Tuxedo vs. Suit: Comparing Differences & When To Wear Each

Tuxedos and suits: there’s a time and a place for both. While a tux is composed partly of satin and is seen as formal attire, a suit is a less high-end smart-casual look that can be made from a host of materials.

While it’s not something you might think about every day, there will be occasions where you will find yourself wondering if a traditional tuxedo or a suit is more appropriate. This could be a formal work occasion or a charity fundraiser where you aren’t exactly sure which is the most ideal.

Quite a few aspects set a tuxedo and a suit apart. In this guide, we talk about everything you need to know: the key differences, when to wear a tux, when a suit would be more appropriate, and much more.

The Key Differences Between Tuxedos & Suits

The main difference between a tux and a suit is the use of satin in tuxedos. Your average tuxedo will have satin details in the lapels, buttons and side stripes on the pants. You won’t usually find these attributes on a suit.

Still, there are definitely more key differences.

Material

The main difference between a tuxedo and a suit is the material used. A tuxedo will have a lot of added details that are created using satin – the lapels and buttons, as well as the stripes down the pant leg. Suits do not have any of these elegant embellishments that make the tux a stand-out attire choice that is sure to turn heads.

Lapels

Details make a tuxedo. The lapels on a tuxedo jacket are usually made from satin, whereas on a suit jacket, they will consist of the same material as the rest of the suit.

A tuxedo jacket will boast a peak lapel or a shawl lapel for a much more elegant finish. A suit jacket will generally have notch lapels. A suit jacket will have the same material throughout, whereas a tuxedo jacket will have the satin fabric in certain places.

Pockets

While pockets on a tux and suit jacket and pants will be broadly similar, again, the material is the subtle difference. A tux jacket will almost always be trimmed with satin, and this includes the pocket.

In contrast, suit pockets are generally made from the same fabric as the rest of the jacket.

Buttons

Depending on the quality of your suit, you can expect plastic, metal, horn, or bone buttons. When it comes to a tux, satin buttons are usually the staple. Are you sensing a theme here?

Pants

Between suit pants and tux pants, from the outside, they appear similar. Tuxedo pants have suspender buttons so that you have the option of wearing braces for a more elegant and refined look. Tuxedo pants can also sometimes have a satin stripe down the side.

Suit pants, on the other hand, will feature belt loops. Suit pants are suitable for tucking a shirt in or leaving it over your pants, unlike tuxedo pants.

Shirts

Regular dress shirts usually have a point or spread collar and button cuffs, and these suit shirts are the ones most routinely worn with a traditional suit.

A pleated shirt will most commonly be worn as a tuxedo shirt which will usually come in a choice of collars to decide between, such as a wing or spread collar.

A tuxedo shirt can be fastened with studs or buttons and complete with French cuffs. It should be noted that tuxedo shirts should only be matched with a tux jacket and should not replace a suit shirt.

Undershirts

Whether you’re wearing a suit or a tux, it comes down to personal style and choice as to whether or not you wear an undershirt to go with it.

A high-quality undershirt can help ensure longevity in your tux shirt. Undershirts absorb sweat, protecting your shirt and jacket from dampness and odors. They can also help conceal chest hair, helping achieve a smart and polished look. 

When wearing a suit for more casual events, the same factors apply. It really is a personal preference, but we’d recommend going with one as the benefits are pretty clear.

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Ties

With a tuxedo, you can opt for a black tie or bow tie. However, it’s more common to wear a bow tie so the front of your pleated shirt and its button studs can be seen. If you’re attending a more casual event, it’s perfectly acceptable to wear a black tie with your tux. A satin bow tie that matches the color of your tux is an excellent choice.

Regular suits can be made to look more like formalwear with bow ties or even a nicer necktie. You can even opt to go sans tie if the event calls for it. Depending on the occasion, you can generally be freer with your color and design choices, so if a black bow tie is your thing, go for it.

Shoes

While you’re free to wear any type of footwear with your tux, it’s most common to wear black patent leather shoes. If you don’t have a patent leather pair, ordinary black leather oxfords are a great alternative – just make sure they are clean and polished.With suit shoes, anything goes when it comes to footwear. You can opt for suit shoes for a more formal do, brogues if you want something casual yet smart, or even tennis shoes to really dress down your look.

Other Accessories

Accessories with a suit could be a watch, belt, pocket square, cufflinks or lapel flower.

Any accessories with a tux should be minimal—nothing past a formal-looking watch and possibly a cummerbund or cufflinks to complete the look.

When To Wear A Tuxedo & Suit

Generally speaking, a suit is perfect for the daytime, including work, dates, events, a quick drink with friends at lunchtime, or anything slightly more informal.

A tuxedo, on the other hand, is best reserved for special occasions that call for a more elegant dress code. It works best at formal, evening events, such as a charity gala, wedding, or black-tie event.

Thankfully, there’s always the dress code that will help you figure out precisely what type of clothing you should be wearing. Make sure you pay close attention to this; you’d be surprised to learn how many people can get it so wrong.

If the invitation mentions a formal or black tie dress code, this is your green light to don that show-stopping tux. If there is no dress code (which will be unlikely in the case of more formal events), check with the hosts to avoid any undue stress and faux pas.

As a general guideline, we have outlined certain instances where a suit or tux can be worn:

• Business: Suit
• Casual Events: Suit
• Formal Events: Tuxedo or suit
• Prom: Tuxedo or Suit
• Black Tie Events: Tuxedo
• Daytime Wedding: Tuxedo or suit, depending on the dress code
• Night Wedding: Tuxedo or suit

Suits & Tuxedos Have Simple, Important Differences

There are many differences between suits and tuxedos, from the materials used right down to where to wear them.

Modern tuxedos always have a satin lapel, and are best teamed with a coordinating satin bow tie and worn to formal, evening events. On the other hand, suits come in different styles and can be made from a range of materials to be dressed up or down depending on the event.

Whether you and your groomsmen want to wear a suit or tuxedo for your own wedding day is totally up to you. It really depends on your personal style and the type of event you’re planning. For other parties or events, it should be pretty clear based on the invitation what the expectation is. Now you know the differences, you should be able to make informed choices around what to wear with a tuxedo and suit, and what exactly an event is calling for.

About Leigh McKenzie

Leigh is the owner of UnderFit, a premium men's undershirt brand based in Philadelphia, PA. You can follow Leigh on LinkedIn and Twitter.