying to set that straight and get men looking their best.
I worked at a Men’s Wearhouse for about a month. I didn’t realize how low-quality their clothes were until I saw a corduroy suit coat that was originally $250 go on clearance for $18. The amount of unsatisfied customers I saw in my month there was outrageous. People would come in to pick up a suit that they had tailored for their wedding THAT DAY, they would try it on, and it would look like absolute garbage. I bought 2 ties from MW with my 55% off discount. After one wear, the keepers on both the ties ripped. Keep in mind, these ties cost $70+ originally. Terrible I quit after a month because I couldn’t morally handle the low quality that I was selling.
I agree. I was at Jos Bank. I will say if you want to shop there do custom or mtm since it will be better fitting. Yes it is still fuzed. I also quit because of overhyping they horrible quality, and being told I talk to much and constantly told to do better in a sale. The thing is I talked about their personal life to make it seem like I am more than just a salesman and that I genuinely care about the customer so they can return and make the quotas each quarter. Honestly if it weren’t for the employee discounts I’d avoid them and go somewhere with better quality
My dad never let me rent. He said a gentleman should always have a tuxedo. Renting one two or three times would be enough to buy a decent one of your own. I've had a tux in the closet since I was a teenager.
Thanks for your input, Bruno! As these two-presenter videos are a new format for us, we're still experimenting with our lavalier microphones to determine the best sound quality. We'll keep at it! - Preston
I used Men's Wearhouse for my sister's wedding. I would never use them again way overpriced for the garbage they give. They also messed up several times and we barely got the suit we had to pick it up the day of the wedding. It's not like we were doing it over the internet we were at the place they saw me they measured me and they STILL messed up numerous times. I'd rather go thrift shopping for a suit and get it tailored not only would it be cheaper it would more than likely be much higher quality. I would stay far away from Men's Wearhouse!
Worked at JOS Bank which is owned by MW. If you don’t do custom/mtm then the off the rack suit fit is horrible. The quality isn’t the best and they charge for tailoring which is fine. But you shouldn’t have to spend nearly $50 on a suit that should fit properly. I quit because I was miserable, never could sell properly according to management. Talked to the customers like a friend and asked questions to get a feel for how they dress or what they wear while making it seem like I’m having a conversation about their life. To me a good salesman doesn’t just sit back, they transition subjects and talk about personal life to be more than just a salesman. I was trained to not care and to just sell sell sell.
I found this quite helpful. I bought my tuxedo second hand. It was made by Yves St. Laurent. This discussion really helped to clarify why it is a quality product. Thank you.
I actually used black tux for a friends wedding and went into one of the showrooms to be fitted and have everything sent to me and was really happy with it. I was in the wedding party and had many compliments on what I had worn for the wedding. I will say I know my body definitely has it's sizing hurdles but I felt like they were met rather well.
My problem is that there are no black tie events in my life. I went to a works Christmas party in my dinner jacket, but I was the only man in a DJ. The ladies looked spectacular, the men were in jeans and un-tucked shirts. M.
Here is a reason to buy your tux for your wedding even if you know it's the only time in your life you will wear it. It will become a keepsake to your wife, like her wedding dress and you can pass it down to your son (or son in law to be) for his wedding if hes close enough in size to have it tailored for him, or since it's very good fabric you can have it cut down into a first communion suit for your son the same way some ladies have their wedding dresses cut down into christening gowns for their babies. It may even be worn by a grandson one day, the way my father in law's was tailored and worn by my grown son. It was a traditional, regular tuxedo that stays in style the same way all traditional classic clothes stay in style for men and for women.
I'd never rent a tuxedo. I am fortunate enough that my grandfather was around my height in his prime and his old tuxedo fit me very well. It was well made and only needed a few adjustments for me. My father also can't order from them. His right arm is three inches shorter than his left from a broken arm he had when he went through his growth spurt.
I used the Black Tux for my wedding. It was a reasonable price and it looked really good. Super easy and customer service was amazing. They make sure you order in advance and will alter/send you a different size if it doesnt fit well. I would recommend them.
I work at a local men’s store that does rentals and you are 100% right with the sleeves not having buttons. If something is too long or short it can be fixed at the store in 20 minutes using a blind stitch machine or hand sewn.
I work at Jos A Bank, and we’re both owned by Tailored Brands. From what I understand over there they have the same rentals as us, so it’s nice for the price. But I’ll still always say buy over renting if there’s even a 1% chance you’ll wear it twice within 5 years (with the except of 15-21 year olds. Not worth the risk of a surprise growth spurt).
Justin Helms How do you like the quality of Jos A Bank suits?? I know they go on sale a lot but some of them seem nice. I just got a Signature Gold suit secondhand and I can't figure out what the material is!
Maxwell Erickson Full disclosure, the only suit I owned prior to starting at Jos A Bank was a $100 JCPenny suit, so I don’t have anything super high end to compare to. But, I love the custom suits. I own 2 Custom Express which feel pretty comfortable, a 1905 custom 3-piece which I love, and a 1905 sport coat which feels really comfortable. I haven’t tried the Reserve, Traveler, or Signature lines because I’ve been trying to mostly expand my closet with good quality & I’ll get the nice stuff on occasion later, so I can’t really say how they feel first-hand. All that said, I have had several life-long customers come in, and even a few second or third generation life-long customers come in saying it’s about the best value out there. Brooks Brothers, from what I’ve been told by customers and coworkers, is *slightly* higher quality but much much higher prices, and Men’s Warehouse is only a little cheaper but not near the quality. Again, I haven’t purchased either brand myself so I can’t speak from personal experience. As for dress shirts and pants, Traveler is the best choice, unless you want the added comfort of the Reserve materials (like Egyptian Cotton).
