When you don't have a single black tie event on the calendar, a killer tux is all the excuse you need to dress like you do.
Courtesy of Haitch & MyTheresa; Design: Emily Hanhan
If you’re looking to us to help you find a great tuxedo, chances are you also know exactly the event you’ll be wearing it to first. That's all well and good, and hey, congrats on the invite. But we have some more news for you: Get this choice right, and you'll also be in possession of a striking jacket to wear year-round (ideally with faded jeans and a graphic T-shirt to that hot reservation downtown.) Trust us, you'll feel like a million bucks, and maybe even like Ralph Lauren himself, who has famously worn a tuxedo jacket with blue jeans and Salomon hiking shoes.
Even better, these days you can find a decent penguin suit at the mall for about the price of a regular suit. So, what’s the difference between the two? We've answered that in full further down, but at the very least there are some rules: no notched lapels, no pocket flaps, nor cuffs on the trousers. The trousers should also have a stripe down the side.
Beyond that, it's a matter of your personal preference, which is why we went deep below on the best tuxedos for every budget, taste and style sensibility. Are you a shawl-collar guy or a double-breasted, peak-lapel man? Do you want your tux to feel like a stiff suit of armor, or as at ease as you hope to be after your first cocktail? Whatever the answer, here are 15 GQ-approved tuxedos for your next big event. Before long, you might even be taking a page from 30 Rock’s Jack Donaghy, and wearing one just because the sun's started to set. As the man himself said, “It’s after six. What am I, a farmer?”
The Best Men’s Tuxedos, According to GQ
In This Guide
Best Tuxedo Overall: Drake’s Barathea Wool Tuxedo
Drake's
Black Barathea Wool Dinner Jacket
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Classic single-button, peak-lapel design will stay relevant for years.
- Matte worsted barathea gives it a refined look without a glossy finish.
- Soft, natural shoulders offer a more casual feel than heavily padded formalwear.
- Covered buttons, grosgrain lapels and hand-finished details add quiet distinction.
Cons
- The 12.6 oz wool may feel warm in crowded rooms or milder weather.
- Look elsewhere for a more sharply defined and structured jacket.
When it comes to formalwear, the mind often jumps to fussy, overstructured, uncomfortable tuxedos we force ourselves into just to look the part. Even a tux, simple in theory, can go off the rails pretty quickly if one’s not careful. These days, when dressing up of any kind feels like an occasion, a tuxedo that’s elegant but still easy, and comfortable should be the goal.
Drake’s, a bastion of “relaxed elegance”, gets a few things right to claim best overall. First, it doesn’t mess with the formula: the jacket is cut from worsted barathea wool, a tuxedo staple prized for its understated matte finish. No high-gloss gaudiness here. Save the shine for your shoes, pal. Then there’s the relaxed silhouette, with a soft, natural shoulder and roomy trousers that taper gently, finished with the classic tuxedo stripe down the side. Comfortable and dressed up all at once. Image that?
Best Made-to-Order Tuxedo: J. Mueser Waverly Tuxedo
J.Mueser
MTO Black Waverly Tuxedo
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Wool–mohair cloth should give it a crisp drape with a subtle sheen.
- Made in Naples, with thoughtful details like jetted pockets and side vents.
- Trousers have waist adjusters and the traditional grosgrain stripe; jacket length and sleeve finish are selectable.
Cons
- Price makes it a serious investment.
- Made to order, with an estimated four-week wait.
While New York’s J. Mueser has been expanding its ready-to-wear offering, its reputation was built on cool, discerning made-to-measure and bespoke tailoring. This tuxedo sits somewhere in the middle: it’s made to order, pairing the house’s eye for silhouette and cloth with your choice in sizing. The jacket is then made at the brand’s atelier in Naples, Italy.
This particular tuxedo cloth blends wool and mohair—the wool brings comfort and a natural hand, while mohair lends the fabric lightness, a sharper drape and a subtle sheen. Here, that sheen plays nicely against the wide grosgrain lapels. Can’t make it to their West Village shop? Get in touch by email or phone to sort out sizing and the details, with a little help from your local tailor.
