Men’s fashion is an ever-present conflict between two ethos. On one side sits the classic attire of old, the fabrics and styles that have served the needs of generation after generation. On the other side sits the innovative, the different, the abstract.
Since before the days of photographs, men have debated the tenants of formal dress, and over time, the necessity of formal dress has changed. As the requirements of dress have changed, so too have the options available to those that choose to don formal wear.
If you need further proof that men’s sartorial requirements have changed, look no further than your neighborhood haberdashery. Don’t have one? That’s because you’d be hard pressed to find a man that wears a bowler or fedora to work every day.
In the world of men’s fashion, things are changing in a big way. In contrast to the conservative styles of the 2000’s, the 2020’s are offering new and exciting takes on clothes. It’s hard to imagine now, but a bit over a century ago, the black tuxedo was considered a young upstart in the world of men’s formal attire. Now, the tuxedo is the pinnacle of men’s formal dress.
So far in this decade, we’ve seen shrunken suits, camo tuxedos, women’s tuxedos, full break pants and the eye-catching colored tuxedo. This month, we’re taking a look at the hue in men’s formal attire most likely to cause a stampede.
In recent years, red has made an appearance above the carpet. Last year, David Oyelowo showed up to the Oscars dressed, in what was without a doubt, the most talked about men’s look of the night. Around the same time, Lebron James showed up to the ESPY’s in a red shawl tuxedo. Other Athletes including Amare Stoudemire and Lionel Messi have all donned the newest look for their special occasions.
No one is completely sure where the red tuxedo trend originated. One of the prevalent theories is that it has carried over from a popular Quinceanera tradition. Another is that it is simply the antithesis of the navy blue tuxedo. It may have been formed simply to invert the look of red accessories. It’s also possible that it is a call back to the British Royal Navy’s ‘Red Sea Rig,’ a classic military style in which men would wear red cummerbunds and red bow ties without a jacket due to the intense humidity of the Red Sea.
Whatever the reason, it seems that the red tuxedo is growing in popularity by leaps and bounds. At Tux-USA Tuxedo, we offer the latest trends in men’s formal attire as well as the time-honored tuxedos for weddings and other formal events.