The Best Tuxedo Color for Your Style and Event

We all know a tuxedo is a great outfit for anything and everything formal. It's the ultimate go-to outfit for any and all formal events.

But how does it hold up as an outfit when the event is not strictly formal? Well, a lot depends on the color you choose. The color is one of the biggest factors determining the formal appeal of a tuxedo.

In this post, we will discuss about the different colors of a tuxedo and how to choose the right color based on your style and event.

What Tuxedo Colors to Choose Based on the Event?

The event is the biggest factor you should consider when choosing the color of your tuxedo. It even takes precedence over your style.

Color Options for Formal Events

You definitely cannot wear a yellow tuxedo to a business meeting or even a black-tie event. It has to be the standard black.

However, depending on the theme and formality of the event, you do have some options. We feel light charcoal can be a good choice too for formal events. They stand out as a more unique option compared to the usual black, yet don’t deviate too far from the formal appeal.

Similarly, light gray and brown are two more options we like for formal events where you can have some flexibility. They aren’t considered bad options in most formal events, but are flexible enough to be more accommodating in terms of your style preferences.

Color Options for Semi-Formal and Smart Casual Events

Brown and light gray would work for a semi-formal event too. But some variations of blue, particularly including navy and midnight blue, would be just as fine.

However, the events that are categorized as smart casual in modern times are way more accommodating. You can go with pretty much any color you want.

We personally prefer red. It lets you experience the tuxedo in a completely new way, while allowing you to subtly make a statement effortlessly.

Accessories – Formal vs. Casual

Of course, the accessorizing is going to differ too depending on the event and whether it’s formal or more on the casual side. For a formal event, go light on the accessories.

Opt for as formal as possible Oxford shoes, a standard dress watch, specialized tuxedo pants, and so on. Avoid much experimentation.

On the other hand, you can be a lot of yourself with your accessories for a casual event. You can go for a sports watch, designer shoes, dress pants, patterned shirt – you get the idea.

Choosing Tuxedo Color Based on Your Style

When it comes to your style, there’s no color set in stone. After all, a lot boils down to your preferences.

Of course, the more formal events won’t let you follow all of your style preferences the way you want. But for the more flexible ones, you can go for a color that suits your personality and makes you appear comfortable and confident.

Classic and Traditional

If you prefer a classic look and are a fan of traditional style practices, you would want to look for variations in the tried-and-true colors of black and navy. This way you can express your style quotient without disconnecting from your beliefs and comfort.

Experimentative and Fun

On the other hand, if you’re someone who doesn’t shy away from style experimentation and showing off your creative side, you can pick from a much wider range of color options. Red, blue, white, brown, and gray, all offer many different shades that are vastly different from one another.

In other words, you have a plethora of color options at your disposal although the broad color groups are seemingly limited. Just make sure you’re careful with the way you accessorize with colors that are not very common.

The chances of messing up a bit are often on the higher side since it can get a little tricky to find the right accessories for the more non-conventional color options.

Modern and Trendy

There’s also a small group of men who are crazy for trends. They like to ride the style waves and do not want to stick to a particular style personality for too long.

That’s fine too. But only as long as you’re fine with all the extra maintenance that comes with such an approach and know how to find your comfort with the latest styles and fashion trends.

Now, this is going to be more about patterns, designs, and accessories than the colors, but the latter would still be relevant. You can’t do a lot of trendy stuff with the classic black, for example.

The blue is going to be your friend here. It’s very versatile and many of its shades including the brighter ones are open to changing trends.

Red also allows for a fair bit of variations with the latest styles. White, surprisingly, is also one of the most common colors that allows for a great level of flexibility.

Eventually, however, it’s the theme of the event and your own style quotient that’s going to influence the choice of your tuxedos color above all else.