Do you have to wear a Bow tie with a Tux?

My son is saying you can wear a tie with a tux.. Am I getting a run around? (I think I talked him out of shorts and a jacket for the prom... I told him she would not be amused )

Who can solve this? When I was young.... Back in the day only a bow tie went with a tux. But gee that was so long ago they also wore onions on their belts.

[Thud]

Ya know, if I learned anything from watching the Oscars, it's that you always wear a bow tie with a tux.

Actually, by definition, a bow tie is to be worn with a tux: A complete outfit including a tuxedo jacket, black trousers with a stripe down the side, and a black bow tie.

[Warthog]

What Thud said.

Whew, glad to know things haven't changed that much!


Next to address skate shoes and a tux

I just saw a "Men's Wearhouse" commercial a few days ago and they showed a guy getting a tux for a prom.

The outfit didn't have a bow tie, but it looked pretty darn good, sort of a notched-collar type of thing.. I have no idea what it was called and I don't see it on the Men's Wearhouse website - maybe you can catch (or call about) the commercial?

They also show tux's with ties there, too.

Anyway, here's the site www.menswearhouse.com and good luck!

[Tekk]

I went to a prom about a year ago and didn't wear a bow-tie. I wore what is called a "madarin" type tux. It doesn't have any collar or tie. It just has a cuff-link type thing where the top button is (it has a special name but I dont remember). It looked pretty darn nice IMO and I thought it was MUCH more stylish than any bow-tie ever could be. And you gotta get the matchin vest and jacket to go with it....it looks pimp. I loved that tux.

[nunyadam]

Next to address skate shoes and a tux

Those are definetly out. proper black dress shoes are required also.

at least it will not be one of those dang pastel numbers they had in the late 70's-early80's. My brother wore this light blue tux to his senior prom. I on the other hand said ta'heck with prom and partyed all night long.

[vass0922]

Tekk, at my dad's wedding last year we had one of those stud things at the top button... I agree they look nice

Actually (sorry Surreal!) I wore a tie to my wedding...
If you look in my gallery, you can see a little bit of it... later on I can post up another pic or email it to see how it looks.

[sven222]

I wore a tie to mine, personally I think they look better than a bow tie, well on me anyway

[Knothead]

Both ties are correct, although a tuxedo worn with a long tie is cut differently; mainly the lapels...they are narrower, to accent the long look of the standard tie.

A bow-tie tux has a more 'showy' lapel design...wider, and more complimentary to the bow tie.

Of course, it goes w/o saying that cummerbunds are never worn with the former, and IMO, should be done away with entirely with the latter.

BTW, if he can manage it, get a simple dress shirt with French cuffs that require cuff links. They're SO cool!

It also goes without saying that inline skates are OUT...

but black hi-top Nikes are just fine!