“If men liked shopping they’d call it research”
Cynthia Nelms
Building and shopping for a respectable black-tie wardrobe can vary in cost from a few hundred bucks and lots of time for a vintage ensemble to tens of thousands of dollars for a custom ensemble with diamond cufflinks, studs, and waistcoat buttons.
That aside, buying tuxedos and black tie accessories can be very difficult because most retailers do not carry cummerbund or black bow ties in different materials such as satin, grosgrain, barathea etc. They often do not even stock self-tie bow ties. Fortunately, you can find many specialty retailers online that help you put together a phenomenal black tie outfit.
How To Use This Guide
This buying guide has been designed to help you establish a basic shopping list for all of the items you need, and to determine a budget somewhere along the price spectrum then locate retailers that cater to that budget. Always keed in mind that quality is still remembered when price is long forgotten. In that same vane, classic black tie garments and accessories are timeless. So once you invest in a quality item, you can wear it indefinitely.
Of course, we also list hard-to-find garments and accessories such as single end bow ties, black bow ties with fixed neck length and boutonnieres.
Ready? You can explore all sections of the Tuxedo Buying guide here:
Explore this chapter: 7 Black Tie & Tuxedo Buying Guide