10 Prom Tuxedo Rules From One Who Has Seen Many Guys Do Wrong

The prom tuxedo is a right of passage in its own right.

For many teen men it is the first dabbling in formal wear, only without the rules of weddings or other strict occasions. At every prom there will usually be one guy who thought the orange ruffled tuxedo a’la Dumb and Dumber will be a hit, only to be matched with a horrified date who spends the night anxiously waiting for the clown show to end.

Choosing the right tux is only the beginning. Tuxedo expert Alicia Schultz from in Orland Park offered her expertise and knowledge garnered from years of helping guys find a semblance of class when renting a tux for prom.

1. Remember Cinderella didn't go to prom with Al Capone. This means if your date has a full Cinderella-style prom gown, you can't go looking like a gangster. Make sure your tux matches the theme of your date's prom dress.

2. There's nothing wrong with doing a neutral color for your vest and tie such as black, white, gold or silver. If your date's dress is neon, iridescent or some crazy pattern, the chances of you finding something to match are slim to none. Do yourself a favor and don't waste your time shopping all over.

3. Girls, GIVE YOUR DATE A SWATCH. Guys don't know color. Yes he might have seen it, or you might have sent him a picture, but that isn't going to help the tux professional to have him select a color. Pictures help but they don't always represent the correct color because of lighting issues. Give your date a swatch and that way you know the day of prom he won't mess up on the color of the vest and tie.

4. That being said, girls, this is prom, not your wedding. Yes you want your date to be surprised as to how beautiful you look in your dress, but he won't be able to figure that out by something as simple as a swatch and a picture of the dress hanging in your closet. This way your colors will match or complement each other and so will the themes of your ensembles. Remember ladies, the woman makes the dress, not the dress the woman.

5. Guys, remember a tux is a formal garment. Pants were made to be worn just below your belly button. These are not jeans that can sit on your hips. Those pants also are not secured in place with a belt. If you're looking to make sure they stay in place, the formal way to do so is to use your suspenders. Those go over the top of your shirt and under the vest.

6. When you place an order for a tux, you must remember that it is a rental. This means that tux must fit you and everyone else in your size. That means this is NOT a custom fit tux. If you want it to be perfect, then you should consider purchasing.

7. As soon as your date has selected a dress, go get your tux. Don't put it off to the last minute. Remember all of you high school guys are in the same size range and tux companies only have so many items in each size to rent out. If you want a special style or color, get it locked and loaded. It only takes a deposit to reserve your tux, and that way you don't have to worry about paying for it in full right away.

8. Leave your entourage at home when you pick up your tux. There will be many people there to tell you how to properly wear the tux and make sure you look great. When you pick up your tux, it's a fitting, not a fashion show or a photo shoot. Put it on fast and change out quickly. Please don't wander around the store showing off how great you look or stand in the mirror admiring yourself. There will be more than enough time for that the day of your event along with lots of time for pictures.

9. Pick your tux up on the day that it was scheduled. Tux companies do this to ensure that your tux will fit and look good. Remember if for any reason something is wrong, they gave you this date so that gives them time to get it fixed or corrected. If you don't do your job and come in on time, your tux company can't do theirs.

10. Don't forget to make arrangements to return your tux. Most places need that tux back the day after. Yes, we know you were out all night and you've got plans for the rest of your weekend, but some guy wants to wear your tux next weekend. We need that tux back so we can dry clean it, put it back in stock, get it ready for someone else and then ship it back out. This all has to be done in less than a week. So yes, we understand it is an inconvenience, but it's a necessity for us.

Have fun at the prom, and don’t lose those accessories.