My High school chorus wanted us to be measured by menswear house for tuxedos knowing the tuxedo was cheaper cause of the school discount I said to my teacher that I’ll buy a vintage garment so I can get the proper details the worst thing in the world in my mind is a tuxedo jacket with a notched lapel
I believe that side vents on modern tuxedos is also a result of companies reusing suit patterns to save money, rather than making an entirely new ventless pattern.
Bought a tuxedo for wind ensemble in high school and have worn it 10-15 times in the three years since. Had it tailored and have saved hundreds compared to others who rented for every prom, concert, formal, and wedding
I was the best man at my friends wedding and we rented midnight blue tux’s from the Black Tux. I wasn’t happy with it. Bought my own and got it tailored. I’m going to law school next fall so I hope I’ll get a chance to use it for a black tie event. 😅 love your videos!
I purchased a black tux from MW. It took a few fittings but at the event the tux held its own with any other tux. The event was at the Blackstone Hotel in Chicago and filled with people who knew their formal wear. I am happy with the tux and know that I will only wear it a few times. I would never rent a tux from anyone just for hygienic reasons alone.
I just bought my 16 year old son his first tuxedo. I was able to find one that was a perfect fit for him. Also, it wasn’t much more to buy it than it would have been to rent one. Best of all, he will have it whenever he needs it for any formal occasion.
I'd take a double/side vent dinner jacket any day. Some people have a seat which is simply too large to make the ventless jacket work, such as myself. I agree though, it is not meant to be a suit jacket so if I ever buy one, I will get one which is as loyal to original dinner jacket design as possible.
Oh Preston I was in a drinking establishment when I heard you utter the words "It's the worst of both worlds". I tried hide my hysterical laughter with a tissue, but my stomach pains gave way to my laughter. I just couldn't hold it in any longer.
I rented a tux for a potential son-in-law. He looked great in it. If he had been an actual son-in-law, I would have bought him a tux. My advice is if you have any chance of wearing a tux more than once in your entire life, buy a 100% wool tux, and get it altered as required. However: if you are a skinny kid going to the prom, you are likely to gain weight over the rest of your life; in which case just rent one. And if you need to shop secondhand, you have my blessing. For decades I had a used double-breasted tux, but eventually outgrew it. Given the tradition of tuxedos, wearing a used tux can have a certain appeal, as it has an existential (if unknown) history that a new one lacks. And this is a very personal opinion, but the current generation of short-jacket-low-waist-tight-pants tuxes/suits/ dresswear are 100% aesthetic trash. Avoid them at all costs.
BlackTux also does refunds for alterations. This may be new since this video, but we had to make a few adjustments on a few guys Tuxs before the wedding. BlackTux told us they would overnight a new jacket for a few of the guys at no charge and we could keep then and ship them all back after. Or we could get them adjusted ourselves and altered and save our receipts. We opted to get them adjusted ourselves. Upon returning the Tuxs they issued a refund for the adjustments in the full amounts to us from the receipts. It was extremely nice, fast and their customer service was genuinely caring and helpful. They worked with us on every aspect and made the whole process very simple. Two of the guys actually decided on the rent to keep option since they liked the Tuxs so well. I believe that BlackTux offers the buying option only on certain terms and conditions depending on stock. But over all, if I had to rent a Tux again I would go BlackTux hands down.
Thank you for the unbiased review and advice. I love your videos and try to turn other men onto your channel when they approach me about menswear. This video will definitely be one of those that I share with them.
If you're in the Baltimore area I'd suggest Tuxedo House. I'd give them 3.5/5 stars. My complaints were the breathability of the fabric, the fact that the tuxedo pants didn't have the silk stripe, and that I had to change the pant/coat length when I picked up my tux. My brother wanted a charcoal tuxedo with a mauve (lavendar) bowtie and they were able to suit his very specific needs. The fit was excellent in the end.
Sven's trousers?!?! Could you imagine having to go to your own wedding or award ceremony with trousers 4" too short? Dreadful quality control at Men's Warehouse.
I am a long time fan of this channel. I did indeed enjoy this video and its unique presentation. The subject matter as well was different than usual. That is meant as a sincere compliment. However, as the votes are now in, I will be moving on as the format goes from the usual 15 to 20 minute upbeat informational setting to a 30 minute discussion. Take care Gentleman. I have enjoyed much of what you've done in the past.
I worked at a brick and mortar mens dress clothes place called JOS A Bank. Wish I hadn’t spent as much as I did on their stuff. But what I got from it is yes a tux is great if you purchase and makes sense to purchase. However, if the groom says to rent you have to rent as part of the package. I’d rather own a tux than rent due to better fit.
no matter how bad the quality might be, or how much it deviates from classic formalwear, @ 7:31, the way the tuxedo fits Preston, is better than anything else I have seen on him (i.e. jackets that are 2-3 sizes too big or pants flopping around). ofc, the jacket here is a bit long and there is room for tailoring the sides, but the way it lays on his frame is decent when he stands in a neutral stance.
As someone who worked at menswearhouse for a brief time can confirm our rentals were never great. In all fairness they are mostly geared towards weddings where they want everyone to look identical(which I hate) and high school kids getting ready for prom. But I use to always recommend having everyone buy there own rather than rent. Also you can find good quality things there to buy if you know what you are looking for. Ive gotten most of my suits custom done there as well and im very happy with them.
