OK! I realized the photos you posted ARE the suit in question. (Thought they were from a magazine ad at first. Don't let that go to your head!) I think it looks pretty tux-like. It's a bit light-colored in the photos, but with peaked lapels and one button, it's otherwise so close I think most would consider it a tux if it looks black and IF you of course wear it with a bowtie.

My general take on tuxedos: If you don't have a need for a tux in general, don't buy one. I have one that I bought for my own wedding--and have worn maybe one time since, if that. What a waste of money.

Yes, some forum members will slap their palms to their faces in horror at the idea of someone wearing a black suit in lieu of a tux--as a sign of the apocalypse, akin to ending a sentence with a preposition. But honestly, what constitutes a tux has slipped so much (at least if you go by what men are wearing at any of the awards shows) that there is no real rulebook anymore that anyone (other than a small passionate minority) pays any attention to.

And besides: the tux itself was a new thing "violating" the "rule" of white tie!

So by the traditional rules, yeah, you need a midnight-blue one-button getup with either a shawl collar or peaked lapels and mandatory satin or grosgrain facings. Worn with a bowtie only and a cummberbund. And don't forget a shirt that's either fluffy or ribbed for her pleasure.

But by that standard, half the guys at any major formal event aren't wearing a true tux. And yours is hitting all but one of those "requirements."

 

Hmmm...notch lapel, flap pockets, no lapel facings, no trouser stripes, it sure looks like a one-button suit to me. What else could it be?

Yes, you can wear bow ties with a suit. Many men do pass off dark suits in lieu of tuxedos at gala events, but if the invitation specifies "black tie," most of us here would regard the practice as subpar. Do not, under any circumstances, wear a necktie or bowtie with a matching pocket square.

Just my thoughts.

 

Conundrum: is this a suit or a tux, a black-tie passable suit, or even more f...

My thought is that it's a great looking suit that I'd be delighted to wear and you look great in it. However, I wouldn't describe it as a tux - it is a beautiful daytime suit perfect for a dress-up occasion and I think your idea of wearing it as a "crossover" outfit was very good. You're a handsome guy and wear your clothes well.

That vest, nice as it is, in my opinion makes the suit less, rather than more, formal. In a tux there should be a nice area of white showing, and a high-cut vest covers that up. A low-cut evening vest, or even a cummerbund, increases formality but wouldn't work with that suit because it would be too much of a mix of styles.

I think that most of those other 'tuxes' in the pictures kind of miss the mark; jackets that close far too high, notch lapels (yea, I know many tuxes have them these days) and flapped pockets decrease the level of formality. In all honesty, for my money, they look like a designer trying to look "modern and outrageous" which is fine for a runway show but not for real life. I think there is danger of a guy wearing any of those to a gala or ball looking like a noveau-riche try-hard who thinks a designer name and a big price tag equals quality and good taste.

Sorry to sound harsh - at the end of the day it's just my opinion. Others may think differently.

(Oh and final comment - I'm in total agreement with JLibourel here - do not, under any circumstances, wear a necktie or bowtie with a matching pocket square).

 

No, I don't think it's a tux, but IMO that's fine. It's a cool looking suit and while I think it would be a very fashion-forward black tie look, it wouldn't be completely inappropriate (as long as you understand that some might look at it that way). Kinda agree that the vest almost makes it look LESS formal (weird), but likewise not inappropriate.

 

Are we really having a discussion about whether a black suit is a tuxedo? Hey, if you don't want to wear a tuxedo to formal event, don't. If you want to wear a black suit instead, go ahead. But they are not the same things.

 

If it's a suit, wear it as though it's a suit. If it's a tux, wear it as if it's a tux.

Don't try to make your own hybrid.

 

Thank you for your compliments AscotWithShortSleeves, mreugeng and mediate and opinions from everyone. Great points on black tie originating as a violation of white tie, and yes I never wear matching pocket square, except this faux pony skin because its fun. Interesting takes on the vest too.