Best More Comfortable Tuxedo: J.Crew Relaxed-Fit Italian Wool Tuxedo
J. Crew
Relaxed-fit Peak-lapel Tuxedo Jacket in Italian wool
Pros & Cons
Pros
- The relaxed fit with double vents offers more ease of movement.
- It’s made from 100% Italian wool, with a satin peak lapel for a classic black-tie look.
Cons
- The cut may look too roomy if you prefer a sharper, closer fit.
- It’s fully lined and made from wool, so it may feel warm in a crowded room.
Weddings are supposed to be fun, but there’s nothing fun about sweating through your jacket on the dance floor. You can loosen your tie and unbutton a couple of buttons if you want, but at the end of the day, there’s no substitute for a suit made with a little more breathing room. This fine tuxedo has a roomier cut than J.Crew’s slim Ludlow, but all the familiar black-tie markers are still there, from the satin peak lapel to the single-button front. The double vents also help it move with you, whether you’re taking a seat at dinner or making your way to the dance floor.
Best Double-Breasted Tuxedo: Todd Snyder Double Breasted Tuxedo
Todd Snyder
Italian Wool Double-Breasted Tuxedo Jacket
Pros & Cons
Pros
- A refined look for under $1,000
- Double breasted is something different
- Wide satin peak lapel, and genuine black horn buttons
Cons
- The 12.6 oz wool may feel warm in crowded rooms or milder weather.
- Look elsewhere for a more sharply defined and structured jacket.
The ever-dependable master of menswear Todd Snyder has your back for formal events, just like everything else in your closet. And while they also make a more classic tux, their peak-lapel double-breasted tuxedo is a rakish alternative to the norm that comes with the option of three different pants, from skinny to relaxed. They haven’t pulled punches on the fabric either, with a fine wool from a legendary Italian mill in Tollegno 1900. A quick note on tradition and styling: while most tuxedos call for a cummerbund, you can skip it if you opt for the DB.
Best Budget Tuxedo: Banana Republic Relaxed Italian Tuxedo
Banana Republic
Relaxed Italian Barathea Tuxedo Jacket
Pros & Cons
Pros
- As classic as they come
- Sizable peak lapels
- Elite-tier fabric sourced from Italy's Marzotto mill
Cons
- Trousers are a touch slimmer than we'd like—but that's a personal preference
- Limited availability contingent on inventory
There’s plenty of menswear to get excited about at your local mall right now, not least Banana Republic, the resurgent American outfitter hawking some of the coolest affordable threads you can buy within a mile’s proximity of Claire’s.
Take, for example, BR’s lustrous Barathea tux, an absurdly ritzy peak lapel number crafted from a virgin wool blend sourced straight from Italy’s esteemed 190-year-old Marzotto mill. The high armholes and overall trim fit of the jacket, along with the slim-fitting trousers, make this a more flattering look for taller, slighter dudes, and not those who live for leg day. But, if you have a few hundred bucks to spare, it’s better than a rental, and might even give you an excuse to dress up a bit more.
Best Tuxedo for Fashion Guys: Saman Amel Wool Tuxedo
Saman Amel
Wool Tuxedo
Over the last few years, Saman Amel has become your favorite tailoring brand’s favorite tailoring brand. Childhood friends Dag Granath and Saman Amel founded the brand just over a decade ago, bringing Scandinavian restraint to Italian-made suits. The house style is easy to spot: softly built shoulders, a fluid drape and light construction that feels as good as it looks. And boy, does it look good.
Much of the collection is best found at the brand’s Stockholm or London ateliers, but increasingly found in select online shops like Mytheresa for a more accessible way into their world. This tuxedo distills the Saman Amel approach into a black-tie classic, with fine wool, elegant shawl lapels and the composed ease that helped build its following.
