Most of what you will read about prom is about dresses. This page is about the other half of the photo. If you are wearing a suit or a tuxedo to prom, here is what is expected, what is optional, and what people tend to get wrong.
The good news is that menswear for prom has fewer moving parts than a gown. A jacket, trousers, a shirt, something at the neck, shoes. Get the fit right and the colors sensible, book on time, and you are most of the way there.
What is actually expected
Prom is a formal dance, but very few proms are strict black tie. In practice, tuxedos and dark suits usually share the dance floor. Our page on prom dress codes and formality explains where prom sits on the scale, using the Emily Post Institute's definitions.
Two things can override that. Your school's written dress code, and the wording on the ticket. If either says black tie, lean toward a tuxedo. If either rules something out, follow it. Check the prom rules and dress code guide before you spend money.
Tux or suit
This is the first decision, and it shapes everything after it. A tuxedo is the more formal option. It has satin on the lapels and buttons, and usually a satin stripe down the trouser leg, as Men's Wearhouse describes it on its rental page. A suit has none of that, which makes it a little less formal and a lot easier to wear again.
Neither is wrong for prom. A tux makes the night feel like an occasion. A suit you own can come with you to graduation, interviews and the next wedding you get dragged to. Our page on choosing a tux or a suit for prom goes through the real differences, piece by piece.
Rent or buy
The second decision is whether to own it. Renting gets you a complete, coordinated outfit for one night, and someone else handles the cleaning. Buying costs more upfront and usually needs tailoring, but you keep it.
The math comes down to how often you will wear it again, and whether you are still growing. Our page on renting vs. buying a prom suit uses current prices from the big rental companies to show where the break-even sits.
Fit matters more than price
An inexpensive suit that fits looks better than an expensive one that does not. It is the single most visible thing about what you wear, and it shows up in every photo.
- The jacket shoulders should end where your shoulders end. No divots, no overhang.
- The jacket should button without pulling into an X across your stomach.
- About a quarter to half an inch of shirt cuff should show past the jacket sleeve.
- Trousers should sit at your waist and break lightly on your shoes, or not at all for a slimmer look.
- The shirt collar should close comfortably with room for a finger.
Rental companies size you from measurements or a short online survey, then ship early so you can check the fit at home. If you buy, plan on a tailor. Sleeves and hems are routine fixes. Shoulders are not, so get those right off the rack.
Colors
Black, navy and charcoal are the safe, formal choices, and they work with almost any date's outfit. Lighter grays, blues and tans read as a little more relaxed. Bold colors and velvet jackets are now common at prom too, and they can look great when the rest of the outfit stays quiet.
The usual approach is a neutral suit, then color in the accents. A tie, a pocket square, a vest or the boutonniere carries the link to your date. Our suit and tie color matcher suggests combinations for a given dress color, and our page on matching your suit to your date's outfit explains the thinking behind it.
The accessories that finish it
A tuxedo traditionally takes a bow tie. A suit can take either a bow tie or a long tie. A vest or cummerbund covers the waistband and adds polish, and a pocket square is the cheapest way to add color.
Then the small things. A belt only if your trousers have belt loops (many tuxedo trousers do not, and use suspenders instead). Dark dress socks long enough that no leg shows when you sit. Cufflinks or studs if your shirt calls for them. Rental packages often include several of these, so check what is in the box before you buy extras.
Shoes
Dress shoes in black go with a black or navy tuxedo and almost every dark suit. Brown can work with lighter gray, blue and tan suits for a more relaxed look. Patent leather is the traditional tuxedo shoe. Clean sneakers are a choice some students make. Read your dress code before you go that way.
Whatever you choose, wear them around the house before prom. You will be standing, walking and dancing for hours.
Grooming
Book a haircut about a week before prom, not the day before. That gives it time to settle. If you shave, do it the night before or a few hours before, not right before photos, so any redness calms down. A clean set of nails, a lip balm in your pocket and a light hand with cologne cover the rest.
Coordinating with your date
Talk to your date before you book anything. Ask about the color of their outfit, and get a photo of it if you can. If they are wearing a suit too, decide together whether you want to match, contrast or simply look like you came together.
Flowers are part of the coordination. Traditionally each person buys flowers for the other, a corsage one way and a boutonniere the other, and the colors usually pick up from the outfits. Our corsage and boutonniere guide covers the options, and our page on who buys the corsage covers the etiquette.
When to book
Rentals sell out in spring, especially in popular sizes and colors on busy prom weekends. Generation Tux recommends setting up a prom rental at least four to six weeks ahead, and ships orders to arrive 14 days before the event. The Black Tux ships rentals to arrive 10 days before.
If you are buying, start earlier. You need time to shop, then time for a tailor. Our prom countdown works backward from your prom date so nothing sneaks up on you.
What it costs
The outfit is usually the biggest line, but tickets, flowers, dinner and transportation add up. Our breakdown of what prom costs for guys goes line by line with real figures where they exist.
Many prom shops listed on this site also handle tuxedo and suit rentals, which lets you coordinate in the same place your date is shopping. You can browse prom shops by state to find one near you.