Question: With proms and weddings prevalent at this time of the year, what is the price range for renting a tuxedo, and what items does a typical rental cover?
Answer: A typical or “basic” rental includes the coat, pant, shirt, open-back vest or cummerbund, neck wear, and studs and cuff links. Shoes can be added for an additional cost as well as full-back vests. We do have package pricing if you decide to add on shoes and a full-back vest.
For prom rentals, we run a prom special that will start at $39.50. The prices can go up from there and could reach around $200 if you went with a designer tuxedo.
Q: How does one know whether to wear a suit or a tux?
A: Typically if an event is specified as a “black tie,” you are to wear a tuxedo. If the event is specified as a “black tie preferred” event, the host wants everyone in tuxedos, but a dark suit is OK. If an event is specified as a “semiformal” event, you should wear a suit.
Proms are considered “black-tie” events, as well as most balls and galas.
Q: Is it cheaper to rent in person or online, and are there online specials that you can’t get in the store?
A: The prices online are the same as the prices in store. However, there will from time to time be online specials on specific styles.
Q: What would be the price range of buying a tuxedo if someone wanted to buy rather than rent?
A: To purchase a basic tuxedo package would run around $350. This would be with basic accessories, cummerbund and bow tie. If you were looking for something in a more designer cut or fabric, it could run up to $550 for just the coat and pant.
Q: For what type of events do people rent tuxedos?
A: The most obvious would be weddings, proms, black-tie galas and balls. Some other events that we cater to would be vow renewals, anniversary parties, quinceaneras, bar mitzvahs, debutante balls, sweet-16 parties and many more.
Q: How far in advance does someone need to reserve a tuxedo, and what if it doesn’t fit when it’s tried on?
A: Typically, if it is for a wedding, we like to see the bride and groom eight to 10 weeks prior to help them select styles and colors and want all the men measured by four weeks prior. However, it can always be earlier than that, and, of course, we can take care of wedding parties later than that as well.
If placing a single rental order, we would like to see you at least a few weeks before the event, but we can always take care of our customers later than that. Everything we rent is here on island, and we are the only company that does our own dry cleaning and professional pressing of our own garments. So if there was an emergency or last-minute rental order needed, we can, in most cases, do same-day rentals if needed.
We typically do a final fitting on the tuxedo two to three days prior to your event so we can make sure everything looks perfect. If for some reason we need to make adjustments, we can have those delivered to the store by the next afternoon. The associates also have the ability to do in-store alterations as well.
Q: What colors do tuxedos come in, and what are the most popular?
A: The most traditional colors for the tuxedos would be black and white. We also carry gray, brown, ivory and diamond white. In suits we carry two styles in black, gray, tan, sand and navy blue.
Our most popular tuxedos are our designer slim-fit tuxedos. Just this year we added a slim-fit Perry Ellis tuxedo in black and white.
———
Interviewed by David Segal
