A tuxedo has been a first choice for gentlemen’s formal attire. When it comes to wearing a tuxedo, the cummerbund is often discussed and praised for the polished look it creates. But many gentlemen don’t know how to wear a Cummerbund with a tuxedo. In this article, I will share some tips and rules that you should always keep in mind when wearing a Cummerbund with a tuxedo.
How to wear Cummerbund with a tuxedo?
There are some things that one should consider before wearing a Cummerbund with a tuxedo like color, fabric, size, and fit. But don’t worry we will discuss this later in this article. First, let’s focus on how to wear it.
The first and foremost thing is to wear a dress shirt that has a satin stripe and buttons, cufflinks, or studs in place of buttons.
Cummerbund looks good when you follow a proper black-tie dress code. Similarly, trousers with a satin stripe that covers seams complement the Cummerbund.
The first rule of wearing a Cummerbund is to make sure the pleats are upward. Pleats in a downward direction are the wrong way to wear a Cummerbund. This creates an elegant and sleek look.
The second thing to consider is to make sure Cummerbund sits at a comfortable position on your waist. The Cummerbund should be worn in a way that it covers the shirt and trousers.
In simple words, 50 percent of Cummerbund should be on your shirt and the other 50 percent should be on your trouser waist.
This will serve the purpose of Cummerbund which is to create a polished look by hiding the bunching of the shirt, hiding the awkward waist area of trousers, and creating a thinner waist look.
If you want to know more about the purpose and history of Cummerbund then check out this article – What Is The Purpose Of a Cummerbund?
Next, you have to fasten the Cummerbund firmly in a way that it creates the appearance of a thinner waist. When you fasten a Cummerbund around your waist make sure you feel a gentle compression around your waist.
Moreover, don’t compress it tightly so that you will feel uncomfortable or any discomfort while sitting and moving.
At the same time, it should be tight enough that it remains in one position throughout the event. You don’t want to see yourself adjusting Cummerbund during an event.
The best thing about Cummerbund is that you can wear it without a vest or waistcoat. Where Vest and waistcoat limit the body movement, Cummerbund gives you more freedom while giving a touch of sophistication to your tuxedo ensemble.
Moreover, Cummerbund follows the principle of black tie attire set by artistry more than a vest.
If you have fat on your belly or you have love handles then Cummerbund is the best pick as it will make your waist look thinner and create a sleek look which is important for any black tie attire.
Things to avoid when wearing Cummerbund
Though wearing a Cummerbund is not a complicated task, still there are some common mistakes that people make while wearing a Cummerbund. And you should avoid these mistakes
Wearing Cummerbund very high or very low
As discussed above, you should avoid wearing Cummerbund very high or very low. Wearing a Cummerbund very high can overpower the attire. On the other hand, wearing it too low can leave the gap for awkward shirt bunching.
Wear your trousers in a way that the waistband is just below the navel. Now, wear a Cummerbund over it in a way that half of it is on the trousers and half covers the shirt.
Wear wrinkle-free Cummerbund
Another thing to always make sure is to wear a wrinkle-free Cummerbund. Wrinkle Cummerbund looks informal and disobeys the principle of black tie attire.
Match Cummerbund with the cowboy tie
This is very important, as many people think that it is not necessary to wear a bow tie with Cummerbund. Some people don’t know but Cummerbund and bow tie go hand in hand.
Wearing the same color bow tie as Cummerbund not only complements each other but also completes a dress code.
So, if you had any doubt about wearing a bow tie with Cummerbund then I hope it is clear now.
Related: Vest or Cummerbund with Tux – A Stylish Choice for Formal Attire
How to buy Cummerbund
Color and fabric
Color and fabric is the first things that you should consider in a Cummerbund. Mostly black color is popular because it comes under a black tie attire.
But the rule of thumb is to match the Cummerbund with the lapel of your jacket.
When it comes to the color of the Cummerbund, you should also consider matching it with the bow tie.
Earlier black color is the most popular and you can say only choice in Cummerbund. But now because of evolving fashion and most gentlemen want to match their attire with their female partner, you have a lot of color options in Cummerbund.
Most men nowadays prefer matching Cummerbund with their partner attire. They think it is better than matching vest color and I think they are right.
If you match the vest color, it will overpower the dress code because the vest covers more area.
Cummerbund only covers the waist and maintains the dress code while you can also match it with the complementary color of your partner’s dress.
Now, let’s talk about fabric. The only fabric you should be looking at is silk. Silk gives shine and a luxurious touch and is considered the best fabric choice for Black tie attire.
Another reason is that silk gets less wrinkles than other fabrics.
Size
The sizing of the Cummerbund is also very important. Avoid Cummerbund that is too narrow or too wide.
If you wear too narrow Cummerbund, it will make the attire look disproportionate. On the other hand, too wide Cummerbund will overpower the whole attire.
So, it is better if you wear a Cummerbund before buying it.
