How to style a burgundy tuxedo

A burgundy tuxedo is already the focal point of the outfit, so everything else should return to dark, clean tones: black trousers, black bow tie, white or ivory shirt, polished black or black velvet shoes. The rule to remember is to let the wine red stand alone, and not let any accessory compete with it or echo it in a different red.

Black trousers and bow tie keep it formal

A wine-red jacket belongs to the coloured tuxedos, and what keeps it on the side of formal wear rather than a party blazer is the black detail around it. Black trousers and a black bow tie do that job: they tie the outfit back to the black-tie tradition.

TUX-026 is styled exactly this way: a deep wine-red jacket, wide black satin peak lapels, hip pockets trimmed in thin black satin and plain black trousers below. The black trousers make the jacket colour stand out all the more, since no second colour competes for the stage.

The black satin lapel matters just as much. A wide black lapel cut straight to the shoulder gives the shoulder line more strength and frames the red like a frame around a picture. The black bow repeats the lapel colour and joins the satin on the chest into one line.

White or ivory shirt

• Crisp white: bright and sharp, it suits black lapels and any occasion from wedding to gala. This is the safe choice.
• Ivory: warmer, it sits well with deep wine red and warm indoor lighting. It suits betrothal ceremonies and evening weddings.

Avoid pale pink shirts or red shirts of the same family: they lift the jacket into a single block of red and lose the contrast. A wing or stand collar both work as long as the chest is clean.

Black or black velvet shoes

Black patent lace-up shoes are the standard. If you want more of an evening mood, black velvet slippers go well with wine red, especially with a velvet jacket like TUX-131, where the soft, velvety cloth carries a deep wine-red beside the black satin lapel. Our guide to velvet slippers covers this in more detail.

With TUX-026 there is also a softer route: dark brown suede shoes and a pocket square in a red-brown tone. That suits an intimate party and not a strict black-tie evening.

Avoid a red accessory that clashes

This is the most common mistake: wearing a wine jacket with a red bow tie and red pocket square in a near-matching shade. Two reds that are close but never identical leave the colours off-key and the outfit looking forced. If you do add red:

• Use a single piece only (the pocket square or the bow).
• Choose a clearly different shade, or a multi-coloured pattern, like the brown-purple patterned pocket square on TUX-026.
• Or let metal be the accent: a gold-plated lapel pin, such as the gold lily pin on TUX-026 or the mask pin on TUX-131.

Metal should be gold for a wine-red jacket, matching its warm tone. Cufflinks, studs and watch should all follow one tone.

Velvet jacket or matte cloth

A wine-red velvet like TUX-131 has a standout material already, so the accessories should be even simpler: black satin lapel, covered buttons in the same velvet, white shirt. A matte cloth such as TUX-026 can be softer in the pocket square. To see who suits the colour, read who suits a burgundy tuxedo.

Try it at Mon Amie

Wine red comes in many shades: slightly off, and the suit turns old or glaring. That is why Mon Amie always lets you compare cloth in natural light before settling the styling. You can try both models with the bow, shirt and shoes at the Mon Amie showroom.