How to Create Your Own Tuxedo Formal Wear

Black satin lapels, a formal shirt and bow tie instantly turn a suit into a tuxedo.

In fashion's wilder days, the tuxedo often took on colors and shapes that would be next to impossible to imitate. Fortunately those fashions have remained in the past and the basic black or dark blue tux is the style of today. Tuxedo's today are elegant and understated. The shirt, cummerbund and bow tie can be purchased inexpensively. Turning a dark suit into a tuxedo is simply a matter of adding one element: black satin.

Things You'll Need

• Black satin fabric, approximately 1 yard
• Fusible webbing fabric, 1 yard
• Black satin ribbon, 3 yards, 1 inch wide
• Iron and ironing board
• Scissors (large, sharp dress shears)
• Pins and pin cushion

Instructions

Tuxedo Jacket

1. Choose a black or dark blue, single- or double-breasted suit to turn into a tuxedo. The jacket can have a notched lapel or a shawl collar, which has one smooth line without lapels or notches.

2. Open out the jacket's collar and lay the collar flat on newspaper, tissue paper or large sketch paper. Hold the collar down on the paper as you trace around its edges with a black pen. Trace one side of the lapel first, then the other side, because the lapels are probably not exactly the same shape.

3. Lay the jacket aside. Add to the traced lapels a 1/2-inch border all around, including at the back neck seam.

4. Open the black satin fabric to one thickness and lay it on a flat surface. Open up the fusible webbing fabric and lay it on top of the satin. Pin the two lapel tracings to the satin and fusible webbing. Cut them out using sharp dress shears or sewing scissors.

5. Unpin the tracings and put the pins in a pin cushion. Set aside the fusible webbing. Heat the iron to a high setting such as cotton or wool.

6. Place the two lapel pieces right sides together and pin the back neck seam. Stitch the back neck seam of the lapel 1/2 inch from the fabric's edge. Press the seam open so the seam edges lie flat against the inside of the lapels.

7. Place the satin lapel wrong-side up on the ironing board. Fold in the edges of the lapel 1/2 inch, or slightly less, and press the edge in place with the hot iron. Continue this all around both sides of the entire lapel. If you have difficulty holding the folded edge and ironing it, pin the folded edge all around before ironing it flat. Then remove the pins.

8. Lay the fusible webbing lapel pieces on the wrong sides of their matching lapels. Pin them together. Trim the webbing just to the folded edge all around the satin lapel.

9. Turn the lapels right-side up, move the pins to the right side of the satin, and place the satin lapels on top of the suit lapels. Be sure the outer edges meet so the suit lapels cannot be seen. Press your iron firmly on the satin and hold the lapel in place for 10 seconds, or the time directed with your fusible webbing. Do not slide the iron back and forth. Continue pressing the satin lapels in place from one end to the other. Allow the jacket to cool before touching the lapels.

Tuxedo Pants

1. Measure both leg side seams on the outside of the pants. Add 1 inch to each. Cut the satin ribbon to these two measurements.

2. Cut fusible webbing the same length and width of each cut ribbon. Pin the fusible webbing to the inside of the satin ribbon.

3. Start at the waistband at one side seam and position the ribbon just below the waistband. Re-pin the ribbon and fusible webbing to the side seam all the way down the leg, making sure the side seam falls at the middle of the ribbon. Turn the ribbon inside the pant leg at the hem.

4. Press the ribbon in place with your iron, pressing firmly for 10 seconds. Lift, don't slide, the iron and reposition it and the next un-fused section of the ribbon. Continue lifting up the iron and pressing each section all the way down the leg. Be sure the ribbon is fused in place inside the pant leg as well.

5. Follow the same directions with the other leg. Allow the pants to cool before touching the seams.

Tips & Warnings

• Purchase fusible webbing in strips to go under the ribbon so you don't have to cut the webbing yourself.

References

• Nordstrom: Boss Black Three Piece Tuxedo
• Esquire: The Everyman's Guide to Black Tie

Resources

• After Six: Over a Century of Tradition and Innovation