Half of men stress over not fitting into their suit for a formal event

The average man owns three different tuxedos or suits, and two of them don’t even fit anymore.

That’s according to a new poll of 2,000 adults which showed that almost half (49%) of men own two or three suits, but another 33% own four or more.

While 16% say that all of their suits and tuxedos fit them, the average respondent has two that don’t quite make the cut.

Leading 53% of all respondents to experience stress because the outfit they wanted to wear to an event no longer fit.

Conducted by OnePoll on behalf of Generation Tux, the survey also asked respondents about their ideal formal event and wedding attire.

The average respondent attends five formal events per year, and as it turns out, the best occasions for a man to wear a suit or tux are their own wedding (52%) and as a guest to a wedding (50%).

Twenty-seven percent lean towards the fancier side and prefer to be overdressed, compared to 19% who prefer to be underdressed.

And if you’ve ever wondered whether to choose a tie or bowtie, consider how formal your event is. According to the survey, 25% of respondents believe that bowties are dressier than regular neckties.

One in five believe that no color is too bright to wear to a wedding. But others disagreed as orange (35%) and yellow (34%) came out on top as the colors to avoid.

When it comes to suit colors, black is the new black — 15% of respondents favor black suits for weddings.

But colors like dark gray (13%) and navy (11%) didn’t fall far behind.

Almost two-thirds (64%) of respondents believe that men should be able to wear white to a wedding.

Regardless of what you choose to wear, 63% of respondents agree that it is important that the entire wedding party has at least one matching color.

Your event attire preferences may say a lot about you, as 55% of respondents typically gauge someone’s personality or interests based on what they’re wearing.

“Knowing the difference between a tuxedo and a suit can be helpful when choosing the perfect attire for your event. According to the results, 58% correctly identified that a tuxedo usually includes shirt studs, cufflinks, typically worn with a bow tie, suspenders, and a vest,” said Matt Ramirez, SVP of Marketing at Generation Tux. “And 21% were aware that matte shoes can be worn with a suit or tuxedo, but glossy shoes are commonly worn with a tuxedo. Another helpful distinguisher is that tuxedos have satin accents on the jacket lapel and striping down the side of the pants.”

The survey also sought to uncover how certain personality traits correlate with respondents’ wedding attire and habits. Respondents were asked if they preferred dogs or cats and if they were introverted or extroverted.

The average respondent needs about 45 minutes to get ready for a formal event such as a wedding or charity ball.

Fifteen percent of those who consider themselves cat people said they need less than 15 minutes.

Cat people also attend fewer formal events per year than dog people, as 31% who prefer canines go to five to six events, compared to only 23% of cat lovers.

Almost half (47%) of dog lovers believe bow ties are more formal than ties, and 45% of extroverts agreed.

Extroverts were also less likely than introverts to avoid wearing the color pink when attending a wedding, (34% vs 45%).

"While it may be a bit more difficult to dress for another person’s event or wedding, it is important to remember that your wedding day is all about you,” said Ramirez. “It’s a great opportunity to show off a bit of your personal style with different suit colors, choosing a bow tie or necktie, fun accessories like socks and pocket squares, and everything in between.”

WHAT IS THE BEST EVENT FOR A MAN TO WEAR A SUIT OR TUX TO?

Their own wedding - 52%

A wedding as a guest - 50%

Ball or charity event - 46%

Graduation - 41%

Work - 38%