Yes, you can if you would like. Not only is it acceptable, it is essential. Really, its about the length. Hollywood celebrities like Bradley Copper and Joe Alwyn, among others, have been spotted wearing cummerbunds on 2019's Oscars red carpet. Its popularity tends to wax and wane like the moon, but the essential function it provides to a proper Black Tie ensemble is steadfast. Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 95,304 times. Traditionally, tuxedos are worn for formal wear and regular suits are worn for the daytime. A properly fitted necktie hits at about the belt line, so right where the cummerbund sits. Theyre also typically worn with tuxedos and similar formal attire, which means theyll look quite natural with a cummerbund. Traditionally the cummerbund matches the colour of the jackets trim but you can never go wrong with black.

. Debonair looks too good on you to second guess. This may seem like a no-brainer, but there actually is a right way and a wrong way. Among formal tuxedo accessories, the cummerbund isnt really the most popular. I was unsure about buying it, though, because I was not sure about this rule. For a perfect fit, position your cummerbund so the upper part is above the bottom button on your dinner jacket and the lower half is low enough that your shirt isn't visible around your waistline. He aims to provide the most up to date industry and style information available, while sharing the many venues and ways that mens formal wear presents itself every day. We see this look most at prom, weddings and formal uniform wear. . We feel that cummerbunds help promote formal wear, and help create a ceremonial divide between suits and tuxedos. Cummerbunds without pleats are often worn by the British military. Ticket Holders When the aristocracy adopted cummerbunds, they were often used to hold ticket stubs to the symphony or opera, keeping a gentleman from having to rummage through his pockets for them. So remember: There are no rules to the one guided by personal style.. Crumb Catchers As the British Military first learned, the upward facing pleats served as excellent crumb catchers. Would you recommend wearing colorful cummerbunds or plain ones?

They're both accessories that cover your waist area so there's only room for one. An English gentleman, lover of business and an avid blogger. 3.) (Not a neck tie.). Cooler Back to their origin, they were and remain cooler waist covering options than vests. I havent come across such a variation in my research.

As you hold your cummerbund around your waist, strap it in place with the buckle in the back and adjust the fit until it is tight yet comfortable. When do you wear it? Here are the "do"s and "don't"s of wearing a cummerbund: Cummerbunds are a match made in heaven with a tuxedo but they should never be worn with a regular suit. I also feel that reading the BTG will tell a man exactly what has to be in place when he wears a tuxedo. Cant keep quiet? Wearing a belt underneath your cummerbund will undo all the magic that cummerbunds are employed to do, which is; smooth out your abdomen, cover any unsightly shirt tucking malfunctions and make your overall ensemble look more finessed. Vests are so popular that poorly understood cummerbunds dont compete well. Going back to the Victorian era, the small pleats of a cummerbund were used as ticket holders in an age that people dressed formally to attend the opera and symphonies. You do not wear a belt with a cummerbund. With a vest the color swatch is large and takes up most of the torso. . Sign up for wikiHow's weekly email newsletter. I have owned and worn tuxedos since I was 13. But as long as the fashion magazines and the bridal magazines promote the ideas of color and the other things that seem so wrong with formal wear these days, the truly simple but powerful idea of a tuxedo in black and white will never fully come back as a primary look and yes, that includes being properly worn with a bow tie, a cummerbund or waistcoat and a set of braces that hold the trousers of the tuxedo at the proper level. The correct way to spell this mens accessory is cummerbund, no letter b. They have remained a staple in mens formal wear ever since. To wear a cummerbund, start by putting on your dress shirt and pants. Dont worry, theres no new knot you need to learn how to tie to keep it closed. Buttons have satin facing. I will also often use the opportunity to remind the writerthat there is no need to worry about the two articlesmatching because, unlike shoelaces or belts, braces are never meant to see the light of day (or night. . The popularity of a cummerbund comes and goes. Cummerbunds are meant to be worn with the pleats facing upward. While Merriam-Webster Dictionary does list Cumberbund as an alternate spelling, this is purely because of how often it is misspelled and pronounced. If I wear a tie, should