How to Make Prom Tuxedos

Tuxedos are the ultimate in formal wear for men, and are often a first choice for proms. Historically, this was not originally the case, as the tuxedo was considered a less formal option in lieu of wearing a frock coat and tails. Today, tuxedos come in many different styles, colors and fabrics, and can be tailored to suit the specific tastes of the wearer. However, a tuxedo is also fairly expensive garments, and can perhaps be cheaper and simpler to make at home, especially if it's going to be on the more outlandish side.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Reference pictures
• Trouser pattern
• Jacket pattern
• Shirt pattern
• Vest pattern
• Muslin
• Sewing equipment and supplies
• Suit fabric and satin lining fabric
• Shirt fabric
• Satin ribbon
• Buckram interfacing fabric
• Notions
• Accessories

1. Find formalwear patterns for each of the pieces you would like to wear. You can find suit patterns for jackets, trousers, shirts and vests from most of the major pattern companies, like Vogue and McCall's (see Resources). You can also draft your own tuxedo pattern using some of your own clothes as the basis. For example, you can copy a shirt pattern by folding back the sleeves and laying the shirt flat on a piece of paper, tracing the outline of the shirt, then tracing the sleeve separately. Add in seam allowances at the seams and hems, and trace the collar. The same principle can be applied to trousers and jackets, and a vest pattern can be made by eliminating the sleeves from the jacket pattern.

2. Pin the pattern pieces for the shirt to the shirt fabric, and the jacket and trousers to the suit fabric, and cut around the pieces. Also pin the jacket pieces to the satin lining fabric, including the lapel pieces but not the collar piece, and the interfacing pieces to the buckram. Generally, interfacing will be used on the lapels, shoulders and collar of the jacket. If you are making a vest, pin the vest pieces to the vest fabric and lining fabric. Cut all pieces from the fabric and transfer all pattern markings to the wrong side of the fabric.

3. Stitch the trousers together on your sewing machine, attaching the legs together at the outside seams and center back seam, up to the fly marking. Press the seams open, then stitch the inseam of the legs and press that seam open. Stitch the right fly pieces together, then turn and press flat. Do the same to the left fly pieces. Sew the left fly piece to the left center front edge and pin one side of the zipper to the right center front edge.

4. Pin the right fly piece over the zipper, and stitch through all layers. On the remaining raw edge on the left side, stitch the other side of the zipper, then tack down both fly pieces at the bottom. Fold the waistband piece in half and sew it to the top of the pants. Turn up the hem on the bottom of the trouser legs and slipstitch them in place by hand so that the stitching does not show. On the outside of the trousers, stitch satin ribbon over the side seams, if desired. Add a button and buttonhole to the waistband using the buttonhole function on your machine. Finish all seams by serging or zigzag stitching.

5. Stitch the jacket together on your sewing machine at the front and back panels, attaching them at the shoulders. Press the seams open, then sew together the pocket pieces and stitch them to the pocket slits in the front panels. Sew the front and back panels together at the side seams, then press and finish all seams. Stitch together the sleeves at the side seam and insert them into the armholes, then stitch the armhole seam and turn the sleeves right side out. Sew the jacket lining together in the same way you stitched the jacket, then put the lining layer against the outer layer, right sides together. Pin all edges together except the collar edge, matching seams.

6. Pin the interfacing pieces to the lapel edges and shoulders. Stitch all edges together, then press the seams and turn the jacket right side out through the collar opening. Press the seam edges flat on this side, then pin the collar edges of the jacket together. Attach the collar piece to its interfacing piece, then fold the collar in half and press it flat. Open the collar piece again and turn under 1/4 inch on one long side, then press it flat. Pin the other side to the jacket's collar edge on the outside, right sides together, and machine stitch in place. Fold the collar down over the raw edge and slipstitch it in place by hand. Add buttons and buttonholes to the front edges of the jacket.

7. Stitch the shirt together like you made the jacket, skipping the lining. Turn up the hems on the bottom of the shirt, center front edges and sleeve ends, and machine stitch them in place. Add buttons and buttonholes to the center front edge and sleeve cuff edges. If you are going to wear a vest, stitch the vest pieces together in the same way you made the jacket, skipping the sleeve portions and slipstitching the armhole seams closed by hand. Add buttons and buttonholes to the center front edge.

Tips & Warnings

• Modern tuxedos can have many different styles of jacket, such as full tails, cutaway tails, double-breasted, dinner and plain suit jackets with stylized lapels. Determine what type of shirt combination you would like to have, which can be a plain shirt or a shirt and vest. If necessary, look for reference pictures for the type of tuxedo you would like to make. Purchase the accessories you would like to wear with your tuxedo, such as a cummerbund, top hat or tie. If your trousers have pockets, before you do any sewing, stitch the pocket pieces together and turn them right side out, then stitch them to the pocket slits on the front leg pieces.

Resources

• How to Make a Tuxedo Bib
• How a Tuxedo is Made
• Sewing a Formal Tuxedo Vest
• Historical Tuxedo Pattern
• Jacket and Pants Pattern