Love the content Preston and Raphael! I've been wanting to branch out from just jeans and shirts and your videos are truly helpful with elegance and class. Rebuilding my wardrobe slowly piece by piece planning on getting some chinos and cardigans next. Never owned a Tuxedo but perhaps that will change in the future we'll see.
Can we discuss how much nicer faille (grosgrain) is for lapels and other detailing than satin? I feel like it's a much, much, much more elegant choice, at any price point.
I know very little about tuxedos and suits. Videos like this are super helpful and interesting. The few suits i've worn in my life have always been uncomfortable and I just assumed that's how suits are lol.
Would you do a Christmas special of somekind, like dress code for a formal or informal gathering, drinks etc, I know you have videos about champagne and formal dress code, but I´d love to see something special for the Holidays, thank you in advanced anyways , I´m in love with your channel!
Quick correction, The Black Tux Tuxedo Jacket is Fully Canvassed, so quite literally the opposite of glued/fused... love the video but feel like Sven goes in to this with his mind already made up and not neutral.
dark blues and blacks don't look all that great in my opinion. i am referring to preston's tux. and raphael, you agree with this point. it doesn't have to be dark blue. anything that is super dark and is adjacent to the colour black looks a bit off. it may not necessarily be a mistake, but some ppl are okay with that colour combination and a small group aren't.
Could you guys do a review on Indochino? Maybe 1 suit per 3 gentlemen? Its an intriguing offer but i dont know if its worth the pursuit. Thankyou! Love the video!
Your videos are really amazing and I‘d like to share a thought about a new video idea. Sadly I‘m not able to write down this thoughts in the English language, but as Sven has grown up in Germany I hope the following will be understood. Können Sie und Ihr Team ein Video über die verschiedenen Arten des Küssens machen? Vom Handkuss über den Kuss auf die Stirn oder in den Nacken bis hin zum Zungenkuss, und welcher Kuss in welchen Situationen angebracht oder erwartet ist. Wann ist es beispielsweise gestattet einer Dame einen Handkuss zu geben und wie unterscheidet es sich zwischen wirklich ausgeführtem und angedeutetem Kuss. Ist es von Nöten jemandem, Adlig beziehungsweise „normalen“, den Siegelring zu küssen oder gilt dies nur für den Papst und Bischöfe/Kardinäle. Thank you for your videos and I hope everything was understandable and is eventually the topic of a new video.
I'll take very respectful exception to the statement you can "just sell" a suit you own after using it, should you need to. _Yes_ ... you can, but only for a fraction of its original price. It's hardly even worth selling, 99 times out of 100, and the only reason I'd give them away is if they no longer fit, were damaged, or I just no longer had the space to store 'em...
My Brooks Brother's tuxedo jacket came with a double vent. The jacket is great quality, it has a peak lapel, pick stitching, and overall a very quality jacket. But I'm not a fan of having to pay my tailor to close the vent. 4 out of 5 stars on the Tux.
As a formal wear store owner I prove quality is all that matters, High quality $850-$1200 Tuxedos are amazing but no one really wants to pay that much for a one night event, that’s why rentals always are the easiest choice for less than $200 and you are content and happy without the higher cost. there is a lot of bad quality or old dated Tuxedos out there but I pride myself in offering high end quality Tuxedos made to measure for each individual. As for a customer I can say focus on the quality and if you pay less than $400 for a tuxedo purchase please question its quality.
You had to have known going in to this that the quality was going to just horrible, whichever service you chose. Why not instead do a video on purchase tuxedos at 3 different price points $750-1,000, $500-750, $250-500, $250 and lower, if such an item is available. Much more relevant information , IMHO. Love your work
Also aren’t the lapels of the one Raphael is wearing a little on the slim side? I have the same problem on the tuxedo I just bought, I think the modern fashion is to make very constricted lapels…
I used to work for jos a bank which uses the same rentals as mw and that CK is the worst fitting of the tuxs they have. If you go to the store they typically do better on fit but the tux fitters at mw are usually high school or college kids who dont care. Go to banks same stuff but older staff who care a little more on average.
Hello, my name is Alex and I watched a video where you guys sad that a well dressed man should always were a nice leather backpack / bag. I want to buy myself a good looking bag and so I wondered if you could make a video on what Typs of bags I should stick to and what looks good. PS I love your videos and I like them to watch when I have time. I can just relax and learn sth new. Please make make more good constant like this in the future. Alex
Recently I saw that Luca Rubinacci of Rubinacci does not show as much cuff as you guys most of the time call the norm. I guess this is a more classic way. What do you guys think?
Need the insight of the Gazette tribe! Anyone familiar with, or ever own a suit by the now defunct line of tuxedos and suits made by "Mani," back in the 90's? Not sure what these sold for back in the 90's. It was purchased at Neiman Marcus in Las Vegas. Found one on eBay for $200, double breasted blk tuxedo, and all the measurements magically match mine. It appears to be in stellar condition and matches all of the tux details that GG lays out in the black tie guides. Needing a tux for social events now that I am getting ready to start law school in 3 days. Wanted to avoid renting, and def wanted to build my own tux with a retro/vintage/classical feel. Thoughts? Wisdom? Lessons learned??
My only Major complaint about this review is that every company has price tiers; therefore, quality/style/fit are extremely dependent on what YOU wanted and selected. This means that you could have been comparing old, inexpensively priced tuxedos with brand new, expensively priced, higher quality tuxedos. But ofcourse, that doesn't excuse simple mistakes like wrong inseam or sleeve length...
