How to pick suspenders for your tuxedo
You’ve got a big event coming up, a tuxedo is required, and you’re stressing about all the style elements you have to consider when putting together your tux. Shoes, jacket, bow tie, dress shirt, suspenders-- we get it, it’s a lot!
Don’t panic.
Lucky for you, as experts in all things suspenders, we’re going to ease some of your stress by showing you how to pick the perfect suspenders for your tuxedo.
While suspenders might not seem like the most impactful style detail in a tuxedo, trust us, when it comes to looking great on your big day, it’s those extra little details that make all the difference.
So, are you ready to learn more about choosing your suspenders? Let’s get you looking and feeling your best with some new suspenders for your tuxedo, shall we?
What’s the difference between regular suspenders and tuxedo suspenders?
First and foremost, you might be wondering what’s the difference between a regular suspender and a tuxedo suspender.
And really, there’s isn’t one.
Underwhelming, we know, but when it comes to a tuxedo suspender, it all simply boils down to picking something that looks great with your particular style of tuxedo.
Image via The Black Tux
As a general rule of thumb, since a tuxedo is a formal style, we always suggest going with a more formal suspender.
Stay away from bargain suspenders, don’t try anything too flashy, and, when in doubt, stick to the classics to get your look right.
Not sure what the classics are? No worries. We’ve got you covered there, too.
Here are our top 5 considerations to make when picking suspenders:
1) Pay attention to color
Classic colors will never do you wrong when it comes to picking your tuxedo suspenders.
In particular, black and white tuxedo suspenders tend to be the top picks, but if you’re a man who likes a little color in his life, you can also try testing out navy.
While we often think of tuxedos as being the classic black, there are plenty of examples of some of the most stylish men rocking various colors, while still getting a classic look. For example, a navy tuxedo, like this, screams classic.
Image via Studio Suits
Plus, imagine how good a pair of navy suspenders would look against the crisp white of the dress shirt. Or hey, if you’re known for your bold fashion choices, what about a dramatic red?
Like we mentioned, when in doubt, it’s always best to play it safe with the color of your suspenders, but for those who might be more adventurous with their style, never feel restricted or unable to play with color.
2) Should you pick buttons or clips for your tuxedo suspenders?
Image via Ties
This is a question we get often, and it’s one that’s fairly simple to answer.
When deciding whether to go with button or clip suspenders, it depends on the style of your pants.
If you have buttons on your pants, or you plan on sewing buttons on your pants, you’ll go with a button suspender. On the other hand, if you don’t have button holes, clip suspenders are the way to go.
Having said all that, if you’re truly wearing a tux, there should always be button holes and not belt loops.
Never fear, though, if you’re in a pinch, all of our formal suspenders come with both button and clip attachments.
3) What fabric should my tuxedo suspenders be done in?
To put it simply: for a tuxedo, always choose the highest quality materials.
For instance, we love a silk suspender for a hint of luxe, or a tightly woven ribbon always does the trick as well.
The main thing to stay away from? Any materials that feel or look cheap, like a standard polyester.
When you’re buying high quality suspenders versus bargain suspenders, you’ll be able to tell. Just ensure you’re purchasing from a reputable suspender company, like JJ Suspenders, and you won’t have to worry.
4) What thickness should my suspenders be with a tuxedo?
Our recommendation is to stick with a 1.5” width suspender when styling for a tuxedo. You can also get away with a 1.25” width.
Anything too skinny, and your suspender will look casual. Anything too thick, and your suspender will look more like workwear or out-of-date.
Rest assured that all of our formal suspenders are done in a 1.5” thickness, so you can pick and choose the color/pattern/material that you love without having to worry about thickness.
5) Styling your suspenders with a tuxedo
So now you know what color suspenders to go with, you’ve determined whether you need buttons or clips, and you’re all set with material and thickness at JJ Suspenders. Great!
Now comes the fun part: styling your suspenders!
As we mentioned, stick with our formal suspenders in either classic black or standard white when you want a look that can’t fail.
For those of you who want to experiment, though, we’re all about bold patterns and eye-popping colors.
For example, if you’re typically someone who takes risk with his fashion, you might want to try a bold red.
If you have a preppy style, our pink suspenders might be up your alley.
If a punk rock vibe or rock ‘n roll aesthetic describes your style, you’ll love our skull suspenders.
Other tips to consider when styling a tuxedo
Your suspenders are important, but if the rest of your tux isn’t put together well, it doesn’t matter how great your suspenders look, your style will be off. And so, with that in mind...
Here are our top styling tips for a tuxedo:
- For a seamless fit, make sure to have your tux professionally tailored. Nothing will ruin your look more than a poorly fitted tux.
- For shoes, go for a polished leather or an Oxford style.
- For a shirt, we always suggest white, especially if you’ve decided to go with a bold colored suspender.
- When considering wearing a pocket square, make sure you’re coordinating the square to the suspender. The simplest way is to stick with a black suspender, and add the color through the pocket square, or vice versa. Too much color and your tux will quickly feel less formal.
For more tips on styling suspenders, make sure to check out our suspender style guide
Our top picks for the ideal suspenders for your tuxedo
Still unsure on what suspenders to go with for your tuxedo?
Here you’ll find some of our favorite suspenders that always look great with a tux. When in doubt, go with one of these suspenders, and you can rest assured you’ll be looking great in your tux.
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