Best Luxury Tuxedo: Ralph Lauren Purple Label Wool Tuxedo
Ralph Lauren Purple Label
Wool Tuxedo
When Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez tied the knot in Vegas in 2023, the Dunkin’ spokesman repurposed a suit he already owned for the festivities. But when the happy couple celebrated their union with a larger ceremony a month later, Affleck called in a favor from Ralph Lauren, who equipped the doting groom with a cream-colored dinner jacket befitting the enormity of the occasion. Affleck, of course, is no fool: Like scores of other leading men before him, he realized Ralph Lauren’s take on the black-tie power suit makes him the guy to have in your Rolodex when you need a tux. Unlike Bennifer 2.0, which was sadly too good to last, a sleek Purple Label tux remains a solid bet to stand the test of time.
More Tuxedos We Love
Zegna
Multiseason Wool Tuxedo
For an absolute classic of a tux, Zegna is a sure bet. The house has been at it for more than a century, and makes this one in Italy from superfine, long-staple Australian merino: smooth to the touch, light on the body and finished with a natural lustre.
The Armoury by Ring Jacket
Wool/Mohair Model 4 Tuxedo
This is one collaboration we can definitely co-sign. The tailoring experts at The Armoury tapped Osaka-based Ring Jacket for a classic-looking tuxedo, down to the satisfyingly obsessive details like roped shoulders. James Bond, if he had his tuxes made in Japan.
Giuliva Heritage
Tonino Blazer in Linen
When you want to imbue your black tie events with a jolt of old-school Neapolitan cool, your first stop should be Giuliva Heritage, the upstart Roman label. This tuxedo is ideal for dead-of-summer events—the jackets are swooping and double-breasted, and the trousers are louche and high-waisted.
Blugiallo
RTW 'Perennial' Tuxedo black fine structured wool weave
There must be something in the water in Scandinavia: the region keeps turning out outstanding tailoring. Sweden’s Blugiallo—its name means “blue-yellow,” like the Swedish flag—gives the tuxedo a modern read, with soft shoulders, clean lapels and fine Italian wool with an understated lustre.
Haitch
Tuxedo Jacket in Black Barathea
If soft-shouldered jackets aren’t your thing, Haitch may be more your speed. The New York label favours a sharper, more structured silhouette with a rockstar edge that might make you feel like you’re in The Strokes. Co-founder Nate Tillman brings years of Savile Row experience to the mix, balancing classic tailoring with a few unexpected touches.
P. Johnson
Peak Label Tuxedo Jacket
Our world tour of formalwear heads Down Under, where P. Johnson gives black tie a more laid-back feel. If you’ve been chasing that vintage Armani kind of ease, the label’s slouchy, louche take on tailoring should hit the spot.
Spier and Mackay
Midnight Navy Tuxedo
Midnight navy is, in our opinion, the only tuxedo colour worth considering beyond black or white. It brings a little more depth and richness, and can be especially flattering. Spier & Mackay offers some of the best value in the game—perfect when you want to impress without blowing the bank.
Brunello Cucinelli
Cotton Corduroy Suit
An all-white tuxedo, in corduroy? Look, we don’t lie; the degree of difficulty on this is high. It’s best saved for a winter wedding or a black-tie party where playing it safe sounds dull. But if you’ve ever wanted to go Full Brunello, this captures his signature style perfectly, and is on sale at a frankly unbelievable price right now.
Your Tuxedo FAQ, Answered
Wait, what’s the difference between a suit and a tuxedo?
Not much, actually. But before we get to that, gather around the virtual hearth for a brief, and relatively painless, lesson in menswear history.
The tuxedo in its earliest form was introduced in the mid 1800s by Edward VIII, then the Prince of Wales, who was looking for a casual alternative to the tailcoat. As it happens, our dear friend Ed had the benefit of palling around with the master tailors at Savile Row institution Henry Poole & Co.—and when he tasked them with dreaming up a newfangled “dinner jacket” to help him unwind in style they knew exactly what he needed.
The tuxedo as we know it today was only popularized stateside decades later, thanks to the efforts of, as menswear apocrypha has it, the well-heeled fellas of Tuxedo Park, NY. At that point, tuxedos were already distinguished by two crucial factors: a jacket with satin lapels, typically peak or shawl, and trousers with a matching satin stripe running down the exterior side. Today, those details remain the biggest difference between a tux and a regular ol’ suit, and if you see either on a two-piece rig it usually means it's intended for formal wear. Which brings us to our next point of business…
When (and where) am I going to wear this thing?