Your videos are interesting, informative at times and I enjoy them. I would be interesting to get your take on the slightly less worn festive/formal attires, such as the frock coat, jackett, smoking and so on, the how and wen...
Smoking och black tie är samma klädkod om du inte menar rökjackan. Jackett på engelska heter morning dress eller morning wear. De ha avhandlat båda ämnerna i tidigare videor och artiklar. Frock coaten är även utdaterad och blir lätt maskerad över det hela.
As someone who has never been to an event where I've needed a tuxedo in my 50+ years, and is very short, I would just skip such an event in the future. It would be almost impossible to find something used that would fit, and it would be almost impossible to find someone to sell it to after wearing it once. For me, the cost per wear could not be justified.
4:18 Aww man don't diss Kingsman. It's supposed to be playing on James Bond tropes, so it's theatrical and like a parody in nature. But yeah, that Eggsy dinner jacket should only stay in the movie. You can buy one at Mr. Porter
Why did you get rentals online instead of going into a Men's Warehouse location? I think that's just asking for inaccuracy to happen. I've been in several weddings where we used Men's Warehouse and they have each tux in 3-4 different "tightness levels" depending on preference, you can get wider pants, slimmer pants, etc. They'll do alterations several times until you're happy. The quality of the tuxes wasn't fantastic, but for a one time event where you are required to wear a specific color/style the experience and fit was really good.
While i appreciate the sit down discussion, 50% of the frame taken by the alcohol trolly was a bit odd. It was a nice thing to have in the middle but please do not fill the frame with it.
We're having to rent tuxedos for prom, and let me say the one the school chose for every single one of the guys looks absolutely awful. 2 horn buttons, notch lapels, pre-tied bowtie, a very cheap-looking shirt with barrel cuffs, no waist covering, sewn-in trouser gallons..... My sacrilege sensors went off the charts, and would have definitely prefered to rent somewhere else where at least the basics were right.
This is great. Do u think the pant length could be because men are wearing their pants a bit lower these days? Even then, it would be pretty short, right?
They're supposed to look midnight blue, which is by far the most elegant choice. (The expression on Savile Row is that waiters wear black, gentlemen wear midnight blue.) It's basically impossible to do a true midnight blue color at a cheap price point, so they just end up looking navy. My tux is midnight blue barrathea, with black faille lapels. That's a super, super classic combination.
If you've rented a tuxedo before, what was your experience? Share with us!
- Preston
Where did Raphael buy that red velvet dinner-jacket with shawl lapels? It is awesome. You are awesome too Preston!
Gentleman's Gazette : Thank you! I’m an avid subscriber.👍🏾😎
I have never rented a tux that I wore and felt, wow, this is really nice. They always feel cheap and gaudy.
Gabriel Berki : agreed! I’ve never rented him one that looked anywhere near correct! (I’m his mother ☺️)!
@@krunoslavkovacec1842 It was custom made :)
The fact Preston is a jazz singer never ceases to amuse me. That’s one of the coolest things a person can be.
"0/5, I'd rather skip the event than show up wearing something like this."
Ruthless, Sven. I love the commitment to style.
I'm just trying to imagine a tuxedo event where I had any choice about attending.
Therein is the problem. "Tuxedo event." People have decided that dinner suits are to be worn only for specific occasions, for example a gala. A dinner suit is a dinner suit worn in the evening. You eat supper daily, don't you? Evenings happen still. There was one yesterday. There is one tonight. There will be one tomorrow. Now, I'm not saying one needs to wear a dinner suit daily, but you could certainly wear it going to a fine restaurant, to a posh club, etc. Men need to make their own events rather waiting for the invite.
I feel rentals are a big reason why dressing up has come out of fashion, at least in the US. The quality in both look and feel are so bad that most men think suits are uncomfortable and don't give them their best look. GG is out here trying to set that straight and get men looking their best.
I love this format. More videos like this please!
I agree
Absolutely agree.
I agree
I wonder what they recommend for vegans? Wool and silk are out.
I worked at a Men’s Wearhouse for about a month. I didn’t realize how low-quality their clothes were until I saw a corduroy suit coat that was originally $250 go on clearance for $18.
The amount of unsatisfied customers I saw in my month there was outrageous. People would come in to pick up a suit that they had tailored for their wedding THAT DAY, they would try it on, and it would look like absolute garbage.
I bought 2 ties from MW with my 55% off discount. After one wear, the keepers on both the ties ripped. Keep in mind, these ties cost $70+ originally. Terrible
I quit after a month because I couldn’t morally handle the low quality that I was selling.
Was in similar boat working for Jos A Bank with the rentals our in-store tailor had to fix so many rentals on short notice
P Spaghetti 70$ ties from MWs? Buy one from Turnbull & Asser instead
Gentleman's Gazette should have loved this comment.
I agree. I was at Jos Bank. I will say if you want to shop there do custom or mtm since it will be better fitting. Yes it is still fuzed. I also quit because of overhyping they horrible quality, and being told I talk to much and constantly told to do better in a sale. The thing is I talked about their personal life to make it seem like I am more than just a salesman and that I genuinely care about the customer so they can return and make the quotas each quarter. Honestly if it weren’t for the employee discounts I’d avoid them and go somewhere with better quality
ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL! Son needs a tuxedo this February; he’s just won Engineer of the year! This vlog is invaluable!👍🏾😎
Congratulations, that's wonderful.
