Prom is stressful. Not only for the girls, but guys too. They have to go from a simple decision of what shirt they wear everyday to which vest and tie combo will look good for prom? It’s hard to find a good tuxedo rental place, and can be expensive, but these tips should be helpful to any guy lost in the process of prom preparations.
1) Merle Norman Cosmetics of Bryant
Located in the same shopping center as Firehouse Subs, Merle Norman rents from three different tuxedo companies, so there are plenty of color choices. Each company has basic tuxes and the price of those include the vest, tie and basic shirt.
David’s Bridal is on Chenal Parkway, but worth the drive. If you visit its website, you can schedule an appointment to go in and make a selection. It also has a number handy for alterations. On its website, there is a tuxedo style guide which would give him an idea of what he likes and ladies, you can guide him in the right direction.
According to its site, the tuxs can make any guy the best-dressed man in the room. Like David’s, it has an online style guide, but this one is complete with a “build your tux” app and sharing abilities so it can be emailed, tweeted or Facebooked. It also has a $40 off coupon so guys, you can save a few bucks for the dinner and drive and still look nice.
As for the actual picking of the tux, the possibilities are endless, but that doesn’t mean all the possibilities are acceptable. Instead of the traditional black tux, white shirt, colored vest to match your date combo, try all black with a colored vest. If she has a red dress, consider trying a charcoal gray tux, black shirt and red vest. Most rental places have vests with subtle patterns that include several shades of one color, so if the exact color of her dress isn’t there, try getting close with that vest option.
If you’re flying solo and don’t feel like picking a color is for you, some places might actually have camouflage vests, camouflage ties or camouflage vests with orange ties. You just have to ask. If camouflage isn’t your style, consider a classic James Bond look. All black tuxedo, white shirt, white pocket square (if you don’t know what that is, ask. It can make a difference.) and a black bowtie. Simple, elegant and it is acceptable to wear shades in the pictures. Don’t forget the watch! To go a little farther back in time, try to find a white tuxedo jacket with black lapels. Add a white shirt and a black bowtie, and you have a classic look to impress all the ladies.
The most important thing about a tuxedo is how you feel wearing it. If the sales clerk has you try one on and you aren’t crazy about it, don’t rent it just to get it over with. No one wants to look back at prom pictures and say, “Man, I hated that tuxedo. I looked like I was wearing my granddad’s clothes, but I didn’t look incredible.”
