How to Wear a Tuxedo

Images courtesy of The Black Tux

E. Vincent Martinez

Burberry

The Black Tux

How to wear a tuxedo? Classic with a modern fit. That's how I do black tie.

October 10th was National Tuxedo Day and that got me thinking about how much I love wearing tuxedos so when my friends at The Black Tux, a tuxedo rental company, asked about my tuxedo style, I figured I'll share it with you too.

Fit is everything. Whether you're renting or purchasing, a good fit separates the men from the boys. A good fit doesn't mean tight and uncomfortable - you're not wearing skinny jeans! A good fit simply means that you're wearing your appropriate size. Stay away from a "regular" fit and shop for a "tailored" fit. Of course, when you're buying a tuxedo you have more flexibility when it comes to custom tailoring.

Now that we've determined that a tailored fit is the way to go, lets move on to accessorizing your tuxedo. Cufflinks and studs: rock your own. There are many styles available from flashy to conservative so choose a style that best represents your personality. Pocket squares: I prefer solid black or white OR I sometimes sport a pattern in black and white. Colors are okay but when the pocket square color matches the bow tie and cumberbund, that's just tacky! Bow ties: always should be self-tie. If you don't know how to tie a bow tie, learn!

When I wear a tuxedo, I always keep my color palette black and white and the fit is tailored. Simple. Classic. Modern. Timeless. 

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Gucci and John Varvatos Will Be Sending Their Collections Off The Record Sunday, Nov. 1

On Sunday, Nov.1, Music City will go Off The Record for a night of high fashion and star-studded performances to benefit Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee. Gucci, provided by Nordstrom Green Hills, and John Varvatos are the latest designers to join the event, sending their Fall 2015 collections down the Off The Record runway.  

These world-renowned designers will join brands including Kaufman Franco and Tribe Kelley for the unique affair that combines fashion and music. Also appearing at the event courtesy of Jaime Inc. of Nashville are Graziela, S.Carter Designs and Spinelli Kilcollin. Pieces from Amanda Valentine, Ani&Ari, Cole Haan, Eric Adler, HatWRKS, Johnathan Kayne, MINXX by Margaret Roberts, Peter Nappi, Shelly Brown and The Giving Keys will round out the elegant evening. 

In addition to showcasing the internationally acclaimed designers, Off the Record will honor its Nashville roots with musical performances that span a variety of genres. Tommy Shaw of Styx and Phil Vassar will join forces for a performance many years in the making. Big Kenny, Chase Bryant, Kaleo, Old Dominion and The Cadillac Three are also set to perform, with more artists to be announced in the coming weeks. 

“Second Harvest Food Bank is an outstanding organization and I always enjoy doing events to support them,” Vassar expressed.  “It’s going to be a great evening and I am really looking forward to playing with Tommy.”

“This is going to be another one of those great nights in Nashville. Music City has become a town of some amazing fashion trendsetters,” Shaw noted. “And it's gonna be a night to show them off.” 

Off The Record will be held at philanthropist Sylvia Roberts' estate in Nashville, as seen on ABC’s hit show Nashville. The event is sponsored by Red Gold Tomatoes and Patron Tequila, with a portion of the proceeds benefitting Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee.  

For more information on the event, produced by Neste Event Marketing and EntertainmentBuy, or to purchase tickets, visit http://www.offtherecordnashville.com or https://vimeo.com/140493366. 

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Have a Freixenet Halloween

Freixenet’s “black cauldron” of bubbles, Cordon Negro Brut is a fabulous addition to your Halloween celebrations. Delightfully decadent and refreshingly bubbly, Cordon Negro Brut is the ideal sparkler to sip while getting ready for the night. Here are some great, grown-up ideas on how you and Freixenet can take your Halloween to the next level:

1.  “Costume-ize your bottle”: Cordon Negro Brut is the perfect party prop!  Grab some girlfriends and gold paint pens (or glow in the dark ones) and host your own “costume-ize your bottle” party - like pumpkin carving without the mess! Mummies, pirates, and witches (oh my!), the possibilities are endless for entertaining this Halloween.  

2. Minis for the win: Also available in personal-sized, 187 ml bottles ($3), these mysterious minis are a no-brainer when it comes to serving. Add festive orange straws and you are all set for a fun-filled evening and free of doing the dishes later.

3. Hauntingly good pairings: Tricks and treats for adults=food and wine pairings. Cordon Negro Brut pairs beautifully with rich foods like Roast Pumpkin Ravioli with Mascarpone or the classic caramel popcorn balls, making it the ultimate spooky sipper this All Hallows Eve.

Try this at home and have a Happy & safe Halloween! (And hey, remember, Freixenet is good year round!!)