I second that!
My dad never let me rent. He said a gentleman should always have a tuxedo. Renting one two or three times would be enough to buy a decent one of your own. I've had a tux in the closet since I was a teenager.
Preston is a jazz singer... Instantly A+ material.
also that bright orange dinner jacket is seen in the movie Kingsman: the Golden Circle.
I love the format but I’d say Raphael’s voice seems a bit muffled. Keep up the good work.
Thanks for your input, Bruno! As these two-presenter videos are a new format for us, we're still experimenting with our lavalier microphones to determine the best sound quality. We'll keep at it!
- Preston
Speaking as an employee of Men's Wearhouse... Just buy vintage on Ebay and get it tailored.
I used Men's Wearhouse for my sister's wedding. I would never use them again way overpriced for the garbage they give. They also messed up several times and we barely got the suit we had to pick it up the day of the wedding. It's not like we were doing it over the internet we were at the place they saw me they measured me and they STILL messed up numerous times. I'd rather go thrift shopping for a suit and get it tailored not only would it be cheaper it would more than likely be much higher quality. I would stay far away from Men's Wearhouse!
Same, fit was also horrendous
Worked at JOS Bank which is owned by MW. If you don’t do custom/mtm then the off the rack suit fit is horrible. The quality isn’t the best and they charge for tailoring which is fine. But you shouldn’t have to spend nearly $50 on a suit that should fit properly. I quit because I was miserable, never could sell properly according to management. Talked to the customers like a friend and asked questions to get a feel for how they dress or what they wear while making it seem like I’m having a conversation about their life. To me a good salesman doesn’t just sit back, they transition subjects and talk about personal life to be more than just a salesman. I was trained to not care and to just sell sell sell.
I wish I saw this a week ago I had the same experience with the fit and pick up
*looks at the blue suit for the old wedding photo* .... *looks at my dad's wedding photo* ..... oh dear
I found this quite helpful. I bought my tuxedo second hand. It was made by Yves St. Laurent. This discussion really helped to clarify why it is a quality product. Thank you.
I actually used black tux for a friends wedding and went into one of the showrooms to be fitted and have everything sent to me and was really happy with it. I was in the wedding party and had many compliments on what I had worn for the wedding. I will say I know my body definitely has it's sizing hurdles but I felt like they were met rather well.
This is like watching a gentleman's podcast. Please more of this!
My problem is that there are no black tie events in my life. I went to a works Christmas party in my dinner jacket, but I was the only man in a DJ. The ladies looked spectacular, the men were in jeans and un-tucked shirts. M.
Here is a reason to buy your tux for your wedding even if you know it's the only time in your life you will wear it. It will become a keepsake to your wife, like her wedding dress and you can pass it down to your son (or son in law to be) for his wedding if hes close enough in size to have it tailored for him, or since it's very good fabric you can have it cut down into a first communion suit for your son the same way some ladies have their wedding dresses cut down into christening gowns for their babies. It may even be worn by a grandson one day, the way my father in law's was tailored and worn by my grown son. It was a traditional, regular tuxedo that stays in style the same way all traditional classic clothes stay in style for men and for women.
I'd never rent a tuxedo. I am fortunate enough that my grandfather was around my height in his prime and his old tuxedo fit me very well. It was well made and only needed a few adjustments for me.
My father also can't order from them. His right arm is three inches shorter than his left from a broken arm he had when he went through his growth spurt.
I used the Black Tux for my wedding. It was a reasonable price and it looked really good. Super easy and customer service was amazing. They make sure you order in advance and will alter/send you a different size if it doesnt fit well. I would recommend them.
I had the same experience for my wedding 👌🏾
I went to a thrift shop behind a church, and I found a perfect fitting 1950's tuxedo in perfect condition for only six dollars!!!!
Similar situation with mine. 3 piece dated 1949 for 8 dollars.
I work at a local men’s store that does rentals and you are 100% right with the sleeves not having buttons. If something is too long or short it can be fixed at the store in 20 minutes using a blind stitch machine or hand sewn.
I used Men's Wearhouse just over a year ago when I got married and they did well I would use them again
Thanks for sharing, Frank! Your positive experience is an equally valid data point for our viewers.
- Preston
I work at Jos A Bank, and we’re both owned by Tailored Brands.
From what I understand over there they have the same rentals as us, so it’s nice for the price.
But I’ll still always say buy over renting if there’s even a 1% chance you’ll wear it twice within 5 years (with the except of 15-21 year olds. Not worth the risk of a surprise growth spurt).
Justin Helms How do you like the quality of Jos A Bank suits?? I know they go on sale a lot but some of them seem nice. I just got a Signature Gold suit secondhand and I can't figure out what the material is!
Maxwell Erickson
Full disclosure, the only suit I owned prior to starting at Jos A Bank was a $100 JCPenny suit, so I don’t have anything super high end to compare to.
But, I love the custom suits.
I own 2 Custom Express which feel pretty comfortable, a 1905 custom 3-piece which I love, and a 1905 sport coat which feels really comfortable.
I haven’t tried the Reserve, Traveler, or Signature lines because I’ve been trying to mostly expand my closet with good quality & I’ll get the nice stuff on occasion later, so I can’t really say how they feel first-hand.
All that said, I have had several life-long customers come in, and even a few second or third generation life-long customers come in saying it’s about the best value out there.
