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LEGEND & NOTES
Information compiled
February 2011.
·
Prices are listed in the
retailer's national currency
and
exclude shipping
and applicable taxes or duties.
·
The globe symbol indicates that
international shipping
is available.
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► Formal Supplements
One-stop shopping at major formalwear
retailers may be convenient but it is also limiting. For
the widest variety of options be sure to also check out
supplemental vendors who specialize
in hard-to-find items.
And don't forget that if you spot
an especially handsome garment in any of the Guide's
illustrations you can hover your mouse over it to find out the
maker's name. |
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► British Retailers
www.dinner-suit.co.uk is a blog that covers current
formalwear specials being offered by selected UK retailers. |
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Formalwear
Conglomerates
Did you know that
the majority of
brand name formalwear lines are manufactured by just
a handful of
companies? After Six, FLOW (a merger of
Lord West and Formal One) and FCGI (Fabian
Couture Group International) are some of the
few corporations that own the formalwear licensing rights
for designers such Ralph Lauren, Calvin Klein and Perry Ellis.
To view
an extensive sampling of these companies'
offerings, visit
mytuxedocatalog.com by wholesaler Paul
Morrell.
(Use the "Manufacturer" sort feature.) |
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Support The Guide
If you order from any of the retailers listed here please let them know how you found them!
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National and Online Formalwear Retailers
Price Categories
Budget Retailers: Tuxedos under $400
Surprisingly it is possible
to find quality dinner suits for under US$400 or even $300 particularly if one is
willing to shop online since many virtual retailers offer brand name
products for $200 to $300 off the regular price. Obviously
online shopping precludes personal attention, the ability to try on
garments before purchasing and a return process can be
time-consuming and somewhat costly.
If choosing to shop in this
price range it would be wise to stick to recognized brands and
examine product descriptions closely because tuxedos under $300 are
frequently constructed of thin, ill-fitting polyester blends and
often include jackets that are available only in contemporary
styles.
The same guidelines apply to
buying formal wear through eBay auctions where there are some
tremendous bargains to be had on new and vintage apparel.
Mid-Market Retailers: $400 - $800
Generally speaking, stores
in this price range offer a wide selection of quality brand names or
house brands ranging from polyester blends to super 150
wools. Retailers at the lower end of the price range tend to
offer mostly modern styles but there are also some classic styles
available for those who know what brands to look for. Staff
will only be semi-knowledgeable regarding proper black tie but then
again the same goes for most higher-priced retailers these days.
National department stores
and mid-market men's stores are also good options in this price
range. Note that such retailers often offer more selection in
store than online.
Quality Retailers: $800 - $1,500
Upscale menswear retailers
such as Brooks Brothers, Ralph Lauren and Hickey Freeman offer
private brands made from high quality wools that are usually super
100s or higher. Catering to a more worldly and affluent
clientele, they tend to stock a wider selection of classic styles.
These stores also offer very personalized customer service from
salespersons that are more knowledgeable about formalwear than their
department store counterparts. The drawback for those who
rely on internet shopping is that such retailers tend to offer much
more a limited selection online than they do in-store.
Premium Retailers: $1,500 - $4,500
$1,500 will buy a dinner
suit of outstanding quality but the value for money begins to
plummet after $2,000 as at that point you are essentially just
paying for a label’s marketing prestige. Shoppers in this tax bracket should seriously consider
bespoke tailoring. Instead of settling for what is available on the rack they
can get exactly the color, cut and features they desire, not to
mention a flawless fit.
Used Formalwear
Formalwear renters will
often sell formal rental tuxedos at significant discounts. However, in the Guide’s experience these suits are usually
constructed of industrial-strength material and show signs of
significant wear. No
matter how big the discount, no purchase is ever a good deal if you
can never bring yourself to actually wear it.
Sample Ensemble Costs
Of course, you can’t go to a
black-tie gala dressed in only a tuxedo so here are two examples of
complete ensembles drawn from opposite ends of the price spectrum.
Sample Budget-Level Ensemble (US$)
All items are from Buy4LessTuxedo.com unless otherwise noted.
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$179 |
2-button peak-lapel wool tuxedo by Joseph Abboud “Black Tie”
(overstock.com) |
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$34 |
100%
cotton pleated turndown-collar shirt by Neil Allyn “Dalby” |
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$35 |
100% silk satin cummerbund
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$27 |
100%
silk satin self-tie bow tie by Christoforo Cardi |
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$110 |
genuine patent leather lace-up shoes by Brentano |
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$8 |
black and gold colored cufflinks and stud set |
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$18 |
60%
silk over-the-calf dress socks (Jos. A. Bank) |
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$30 |
100%
silk button-on formal braces |
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$12 |
silk
pocket square |
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$453 |
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Tip: Young men on a budget
can give their existing dress shoes a high-gloss polish and defer
the footwear purchase until later.
Sample Premium Ensemble (US$)
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$4,010 |
tuxedo by Versace |
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$830 |
turndown-collar tuxedo shirt by Dior Homme |
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$295 |
silk cummerbund by Yves Saint Laurent |
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$255 |
silk bow tie by Yves Saint Laurent |
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$1,025 |
patent-leather-and-crocodile shoes by A.
Testoni |
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$1,095 |
sterling silver & diamond cufflinks by
David Yurman |
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$365 |
onyx and silver stud set by Brooks Brothers |
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$55 |
silk formal socks by A Suitable Wardrobe |
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$300 |
silk braces by Ralph Lauren |
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$145 |
silk pocket square by Yves Saint Laurent |
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$9,210 |
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Tip: Established executives on a spending spree can
triple their outlay by throwing in a Bulgari white-gold Protocole
XXL watch for $21,900 and a Brioni evening coat with silk collar and
mink lining for $6,000.
Sample Retailers
Once you’ve established your
budget somewhere between these two extremes, you might want to check
out some of the following retailers that cater to your price range. The dollar amounts next to each company’s name indicate their
price range for wool tuxedos.
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