SG_67 and Starting Late avoid the pointed question: Ok so it's a suit but if some modern tuxedos like mine in picture 2 do not have satin (there are lots of others like that out there), but my peak lapel (not notch like JLibourel said) suit does have satin in the plaid (I could tuck in the flaps), what really distinguishes a tuxedo? Truly just the buttons? That question hasn't been answered. Or maybe AscotWithShortSleeves is right that the lines have just become very blurred.

 

Oh look, another suit that doesn't fit.

 

Thank you for your compliments AscotWithShortSleeves, mreugeng and mediate and opinions from everyone. Great points on black tie originating as a violation of white tie, and yes I never wear matching pocket square, except this faux pony skin because its fun. Interesting takes on the vest too.

SG_67 and Starting Late avoid the pointed question: Ok so it's a suit but if some modern tuxedos like mine in picture 2 do not have satin (there are lots of others like that out there), but my peak lapel (not notch like JLibourel said) suit does have satin in the plaid (I could tuck in the flaps), what really distinguishes a tuxedo? Truly just the buttons? That question hasn't been answered. Or maybe AscotWithShortSleeves is right that the lines have just become very blurred.

I really think it's the designer of the suit you're referring in to picture 2 that's got things blurred. He or she has mis-matched elements from 2 different things and called it a tux. It isn't.

It has covered buttons as a tux would have. It doesn't have satin or grosgrain lapels as a tux would have. It has a satin stripe on the trousers as a tux would have. It has cuffs (turn-ups) on the trousers which a tux would definitely not have. The trousers are incredibly short which may be fine for a fashion-forward suit on a young man, but does not match the formality required of a tux.

Of course, it's fine to break the 'rules' of evening dress if you understand the 'rules' and know what you're trying to achieve. This looks to me like a designer who doesn't understand the 'rules' trying to be 'modern and outrageous' but totally missing the mark.

 

https://www.blacktieguide.com

 

Of all the links references, Will Smith's comes the closest to being a proper tux.

I don't know what the hell those shmatas on the runway were supposed to be.

 

Haha. Ok... Well when my thoughtful inquiry is answered by basic tux 101 links and others in a forum saying suits, I mean "shmatas", personally designed by Giorgio Armani show that he doesn't know what he's talking about, I think I should rethink my approach. There are few definitively untouchable fashion lions who set decades of trends with their scrap fabrics, and he is one of them, above reproach from forum barons. Please don't keep this thread open for me any longer and thank you to those of you who responded reasonably and generously.

 

I don't care if the Pope himself designed them. They're hideous and cartoonish.

A good rule to remember is not to be enamored with a particular designer. Look at them objectively. If I were at a gathering or event and I saw someone there dressed as such, I would probably chuckle.

Armani certainly appeals to a particular demographic but no one is untouchable.

 

Designed by Armani? I seem to recall a story about 'the Emporer's new clothes'.

 

Based on your response, it appears that you were looking for validation of your opinion, and not our actual opinions. I'm sorry you didn't get the answer you wanted, but when you ask about formalwear on a site devoted to traditional menswear, you're going to receive responses based on the long-accepted definition of "formalwear", which is considered timeless (not trendy).

No designer is untouchable or above reproach- I generally love what Ralph Lauren puts out and wear a ton of it (Polo to Purple Label) but that doesn't mean that he hasn't had some terrible ideas in the past. As much as I tend to love RLPL specifically, there's some items I wouldn't take of they were given to me.

Look, what you posted looks like a nice suit and would work in a "business dress" environment (I question the satin pattern you were talking about, but I can't see it in the photo), but a "tuxedo" fits a very narrow definition. Also, a business suit will never be more formal than a tuxedo- the only thing that is considered more formal than a tuxedo (black tie) is white tie/tails. I wasn't being snarky by posting that link- you seemed to have some legitimate questions about what constitutes black tie/formalwear, and that website is the ultimate resource. Also, it's already been said, but while the photos you posted of runway models are fine for the fashion shows, I don't think anyone would consider those to be formalwear in real life.

One thing I'll add about the suit you posted- you could definitely wear a bow tie with it (I wear bow ties with suits all the time), but if you're going to wear a long tie with it, you should get some slightly wider ties. The width of the tie needs to be similar (though not necessarily the same) as the width of the jacket lapels. You might look at 3.5" ties for this suit. Just a thought.