Brooks Brothers, from what I’ve been told by customers and coworkers, is *slightly* higher quality but much much higher prices, and Men’s Warehouse is only a little cheaper but not near the quality.
Again, I haven’t purchased either brand myself so I can’t speak from personal experience.
As for dress shirts and pants, Traveler is the best choice, unless you want the added comfort of the Reserve materials (like Egyptian Cotton).
Maxwell Erickson tldr:
I don’t have much context of other brands, but I really like how the custom 1905’s fit & feel.
I ordered from BLK Tux for my wedding; it turned out great. I got my groomsmen's from Men's Warehouse and they were almost unwearable. 🤦🏽♂️
I bought a Tuxedo from Ebay for 180.00 for my mother's Class Reunion this past August. It was a great buy.
My High school chorus wanted us to be measured by menswear house for tuxedos knowing the tuxedo was cheaper cause of the school discount I said to my teacher that I’ll buy a vintage garment so I can get the proper details the worst thing in the world in my mind is a tuxedo jacket with a notched lapel
I believe that side vents on modern tuxedos is also a result of companies reusing suit patterns to save money, rather than making an entirely new ventless pattern.
Bought a tuxedo for wind ensemble in high school and have worn it 10-15 times in the three years since. Had it tailored and have saved hundreds compared to others who rented for every prom, concert, formal, and wedding
I was the best man at my friends wedding and we rented midnight blue tux’s from the Black Tux. I wasn’t happy with it. Bought my own and got it tailored. I’m going to law school next fall so I hope I’ll get a chance to use it for a black tie event. 😅 love your videos!
I purchased a black tux from MW. It took a few fittings but at the event the tux held its own with any other tux. The event was at the Blackstone Hotel in Chicago and filled with people who knew their formal wear. I am happy with the tux and know that I will only wear it a few times. I would never rent a tux from anyone just for hygienic reasons alone.
I just bought my 16 year old son his first tuxedo. I was able to find one that was a perfect fit for him. Also, it wasn’t much more to buy it than it would have been to rent one. Best of all, he will have it whenever he needs it for any formal occasion.
I'd take a double/side vent dinner jacket any day. Some people have a seat which is simply too large to make the ventless jacket work, such as myself. I agree though, it is not meant to be a suit jacket so if I ever buy one, I will get one which is as loyal to original dinner jacket design as possible.
One of your best videos in a while
The duo videos are the best!
Great format for the back and forth of this video!
Oh Preston I was in a drinking establishment when I heard you utter the words "It's the worst of both worlds". I tried hide my hysterical laughter with a tissue, but my stomach pains gave way to my laughter. I just couldn't hold it in any longer.
I rented a tux for a potential son-in-law. He looked great in it. If he had been an actual son-in-law, I would have bought him a tux. My advice is if you have any chance of wearing a tux more than once in your entire life, buy a 100% wool tux, and get it altered as required. However: if you are a skinny kid going to the prom, you are likely to gain weight over the rest of your life; in which case just rent one. And if you need to shop secondhand, you have my blessing. For decades I had a used double-breasted tux, but eventually outgrew it. Given the tradition of tuxedos, wearing a used tux can have a certain appeal, as it has an existential (if unknown) history that a new one lacks. And this is a very personal opinion, but the current generation of short-jacket-low-waist-tight-pants tuxes/suits/ dresswear are 100% aesthetic trash. Avoid them at all costs.
BlackTux also does refunds for alterations. This may be new since this video, but we had to make a few adjustments on a few guys Tuxs before the wedding. BlackTux told us they would overnight a new jacket for a few of the guys at no charge and we could keep then and ship them all back after. Or we could get them adjusted ourselves and altered and save our receipts. We opted to get them adjusted ourselves. Upon returning the Tuxs they issued a refund for the adjustments in the full amounts to us from the receipts. It was extremely nice, fast and their customer service was genuinely caring and helpful. They worked with us on every aspect and made the whole process very simple. Two of the guys actually decided on the rent to keep option since they liked the Tuxs so well. I believe that BlackTux offers the buying option only on certain terms and conditions depending on stock. But over all, if I had to rent a Tux again I would go BlackTux hands down.
Thank you for the unbiased review and advice. I love your videos and try to turn other men onto your channel when they approach me about menswear. This video will definitely be one of those that I share with them.
If you're in the Baltimore area I'd suggest Tuxedo House. I'd give them 3.5/5 stars. My complaints were the breathability of the fabric, the fact that the tuxedo pants didn't have the silk stripe, and that I had to change the pant/coat length when I picked up my tux. My brother wanted a charcoal tuxedo with a mauve (lavendar) bowtie and they were able to suit his very specific needs. The fit was excellent in the end.
Sven's trousers?!?! Could you imagine having to go to your own wedding or award ceremony with trousers 4" too short? Dreadful quality control at Men's Warehouse.
The MW pants were hilariously short in that first shot of him standing up. Maybe they were trying to push the sexy ankle/no sock look?
I am a long time fan of this channel. I did indeed enjoy this video and its unique presentation. The subject matter as well was different than usual. That is meant as a sincere compliment. However, as the votes are now in, I will be moving on as the format goes from the usual 15 to 20 minute upbeat informational setting to a 30 minute discussion. Take care Gentleman. I have enjoyed much of what you've done in the past.
I worked at a brick and mortar mens dress clothes place called JOS A Bank. Wish I hadn’t spent as much as I did on their stuff. But what I got from it is yes a tux is great if you purchase and makes sense to purchase. However, if the groom says to rent you have to rent as part of the package. I’d rather own a tux than rent due to better fit.