In 2026, the answer to that question is no longer as straightforward (or boring) as it used to be. Yes, tuxedos are still largely the preserve of weddings, galas, and the type of sinister poker nights James Bond gets roped into with disturbing regularity. (When you see “Black Tie Required” appended to the bottom of an RSVP, it’s usually code for “dust off the tux”.)
Here’s the thing, though: If you already own a tuxedo, or are shopping around for a new one, don’t let it get dusty! Sure, you can wear it with the conventional trappings of black tie attire—starched bib-front shirt, silk bowtie, glossy evening pumps—but good god, man, live a little. Your skeeviest uncle only gets married once every few years, and the time between his second and third wedding is a terrific opportunity to make like Marc Jacobs and pair your tuxedo jacket with a crisp white tee, faded jeans, and low-slung ballet flats. So if the mood to break out a tux (or its constituent pieces) strikes, carpe the chance every time.
Sure, but what should I wear it with at said weddings and galas?
You’re absolutely right to ask—even if you heed our plea, your tuxedo will probably see the most action on special occasions. Formal attire has come a long way since the buttoned-up days of our old friend Edward VIII, but the basic idea hasn’t changed all that much. You’re going to want three things: a crisp white dress shirt (pleats, bibs, and studs are optional; a hidden placket is not); a black silk bow tie (it’s worth learning to tie your own); and black patent leather dress shoes, the daintier the better. Can you get away with ditching one of the above in a pinch, or in the name of exuberant, no-holds-barred personal expression? By all means. But experiment with caution; it’s not your shindig, after all, and you don’t need the ruffled shirt, velvet bow tie, and croc-embossed cowboy boots—one is plenty.
How We Test and Review Products
Style is subjective, we know—that’s the fun of it. But we’re serious about helping our audience get dressed. Whether it’s the best white sneakers, the flyest affordable suits, or the need-to-know menswear drops of the week, GQ Recommends’ perspective is built on years of hands-on experience, an insider awareness of what’s in and what’s next, and a mission to find the best version of everything out there, at every price point.
Our staffers aren’t able to try on every single piece of clothing you read about on GQ.com (fashion moves fast these days), but we have an intimate knowledge of each brand’s strengths and know the hallmarks of quality clothing—from materials and sourcing, to craftsmanship, to sustainability efforts that aren’t just greenwashing. GQ Recommends heavily emphasizes our own editorial experience with those brands, how they make their clothes, and how those clothes have been reviewed by customers. Bottom line: GQ wouldn’t tell you to wear it if we wouldn’t.
How We Make These Picks
We make every effort to cast as wide of a net as possible, with an eye on identifying the best options across three key categories: quality, fit, and price.
To kick off the process, we enlist the GQ Recommends braintrust to vote on our contenders. Some of the folks involved have worked in retail, slinging clothes to the masses; others have toiled for small-batch menswear labels; all spend way too much time thinking about what hangs in their closets.
We lean on that collective experience to guide our search, culling a mix of household names, indie favorites, and the artisanal imprints on the bleeding-edge of the genre. Then we narrow down the assortment to the picks that scored the highest across quality, fit, and price.
Across the majority of our buying guides, our team boasts firsthand experience with the bulk of our selects, but a handful are totally new to us. So after several months of intense debate, we tally the votes, collate the anecdotal evidence, and emerge with a list of what we believe to be the absolute best of the category right now, from the tried-and-true stalwarts to the modern disruptors, the affordable beaters to the wildly expensive (but wildly worth-it) designer riffs.
Whatever your preferences, whatever your style, there's bound to be a superlative version on this list for you. (Read more about GQ's testing process here.)
Ben Kriz is a writer for GQ Recommends who has over a decade of experience working in editorial for menswear brands ranging from luxury to DTC. He enjoys a good Manhattan, collects soccer scarves, and spends a lot of time thinking about how his pants meet his shoes. He lives ... Read More