Vest Buttoning Similarly to the jacket, when buttoning your vest you should always leave the bottom button undone. Your look will be sleek, and you will be comfortable weather you are sitting or standing without having to make any adjustments.
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Make sure you fasten your shirt cuffs, with either a button or a cufflink, before putting on your jacket. The bottom button of your vest should be left unbuttoned.
Usually, it has a peak lapel, sometimes notched lapel, but when you have that and it’s a two-piece suit or a combination with a jacket and pants, you simply button the button and when you sit, you unbutton it. If you wear it with a vest, maybe in a three-piece suit, you simply leave it unbuttoned.
Buttoning Your Vest
Vest or no vest, buttoning the bottom button will make you look like a rube, plain and simple. If you do have a vest on, the bottom button on the vest ought to remain unbuttoned as well.
Most vests are going to have 5 buttons down the front, but if you’re over 6’2″ or so, or have an otherwise longer torso, I think a 6 button front would be a good option for you. This would keep the buttons from “stretching out”, but then again, that can be a style preference.
The tradition dates back to King Edward VII from the early 1900s. He unbuttoned the bottom of his waistcoat because he was too fat. He unbuttoned the bottom of his jacket to pay homage to the riding jacket that suits replaced.
The two-button jacket should never have both buttons fastened. The three-button suit comes with a simple rule: “sometimes, always, never.” It means you should sometimes fasten the top button (if you feel like it), always fasten the middle button, and never button the third.
Thou shall never button all the buttons on your tuxedo coat. The only exception to the rule is when wearing a one-button tuxedo. On two, three, or four-button tuxedo styles, the bottom button should always remain unbuttoned. 3.
Last but not least, put on your tuxedo jacket. Most have two buttons and traditionally, you only keep the top one fastened. Feel free to unbutton when you sit down though. Make sure you shirt cuffs and cufflinks are just a tad visible under your jacket sleeve.
Waistcoats. When wearing a waistcoat keep the bottom button undone on the waistcoat. If you wear a jacket over the top, generally no jacket buttons are done up, or the rules above are followed.
Secondly, that there was a time when young dandies would sport two waistcoats at the same time so left the top waistcoat’s bottom button undone so that you could see the one underneath. Thirdly, that it is all to do with comfort while in the saddle and to stop the waistcoat rising up the chest while riding.
How do you wear a tuxedo vest and suspenders?
The Suspenders – These button to the trouser waist (you should never be wearing clip-on suspenders with black tie). Black or white are equally acceptable. The suspenders should be hidden beneath the waist covering and jacket the whole evening, and should never be visible.
How do you tighten a tuxedo vest?
Tug on the loose end of the belt to tighten the cinch.
If you need to, try on the vest to check how the fit feels. When your vest is on, reach back and pull the loose end of the belt to tighten it more if needed.
Does a tie go over or under a vest?
You should always wear a dress shirt and tie underneath your waistcoat when wearing a suit. The tie should complement the color of your suit vest, but shouldn’t be the exact same unless the situation specifically calls for the tie and vest to match the suit.
The King’s ballooning waistline brings us to the first theory on why the last button on a waistcoat is left undone. The Prince of Wales became so fat that he was physically unable to fasten the bottom button of his waistcoat. To follow royal suit, his loyal subjects started unbuttoning too until everyone was doing it.
Always leave the bottom button undone
The golden rule is to leave your bottom button undone. If you fail to do this, get carried away, and button all of the buttons up, than all the time you spent matching your tie, starching your shirt and polishing your shoes will have been a waste.
In most situations, this makes a suit look better on a man. A buttoned suit when standing cuts a cleaner silhouette. Prevent the buttons from popping. When seated, unbuttoning allows you to sit more comfortable, prevents wrinkles and keeps the buttons from popping.
What should you not wear with a tuxedo?
Trousers with braces
In the choice of trousers, wearing trousers that include the application of braces, the belts, as practical, are not suitable for a look as formal as black tie. Choose black or white braces in fabric, rather than in leather, or in any case they should be matching the colour of the tuxedo.
Legend goes that Britain’s Edward VII ― a king with several famous appetites ― grew too large for his suit and had to stop using the second button as a result. Not wanting to embarrass him, others followed. The tradition stuck.
Do you wear suspenders with a tuxedo vest?
No Belts or Suspenders
Never wear a belt with formalwear. Suspenders may seem cool, but only if you’re still in high school. Realistically, your tuxedo pants should have a strong waistband that fits securely around your waist, so there really isn’t a need for a belt or suspenders. Resist the urge, no matter how strong.
We also think the smaller buttons on the shirt front make for an elegant formal look. Also note that the button holes on the back side of the shirt front are aligned horizontally. This helps keep the shirt front straight and also holds the studs in place.