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ESCADA OPENS ATLANTA BOUTIQUE AT LENOX SQUARE

ESCADA opened its very first boutique in Atlanta at Lenox Square in Buckhead.  

A new store concept has been put into place for the first time at this location with a softer color palette and gold accents. The design is sleek and modern, giving the entire shopping experience a more elevated feel.

Also making its debut is the new ESCADA signature bag, the ML40. This name honors house founder Margaretha Ley, while commemorating the upcoming 40th anniversary of ESCADA.

“We are thrilled to announce the opening of our boutique at Lenox Square and to join the Atlanta community,” says Suzanne Humbert, President of Retail at ESCADA of the Americas. “Atlanta is a key market for ESCADA and we see this as a great opportunity for the ongoing growth of the brand.” 

ESCADA also has boutiques in the following cities: Bal Harbour, Beverly Hills, Boston, Chicago, Costa Mesa, Dallas, Honolulu, New York, Palm Beach, Palm Desert, and Phoenix.

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Stunning, Never-before-seen Aerials of Cuba

The aerial imagery captured by DIY drones flying over Cuba's cities and countryside is absolutely breathtaking! CNN journalist Patrick Oppmann, who lives in Havana, Cuba (and has the best Instagram feed btw - @cubareporter) broadcast this report today and I just had to share it. It's a great story highlighting Cuban ingenuity but it's the visuals that will captivate you. I've lost count on how many times I've viewed it already. Thanks Patrick!!!

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Cityzen by Azin's Down to Earth Fashion

When genius meets style, the results can be beautiful as in the Citizen by Azin "Down to Earth Fashion" collection. 

Many air passengers gain a new appreciation of the world when viewed from 30,000 feet in the sky. Cityzen by Azin designer Azin Valy uses NASA satellite imagery of cities from around the world printed on the finest fabrics and materials to create women’s and men’s apparel and accessories. The process merges art, culture, geography, fashion and photography into high concept global style.

New York City-based Azin utilizes her award-winning architectural expertise from her previous career to match topographical details in the NASA imagery to specific details on her designs.  The Tiber River curves and forms the neckline of the “Rome” dress. The Zagros mountain range becomes the gathered neckline of the “Teheran” dress. Closer to home, the George Washington Bridge straddles the left and right side of the “New York” dress connecting the New York and New Jersey sides. Other locations include Chicago, Dallas, Miami and Los Angeles. International travelers can experience Mexico City, Buenos Aires, Rio di Janeiro, Cairo, Dhaka, London, Istanbul and many others from an entirely new perspective.

According to Azin, “Cityzen blends the human form with the urban landscape to link people to the places they love the most.” Each item includes a hangtag with a mini-map and travel guide to the hippest places and events in the city represented in the design. In Paris, as an example, the tag recommends visiting the Maison de Verre, one of Corbusier’s greatest houses and hearing Django’s music played at La Chope des Puces.

Cityzen by Azin is available from the Cityzen online shop at www.cityzenbyazin.com and at select specialty stores in Chicago, Pittsburgh, Washington, DC, New York, New Jersey and around the country.

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CHRIS ROCK RETURNS TO HOST THE OSCARS

Data is curated by PrettyFamous.com and sourced from Gracenote.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced today that Chris Rock will host the 88th Academy Awards. It will be the comedian's second time taking on the hosting duties, after headlining the 77th Academy Awards in 2005.  

“I'm so glad to be hosting the Oscars,” said Rock. “It's great to be back.”

Oscars.org added: With a career spanning more than three decades, Rock most recently directed the comedy special “Amy Schumer: Live at the Apollo,” which premiered this month on HBO.  In 2014 he wrote, directed and starred in the critically acclaimed feature “Top Five,” and in 2009 ventured into the documentary world as a writer, producer and star of “Good Hair.”

Rock has enjoyed ongoing success in both film and television as a comedian, actor, writer, producer and director.  His feature acting credits include “I Think I Love My Wife,” which he also wrote and directed, “Head of State” (writer, producer and director), “Death at a Funeral” (also producer), and the first three films in the blockbuster “Madagascar” series, as the voice of Marty.  His other acting credits include “The Longest Yard,” “Nurse Betty,” “2 Days in New York” and “Lethal Weapon 4.”  In 2011 Rock made his Broadway debut starring in “The Motherfucker with the Hat,” which was nominated for six Tony Awards®, including Best Play.  In television, Rock created, executive produced and narrated the series “Everybody Hates Chris,” which ran from 2005 to 2009 and was inspired by Rock’s childhood.  He was a cast member on “Saturday Night Live” from 1990 to 1993. 

The 88th Academy Awards will air on ABC on February 28, 2016.

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