Really enjoyed this format, I think it's one of your best videos.
no matter how bad the quality might be, or how much it deviates from classic formalwear, @ 7:31, the way the tuxedo fits Preston, is better than anything else I have seen on him (i.e. jackets that are 2-3 sizes too big or pants flopping around). ofc, the jacket here is a bit long and there is room for tailoring the sides, but the way it lays on his frame is decent when he stands in a neutral stance.
Seeing Raphael in such a baggy outfit is so weird for some reason
Yeah. If he had a monocle he would literally look like Penguin in that potato sack. I felt his pain through the screen.
He looks more mid-century.
PS: "It's kind of the worst of both worlds really..."
LOVING PRESTON WITH THE HANNAH MONTANA REFERENCES
As someone who worked at menswearhouse for a brief time can confirm our rentals were never great. In all fairness they are mostly geared towards weddings where they want everyone to look identical(which I hate) and high school kids getting ready for prom. But I use to always recommend having everyone buy there own rather than rent. Also you can find good quality things there to buy if you know what you are looking for. Ive gotten most of my suits custom done there as well and im very happy with them.
I really dislike the common trend of skinny lapels nowadays, especially on tuxedos
I was shocked by your ratings. Shocked. Joking aside, another great video from you guys - keep it up. And Preston, where's that concert footage?
SRS: "Especially people with a big bum, like myself"
PS: "You said it, not me."
🤣🤣🤣🤣This part sent me! Especialy since I can relate..🙃
You guys are a fantastic team, and Preston is super classy. I love his accent.
Love the content Preston and Raphael! I've been wanting to branch out from just jeans and shirts and your videos are truly helpful with elegance and class. Rebuilding my wardrobe slowly piece by piece planning on getting some chinos and cardigans next. Never owned a Tuxedo but perhaps that will change in the future we'll see.
Can we discuss how much nicer faille (grosgrain) is for lapels and other detailing than satin? I feel like it's a much, much, much more elegant choice, at any price point.
I know very little about tuxedos and suits. Videos like this are super helpful and interesting. The few suits i've worn in my life have always been uncomfortable and I just assumed that's how suits are lol.
I really love this format, it's great. 😎
Such a good video. A great example of why I love this channel :)
Would you do a Christmas special of somekind, like dress code for a formal or informal gathering, drinks etc, I know you have videos about champagne and formal dress code, but I´d love to see something special for the Holidays, thank you in advanced anyways , I´m in love with your channel!
Very good information and I love the format!
P.S. Still waiting to hear more of Preston's music!
Good video. I’m having a dinner suit made up by my tailor and it’s expensive but I hope I’ll enjoy it for years to come
Quick correction, The Black Tux Tuxedo Jacket is Fully Canvassed, so quite literally the opposite of glued/fused... love the video but feel like Sven goes in to this with his mind already made up and not neutral.
dark blues and blacks don't look all that great in my opinion. i am referring to preston's tux. and raphael, you agree with this point.
it doesn't have to be dark blue. anything that is super dark and is adjacent to the colour black looks a bit off.
it may not necessarily be a mistake, but some ppl are okay with that colour combination and a small group aren't.
Could you guys do a review on Indochino? Maybe 1 suit per 3 gentlemen? Its an intriguing offer but i dont know if its worth the pursuit. Thankyou! Love the video!
Your videos are really amazing and I‘d like to share a thought about a new video idea. Sadly I‘m not able to write down this thoughts in the English language, but as Sven has grown up in Germany I hope the following will be understood.
Können Sie und Ihr Team ein Video über die verschiedenen Arten des Küssens machen? Vom Handkuss über den Kuss auf die Stirn oder in den Nacken bis hin zum Zungenkuss, und welcher Kuss in welchen Situationen angebracht oder erwartet ist. Wann ist es beispielsweise gestattet einer Dame einen Handkuss zu geben und wie unterscheidet es sich zwischen wirklich ausgeführtem und angedeutetem Kuss. Ist es von Nöten jemandem, Adlig beziehungsweise „normalen“, den Siegelring zu küssen oder gilt dies nur für den Papst und Bischöfe/Kardinäle.
Thank you for your videos and I hope everything was understandable and is eventually the topic of a new video.
I'll take very respectful exception to the statement you can "just sell" a suit you own after using it, should you need to. _Yes_ ... you can, but only for a fraction of its original price. It's hardly even worth selling, 99 times out of 100, and the only reason I'd give them away is if they no longer fit, were damaged, or I just no longer had the space to store 'em...
My Brooks Brother's tuxedo jacket came with a double vent. The jacket is great quality, it has a peak lapel, pick stitching, and overall a very quality jacket. But I'm not a fan of having to pay my tailor to close the vent. 4 out of 5 stars on the Tux.
As a formal wear store owner I prove quality is all that matters, High quality $850-$1200 Tuxedos are amazing but no one really wants to pay that much for a one night event, that’s why rentals always are the easiest choice for less than $200 and you are content and happy without the higher cost. there is a lot of bad quality or old dated Tuxedos out there but I pride myself in offering high end quality Tuxedos made to measure for each individual. As for a customer I can say focus on the quality and if you pay less than $400 for a tuxedo purchase please question its quality.
This was really informative and I really enjoyed this video! Thank you gentlemen!
You had to have known going in to this that the quality was going to just horrible, whichever service you chose. Why not instead do a video on purchase tuxedos at 3 different price points $750-1,000, $500-750, $250-500, $250 and lower, if such an item is available. Much more relevant information , IMHO. Love your work
Recommended vendors for OTR items to tailor?
