How Much is it to Rent a Tux?
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Wedding season is in full swing, and as the times on those save-the-dates get closer, it’s high time to consider the logistics of attending any upcoming nuptials. That means sorting transportation, booking lodging, and deciding what to wear to that friend/family member/co-worker’s big day. More specifically, “Should I wear a tux?” is a question that many men will be asking themselves for black tie optional affairs or those they just want to look exceedingly nice for. If the answer is affirmative, it begs a separate question: “Should I rent a tux or buy one?”
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Tuxedo rentals have come a long way from the drab place at the mall that made most of its money loaning out ill-fitting suits to teenagers for prom. Today, there are tons of digital-first operations, some with brick-and-mortar presences and some without, that are making tuxedo rental an increasingly attractive option for those who are closer to attending prom as a chaperone than as a student.
Owning a tuxedo is, ironically, a real commitment. For lots of people who don’t often find themselves invited to black tie events, it might make more sense to rent given the cost and closet space savings. Of course, there’s a break-even point, and a $1,000 tux worn six times is a better deal than six $200 rentals.
What the Experts Say
The Black Tux and Indochino are two companies that have been at the forefront of the changing markets for renting and buying a tuxedo, respectively. Jerod Walburn, a style expert at The Black Tux, is quick to challenge the common conception that renting a tux, well, sucks. “Renting a suit just 10 years ago wasn’t convenient by today’s (or any) definition—you had to drive to a store and wait in line—and the fit was still bad.” Not so today, given the high-quality options and internet-enhanced shopping experiences available.
Buying a tux is a process that’s been similarly modernized beyond a trip to the mall. Drew Green, CEO of Indochino, says that “Buying a tuxedo allows customers to create a truly personalized one-of-a-kind tuxedo made to their precise measurements and customized to their stylistic preferences.” That’s a higher degree of customization than one will find from a rental that, by definition, has to have wide appeal. It also comes at a higher cost, even at the relatively low price points offered by direct-to-consumer operations like Indochino.
What to Know About Renting a Tuxedo
Why it’s Smart to Buy a Tux
Green points out that “Buying a tuxedo allows customers to create a personalized one-of-a-kind suit made to their precise measurements and customized to their stylistic preferences.” He’s talking about the kind of design from the ground up experience that Indochino offers, but there are enough versions of the kind of classic tuxedo that most men want to buy, particularly as their first and maybe tuxedo, that there’s a lot of options to choose from.
Sid Mashburn Kincaid No. 3 Regular Tuxedo
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Naming this wool-mohair blend tuxedo “regular” is a bit of an undersell. “Classic” would’ve been a better choice, as this is the classic black tux—double vented with silk peak lapels and a decidedly classic non-slim fit—that could slide into the dictionary next to the tuxedo entry.
Indochino Highworth Burgundy Tuxedo
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This made to measure wool tuxedo comes in a delightful burgundy that’s non-traditional without feeling tacky. And from the vents to the monogram to the pleats, every aspect of this tuxedo that can be customized is customizable.
Why It’s Smart to Rent a Tux
Buying might be the way to get the perfect, personalized tuxedo, but renting is arguably a better way to get the perfect tux for a given occasion. As Walburn puts it, “Renting offers the variety to show up looking right every time, no matter the event or dress code.” It’s also, crucially, insurance against changing sizes, as there’s only so much a tuxedo can be altered to continue to look good on a bigger or smaller body if you, as Walburn puts it, “train for a marathon or a hot dog eating contest” in the future.
The Black Tux: Double Breasted Tuxedo
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The suit and pants are made of super-fine Italian merino wool, while the lapels are 100-percent silk satin, an eye-catching but not overtly flashy look. It can be had by visiting one of their showrooms, including those housed in Nordstrom stores around the country, or by ordering online for a completely digital purchase.
How Much Does it Cost to Rent a Tux?
Walburn says that a full tuxedo rental—jacket, pants, shoes, dress shirt, and tie—made with quality materials should be around $250. A survey of some of the options online bears that out. Rentals at Stitch & Tie start at $221, The Black Tux at $279, and Generation Tux at $251. There are cheaper options, many at national chains that’ve been in the tux rental business for a long time, but the lower price can come with compromises like cheaper fabric and tuxes that show signs of wear.
How Does One Ensure a Rental Tux Fits?
The best way to ensure a suit or tux, rental or purchase, fits is to have an expert take your measurements. That might be at a brick-and-mortar rental location or a local tailor, but the fact that they know where measurements to be taken and aren’t trying to self-measure means that an expert will generally do a better job. That’s one of the reasons Green recommends that first-time shoppers come into an Indochino showroom. “Many men have never done their own measurements for a garment like this, so it is always helpful to have an expert guide you through the process,” he says.
Walburn points out that measurements aren’t the whole story. Consider “the quality of materials, like high wool content, and ideally full or half canvas construction—technical stuff, but those two things really impact fit and comfort.” If at all possible, do an in-person fitting in addition to in-person measurements, as it’s similarly the best way to make sure the tuxedo is falling where it needs to and, crucially for wedding season, allows the wearer the flexibility to move around the dance floor comfortably.
What Happens if a Rental Tux Doesn’t Fit?
And whether it’s a purchase or a rental, it’s crucial to leave as much time as possible, but hopefully at least a few months, between getting measured and the event date. That ensures there’s time to correct if something needs to be tweaked. And speaking of alterations, Walburn says The Black Tux doesn’t mind simple alterations (think getting pants hemmed) that don’t involve cutting (and therefore permanently altering) a rental tuxedo. That’s a good thing to check on before signing on the dotted line, as is the policy if a rented tuxedo is damaged.
What Happens if a Rental Tuxedo is Damaged?
This is a situation in which, unfortunately, reading the fine print is key. The Black Tux charges for an accidental damage waiver when an order is placed that covers anything that dry cleaning or minor tailoring can fix. More than that, and it charges an unreturned fee. Other companies have similar policies. (Generation Tux charges a fee “If the garment is considered damaged beyond repair or destroyed.”) But given the risky combination of a long party, open bar, and dance floor, it’s worth knowing what a rental company does in the not likely but not unlikely case of serious tuxedo damage at a particularly rowdy affair.
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