To Rent or To Buy from a Tuxedo Shop? The Ultimate Wedding Question Answered

For more than a century, the tuxedo has been the most cherished of all men’s formalwear. Originally called the dinner jacket – a term contested by pundits these days, according to a Wikipedia.org entry – the tuxedo was thought to first emerge in the late 1800s in both England and in the U.S. The tuxedo’s moniker contends that it was an adaptation of the popular tailed dinner jacket in England for the wealthy, who wanted a trimmer jacket with no tails that was more advantageous for enjoying outdoor activities, a trend that quickly crossed over from Britain to the U.S. in a matter of years following its inception. Now that you are more attuned to the epistemology of the dinner jacket, does it make sense to buy one or to rent one from a tuxedo shop for your wedding?

Renting vs. Buying from a Tuxedo Shop

The first thing that you will want to consider is the cost of a brand new tux.

• A new tux can range in price from $1,000 and upwards – depending on the brand you opt for – with the average price being about $1,000.
• The average cost of a tuxedo rental, according to wedding statistics supplied by Statistic Brain, is about $270, notwithstanding the cost of accessories and add-ons, like cufflinks, cummerbund and shoes.

The simple math that you will want to consider is this: How many times do you envision needing a tuxedo in the years that come? How many weddings, black tie events and other ultra formal occasions will you attend that call for a tux? If you arrive at the conclusion that this number will total more than three in the years ahead, it makes more sense to purchase that dinner jacket from the tuxedo shop as opposed to renting it. One other added benefit to buying that tux is that you can save it as a family heirloom, much like women commonly save their wedding dresses and hand them down.

Benefits of Renting from a Tuxedo Shop

Renting from that tuxedo shop is never a bad idea, either, especially if you plan on only wearing that suit one time. You can usually find the accessories that you want for rent, too, typically included in a package price on the dinner jacket rental. Such accessories shouldn’t be overlooked in the cost of a suit such as this because they can really add up to a sizeable bill if bought in addition to renting the tux. In the end, the answer to renting versus buying is a question that can only be answered by you.

To summate:

• If you think you will need that suit more than three times, it probably is wiser to buy it.
• If you don’t think you will use it more than once in the next five years, you’re better off just renting it from a tuxedo shop.

Helpful Shopper’s Tips