If we talk about underappreciation in formal attire then it would be none other than Cummerbund. Very few people who have an interest in styling know about the purpose of Cummerbund. But don’t worry in this blog I will discuss about the purpose of the Cummerbund and how to wear it.
But before that do you know that Cummerbund is often misspelled as cumberbund? For the same reason, the Merriam-Webster Dictionary has cumberbund as an alternative. However, the original name is spelled as Cummerbund.
About Cummerbund
Very few people know about the history of Cummerbund. The name Cummerbund is given by fashion creators by taking inspiration from a British army book.
Males in India in 1800 used to wear kumberband around their waist. It was a cloth they used to tie around their waist. In kumberband the Kumar means waist and the band means the cloth they used to tie around their back.
This was the time when the British used to rule India. The British military during that time used to wear a vest under the suit jacket for dinner as a dining uniform.
However, due to the extreme heat in India, wearing a vest during dining is not that easy. So, this made the British military adopt the kamarband as an alternative in place of a vest.
It is comfortable and gives more freedom of movement so that a person doesn’t feel congested.
Moving fast forward to some years later, the tuxedo made its debut in Tuxedo Park, New York. Tuxedo became popular among royal families and became a formal staple.
A few years after its debut, the black tie dress code has been developed. The fashion designers adopted kumberband from a British military book and thought it would be a great way to cover the waist area. They gave it the name Cummerbund. Since that day, Cummerbund has been linked with a tuxedo.
What Is The Purpose Of a Cummerbund?
Many people know about Cummerbund but don’t know the purpose of wearing it.
Firstly, everyone should know that Cummerbund is not a styling accessory. Cummerbund’s main purpose is to cover the waist area and to prevent the shirt bunching.
Cummerbund is often worn with a tuxedo. Now, a tuxedo is a Black tie attire and it follows the strict principles. One principle is to cover the waist area.
Moreover, the black tie attire follows the principle in which one has to cover all the working parts like in place of shirt buttons there are cufflinks and studs.
To present a clean and formal look trouser seam is covered with a satin stripe.
Similarly, to hide the awkward shirt bunching and trouser waist Cummerbund is used to create a polished and plain outlook.
Another main purpose and benefit of wearing Cummerbund is that it makes the waist look thinner and the torso longer.
If you have Belly fat then Cummerbund helps you to create a slim and thinner look with a black tie attire.
Cummerbund is often compared with vests. And due to suit culture, vests have an edge over Cummerbund.
However, Cummerbund has always been the best choice for a cover waist when wearing a tuxedo. It is also often considered a cooler and cleaner way to cover a waist area.
Cummerbund is also used as a ticket holder in the early debut days of tuxedo. Gentlemen used to hold ticket stubs in Cummerbund, to get access easily rather than searching pockets.
How to wear Cummerbund?
Wearing a Cummerbund is not a complicated task but many people wear it wrong. So, what is the right way?
The correct way to wear a Cummerbund is to wear it in a way the pleats are facing upward direction.
Many people make the mistake of wearing Cummerbund without considering the direction of the pleats. So, always make sure the pleats of Cummerbund are in an upward direction.
Another main thing to look for when wearing a Cummerbund is to make sure you place it in the right position.
What I mean by that is, you should make sure the half Cummerbund is covering your waist or on your trousers and the half is on your shirt.
This makes sure you get the right proportion, sleek, and aesthetic outlook. Wearing it in an unproportional manner will ruin the result.
So always, make sure 50 percent of Cummerbund is on your shirt and the other is on your trousers.
Moreover, pairing a cumberbund with the same color bow tie can uplift the overall look.
Now, let’s speak about the color of Cummerbund. What color is more appropriate? Well, black Cummerbund is a popular choice and it makes sense because it comes in black tie attire. Black Cummerbund is often paired with a black bow tie.
But, in the present, people are breaching the code and making it more practical. Now, you have different color options in Cumberland that you can wear. The main reason behind that is matching the color of their attire with the female dress.
It is so common to wear and match the attire with your lady when going to a formal event like a wedding. Matching colors is a headache because most women wear feminine colors.
Wearing the same color Cummerbund as the women’s dress makes sense as Cummerbund covers less area.
On the other hand, it is not that easy to wear the same color vest as the dress of your women as it will cover more area.
For example, wearing a blue Cummerbund doesn’t look odd with black trousers, a white dress shirt in comparison to a blue vest and black trousers.
In simple words, matching a vest is a more complicated task than matching a Cummerbund.