The videos in which both of you appear are just great
Hi gents,
I’ve noticed a great looking Swedish shoe brand called MYRQVIST. Can you guys review them? All Goodyear welted! Beautiful as well.
Also aren’t the lapels of the one Raphael is wearing a little on the slim side? I have the same problem on the tuxedo I just bought, I think the modern fashion is to make very constricted lapels…
I used to work for jos a bank which uses the same rentals as mw and that CK is the worst fitting of the tuxs they have. If you go to the store they typically do better on fit but the tux fitters at mw are usually high school or college kids who dont care. Go to banks same stuff but older staff who care a little more on average.
Hello, my name is Alex and I watched a video where you guys sad that a well dressed man should always were a nice leather backpack / bag. I want to buy myself a good looking bag and so I wondered if you could make a video on what Typs of bags I should stick to and what looks good. PS I love your videos and I like them to watch when I have time. I can just relax and learn sth new. Please make make more good constant like this in the future. Alex
Could you maybe do a video about suit rentals in general? 😇
I think people forget that some of us work minimum wage jobs and can't afford expensive tuxedos.
Supreme gentleman
Lol
Recently I saw that Luca Rubinacci of Rubinacci does not show as much cuff as you guys most of the time call the norm. I guess this is a more classic way. What do you guys think?
Oh such a great vid! Just what I needed, thanks gents! I am in the middle of this decision right now.
Does buying from mens warehouse not renting still have the same problems or are they less aparent
Need the insight of the Gazette tribe! Anyone familiar with, or ever own a suit by the now defunct line of tuxedos and suits made by "Mani," back in the 90's? Not sure what these sold for back in the 90's. It was purchased at Neiman Marcus in Las Vegas. Found one on eBay for $200, double breasted blk tuxedo, and all the measurements magically match mine. It appears to be in stellar condition and matches all of the tux details that GG lays out in the black tie guides. Needing a tux for social events now that I am getting ready to start law school in 3 days. Wanted to avoid renting, and def wanted to build my own tux with a retro/vintage/classical feel. Thoughts? Wisdom? Lessons learned??
My only Major complaint about this review is that every company has price tiers; therefore, quality/style/fit are extremely dependent on what YOU wanted and selected. This means that you could have been comparing old, inexpensively priced tuxedos with brand new, expensively priced, higher quality tuxedos.
But ofcourse, that doesn't excuse simple mistakes like wrong inseam or sleeve length...
Thanks Raphael & Preston 👍
Your videos are interesting, informative at times and I enjoy them. I would be interesting to get your take on the slightly less worn festive/formal attires, such as the frock coat, jackett, smoking and so on, the how and wen...
Smoking och black tie är samma klädkod om du inte menar rökjackan. Jackett på engelska heter morning dress eller morning wear. De ha avhandlat båda ämnerna i tidigare videor och artiklar. Frock coaten är även utdaterad och blir lätt maskerad över det hela.
connecting the heels of your feet in the air is culturally defined dino because a tyrannosaurus rex doesn't CORRECT
As someone who has never been to an event where I've needed a tuxedo in my 50+ years, and is very short, I would just skip such an event in the future. It would be almost impossible to find something used that would fit, and it would be almost impossible to find someone to sell it to after wearing it once. For me, the cost per wear could not be justified.
4:18 Aww man don't diss Kingsman. It's supposed to be playing on James Bond tropes, so it's theatrical and like a parody in nature. But yeah, that Eggsy dinner jacket should only stay in the movie. You can buy one at Mr. Porter
Why did you get rentals online instead of going into a Men's Warehouse location? I think that's just asking for inaccuracy to happen. I've been in several weddings where we used Men's Warehouse and they have each tux in 3-4 different "tightness levels" depending on preference, you can get wider pants, slimmer pants, etc. They'll do alterations several times until you're happy. The quality of the tuxes wasn't fantastic, but for a one time event where you are required to wear a specific color/style the experience and fit was really good.
While i appreciate the sit down discussion, 50% of the frame taken by the alcohol trolly was a bit odd. It was a nice thing to have in the middle but please do not fill the frame with it.
You should look into the brand stone island?
We're having to rent tuxedos for prom, and let me say the one the school chose for every single one of the guys looks absolutely awful. 2 horn buttons, notch lapels, pre-tied bowtie, a very cheap-looking shirt with barrel cuffs, no waist covering, sewn-in trouser gallons..... My sacrilege sensors went off the charts, and would have definitely prefered to rent somewhere else where at least the basics were right.
Do you think u can review the moose knuckle jackets? They are really expensive jackets like canada goose and was wondering if it worth buying
This is great. Do u think the pant length could be because men are wearing their pants a bit lower these days? Even then, it would be pretty short, right?
I think the sky blue tuxedo was probably the least egregious of the 70's fashion trends.
love this type of video concept !
Where can we find good tailcoat tuxedos?
Navy Blue Tux!? Immediately, I think of the movie, "Father of the Bride" LOL
They're supposed to look midnight blue, which is by far the most elegant choice. (The expression on Savile Row is that waiters wear black, gentlemen wear midnight blue.) It's basically impossible to do a true midnight blue color at a cheap price point, so they just end up looking navy. My tux is midnight blue barrathea, with black faille lapels. That's a super, super classic combination.
I disagree if you are going to black tie event regularly. like two or three times a year then you should buy a tuxedo.