l use a cummerbund? Most cummerbunds are designed with rows of pleats that should be worn facing upwards. Bow ties work better with cummerbunds. . {I copied my comment from another spot that didnt post it properly}. Its not appropriate to wear a cummerbund to a funeral, the office or casual wear. However, today the purpose of a cummerbund is mainly to cover the waist. While I might not follow that totally in my day wear (I have one suit where I failed to have brace buttons sewn in, but I will correct that at some point soon), I consciously always have brace buttons sewn into my tuxedo trousers if they dont already have them and buy new braces for the tux. ), the suspenders can match your bow tie and cummerbund. She has over 11 years of image consulting experience and has worked as a stylist for Trunk Club, Modewalk, and Moda Operandi. If youre heading to a black tie event, you cant get much classier than a tuxedo paired with a cummerbund. One thing as you point out in the Guide: Braces are to be buttoned on rather than clamped. . . Stick to bow ties for a cleaner look. We feel that the cummerbund has an important role in all that and that it should always be waisted never wasted. This article has been viewed 95,304 times. Clip on your suspenders, then put on your cummerbund over them so the suspenders are concealed by your jacket and cummerbund. If youre wearing a colored cummerbund (pink, purple, green, etc. A cummerbund should be centered on your waistline. Wearing a cummerbund too high or too low can ruin the aesthetic effect. Also, because cummerbunds are waist coverings, they should be worn at the natural waist. Weve seen solid color cummerbunds look great paired with pattern bow ties. The cummerbund finishes off the waist area by hiding a not so neat area that should be covered anyway. . Color Moderation Its a popular trend for modern day weddings and proms for men to wear the colors of their female counterparts, to look like a matching set. The cummerbund isnt new. 4.) You may need to have someone assist you with securing the cummerbund, since it can be difficult to thread the buckle behind your back. If you subscribe to the belief that a suit jacket always looks better when buttoned because that is how it was constructed to be worn then the same rule applies to a tuxedo. Keep up with the best parts of life in the South. If yours doesnt, look for a label or logo to help you orient it properly. I alo believe that rental shops need to quit playing to the idea of color being the key ingredient in the look for the tuxedos they rent. It also means the idea of matching the dates dress has to go away. . Now that youre a cummerbund expert, try out the look. They got their beginnings in the 1850's when they became an integral part of dining attire in British India. The suspenders should be put on first, followed by the cummerbund on top. Use a cummerbund to create a clean, classic black tie look. . Cummerbunds should be worn with bow ties, not neckties. Should a cummerbund be centered on my natural waist, or is it that the top or bottom should be at my waist? Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. So, I say braces for every tuxedo and cover that waist with a proper waist covering please. It keeps your dress shirt looking smooth in an area that sometimes looks a little funky when your shirt untucks or puffs up slightly. (Here at TieMart our cummerbunds have elastic straps and are really easy to put on.). The Colors of Prom Part II: Accessory Color Options, New Mens Formal Wear Accessories for 2012. If youre wondering whether they should be worn together the answer is exactly the same as for the cummerbund. With a cummerbund the color swatch stays smaller and therefore more understated. unlocking this expert answer. This is an important practice for a number of reasons. In fact, if there is just one poorly understood and under appreciated formal accessory in todays formal climate, its the cummerbund. But, that doesn't mean that they can't really bring together a black tie formal look. Wear suspenders underneath your cummerbund to create a truly 007 look. Cummerbunds should not be worn with a vest. 2.) I have always worn a cummerbund or waistcoat (vest) as well as braces underneath and usually these are white rather than black, so they blend into the tuxedo shirt. Hed also like to extend joy to the fishes in the deep blue sea, but especially, joy to you and me. However, he adds, 007 only wore one a few times. If the fabric of your shirt is visible around your waistline, its too high. There are 9 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. . . Additionally the width of the cummerbund is significantly wider and in all honesty looks better than many pleated ones which you see sported today! Peter Is there such thing as cummerbund with buttons on back instead of the regular loop? Dont