Back in the day, owning a tuxedo was a necessity. Men and women often attended formal events that required them to dress appropriately. Since both men and women’s clothing hasn’t truly “evolved” yet during those times, dressing in tuxedos and ball gowns when attending parties, balls, banquets, and other formal events was a given.

However, as decades pass, the manner of dressing for both men and women has drastically changed. Tuxedos gave way to suits and suits gave way to sports jackets. Now, you would rarely see men wearing tuxedos even to the most formal of occasions. This underscores the fact that very few men actually own a tuxedo these days. This is probably why there is a proliferation of rental shops in most states such as Anaheim tuxedo rental.

Nevertheless, if you have a very active social calendar that requires you to wear tuxedos most of the time, you would find that purchasing one to be the best option. Of course, buying an entire tuxedo ensemble may sound expensive. Yet, there are shops that sell high-end used and brand new tuxedos, which, if you really think about, still cost less than what you would pay if you kept on renting tuxedos. Besides, if you know how to choose your tuxedo, you would find that it never does go out of style. Hence, you would be making a wise investment if you purchase your own tuxedo.

Now the big question is how you go about choosing a tuxedo. Well, one thing’s for sure, you can never go wrong with a basic black tuxedo. You would be surprised to know that in some cases black is the only acceptable color of tuxedo. Then, you also need to consider various styles of button patterns and lapels. Here’s a trick to make choosing easier: a single-breasted tuxedo always has one button while a double-breasted one has two. That is the norm. Using that as a simple guide, you would be able to decide whether you would go for one or the other. That is not to say, though, that most famous designers have taken it upon themselves to give tuxedos a modern twist. For instance, Perry Ellis and Tommy Hilfiger have designed tuxedos that have at least four buttons (on both single- and double-breasted tuxedos). Again, it all boils down to your personal preference. After all, you’re the one who’s going to wear it.

As for the pants, go for a pair that has a silk or nylon strip running down both sides of the pant legs. Moreover, the pants must have no cuffs at the bottom.

Unless you want to look like James Bond (Sean Connery, that is) choose a color other than white. Wearing a white tuxedo is not something that anybody can pull off. As far as color choices go, opt for either black or midnight blue.

Once you have decided on the color and style of your tuxedo, choosing accessories gets easier. Why is that? Well, you simply need to match the color of the accessories with the tuxedo, making sure these complement the suit well. It would be easier if you decide to choose a vest, cummerbund, and bowtie that match the color scheme of the event you’re attending (well, if it’s your own wedding, make sure you stick to the motif!).

Following these simple steps would make choosing a tuxedo so much easier.

Ryder Payette works as a consultant for one of the top tuxedo rental shops in California.