Wedding Gazette

Tuxedo Terms Glossary

By Jennifer Baumann

Wanting to look your best, you covet a shawl collar tuxedo with besom pockets, and a microfiber shirt with continental sleeves - if only you knew what they were! Bone up on your tuxedo terms before you place that order.

Besom Pockets

Flat-front pockets with no outward flap. Trimmed in satin, besom pockets are usually kept sewn shut, and are for aesthetic purposes only.

Blucher Toe

A German word for the high quality, one-piece construction of a shoe. Formal shoes featuring a blucher toe are made from one piece of leather - connecting the front part of the shoe, the tongue, and the lace-up sides.

Continental Sleeves

Shirt sleeves attached to a French cuff.

Double-Breasted Tuxedo

A jacket where one half of the front panel laps over the other. Features include two rows of buttons and only one set of buttonholes.

Faille

Closely woven fabric, either rayon, silk, or cotton, that is ribbed and boasts a slight sheen. Faille is many times found on the top panel of formal shoes.

French Cuffs

A formal shirt's double cuff. Cuffs are cut extra long, so they can be folded back, and held in place by cuff links.

Four-in-Hand

Another name for a typical necktie. Four-in-hands are tied in a traditional slip knot, with the long ends hanging down.

Microfiber

Usually a blend of rayon and polyester, this special fabric weave boasts optimum comfort and durability. It's also machine washable. However, its rise to popularity can be attributed to its silk-like look and feel.

Mock Inlay

Term used to refer to pieces of leather used to lay over the shoe, stitched by seams, to give a layered, more textured look.

Notch Lapels

This "notch" refers to the slightly-larger-than-a-buttonhole opening in the lapel of the jacket, designed to hold a boutonierre (French for "buttonhole flower").

Patent Leather

Hard, smooth, and glossy leather, most commonly found used in shoes.

Peak Lapel

A wide and angular tuxedo collar, usually with two pointed "peaks" on either side.

Self-Top Collar

A shirt in which the top of the collar is the same fabric as the tuxedo, usually wool, for a more uniform finish.

Shawl Collar

A tuxedo collar in which collar is attached and rolled back in a smooth, rounded, continuing line along the neckline of the garment.

Single Breasted Tuxedo

A jacket that meets in the middle with one row of buttons, and no overlap.

Spread Collar

Traditional men's button-up shirt collar that lays flat and does not button down.

Unfinished hems

Pants left without a hem in the bottom of each leg, and must be finished by a tailor.

Wing Collar

Formal shirt collar that stands up, with the edges of the collar folding over the tie, resembling two wings. Bow ties are usually worn with wing collar shirts, but any tie is acceptable.

Worsted Wool

Extra-long wool fibers are used to create a material that's compact, soft, and smooth - perfect material for a tuxedo.