Helpful Tips: Tuxedo VS Suit

A question we hear a lot is, what is the difference between a tuxedo and a suit? The primary physical difference is the presence of satin.  Traditionally tuxedos have satin facing on the lapels, buttons, pocket trim, and a satin stripe down the leg of the pants.  Suits don’t incorporate any satin and usually have plastic buttons. Tuxedos are saved for specifically formal events, while suits can either be dressed up or down. It’s important to note that, a tuxedo sends a different message than a suit does.  Some people tend to wear a t-shirt and jeans most days.  And it would seem at first that, for any of us who rarely ever dress up, wearing a suit would send just as strong of a message as a tuxedo because it’s equally rare.  But it isn’t the case, and here’s why. A lot of people wear suits every day, it’s a societal norm. The point of wearing a tuxedo is to commemorate a special occasion by wearing something special that you wouldn’t wear anywhere else.  Your tuxedo says, “This moment is special to me". And that’s why, even if you look killer in a suit and even if you rarely if ever dress up in either, the two ensembles just aren’t equal for a truly special occasion.