worry if youre not a bow tie person. The rule here is to never wear a cummerbund with a long tie or a vest, Brent explains. Low riding tux trousers have no business being worn anyway and would make the whole tuxedo look absolutely ridiculous. Tiepedia is our lil spot on the web to share that knowledge with you. Shirt buttons are replaced by studs and cuff links. Stay with a plain black bow tie to keep your look classy. behar ike If you want to distinguish your evening wear from the looks you wear to work, buying a tuxedo and a cummerbund can certainly be a worthwhile investment. (Remember, you wont catch any crumbs if the pleats are down.) Its just too much going on if youre wearing a necktie and cummerbund. You also may have heard the cummerbunds nickname: The crumb catcher. Coupled with a dark jacket and crisp bow tie, Brent says a cummerbund will tie together a look thats clean, classic and never out of style. In addition to cummerbunds, the dress hat has almost completely disappeared, and neckties are certainly on the decline, Eric says. Use left/right arrows to navigate the slideshow or swipe left/right if using a mobile device, choosing a selection results in a full page refresh, press the space key then arrow keys to make a selection. Etiquette says to wear a self-tie bow tie to black tie events. I guess the best way to promote the use of braces and cummerbund is to be sure that men are aware of them when renting and that they are not optional, but required. . Positioning your cummerbund correctly may require you to wear your trousers slightly higher than hip level, which is where they tend to sit on more modern styles. . Cummerbunds are more comfortable for warm-weather events, since they cover less of your torso. Although it's a small detail, it's a central etiquette to cummerbund wearing. Now, while I can see a business suit being worn for prom, I fully believe a tuxedo needs to be worn properly and that means bow tie with waistcoat or cummerbund and a set of braces underneath, regardless of how well tailored the trouser is. . Suspenders can be worn with a cummerbund. The modern purpose of the cummerbund is to cover the waist. After all, nothing would be so embarrassing for a date to a formal affair like prom for the gentlemans trousers to drop down unexpectedly. Well dont. Stylist. References. So we talked to the fashion pros at Nashville's Oak Hall and The Oxford Shop to find out if there is, in fact, a decline in cummerbund usage and if there are any formalwear trends that are taking its place. With the start of spring comes many things: longer days, blooming flowers and plenty of glamorous black-tie events. The cummerbund goes on top of the suspenders. We are a family-run tie company based in Illinois. Is it better to have the buttons sewn on inside the waistband or on the outside. I suspect that a generalunfamiliarity with the cummerbund leads many to equate it with a belt because of the manner in which it is worn.

As this new Black Tie dress code developed, the aristocracy borrowed a page from the British militarys book and added black cummerbunds as an appropriate waist covering. While they are not usually too conspicuous, downward-facing pleats can send the message that the wearer is unfamiliar with the accessory., We asked Eric Viars, owner of The Oxford Shop, to weigh in on this dwindling tuxedo tradition. The cummerbund made its way back to England and became a popular formal accessory in the Victorian era among civilians. As useful and accommodating as they are, hopefully this is a trend we see pick up, as our culture moves more toward dressing formally again. The truth is, it's tough to beat the classy look of a full tuxedo with a cummerbund. When you wear a cummerbund, you wont be constantly tucking your shirt back in every time you stand up or sit down. I recently saw a beautiful tuxedo jacket that was navy in color with an intricate pattern on it. The only real reason for a cummerbund is to complete a tuxedo and create a neater profile for your look. This might require wearing your pants slightly higher than youre used to. One of these guiding principles is that the working parts of ones ensemble must be covered or dressed. Now that you're equipped with the ins and outs of wearing cummerbunds, you'll be ready to wear your next tuxedo combination with confidence. For me, when Im standing, I like to button my jacket. And so it is also important to cover the waistband where awkward shirt bunching often occurs. Not all cummerbunds have pleats. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/0\/03\/Wear-a-Cummerbund-Step-5-Version-2.jpg\/v4-460px-Wear-a-Cummerbund-Step-5-Version-2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/0\/03\/Wear-a-Cummerbund-Step-5-Version-2.jpg\/aid10248537-v4-728px-Wear-a-Cummerbund-Step-5-Version-2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"