Arrive in the prom tux 2024 will be known for, and be the GOAT.
Nice work—you found the one guide to prom tux ideas that can actually help you land the right look. There are endless prom outfits for guys, and to make a decision, you’ve got to narrow down your options.
Good news is, when it comes to prom attire for guys, 2024 has a lot to offer. Men’s prom outfits usually stay pretty much the same (tux + tie = you’re good), but this year’s prom tux styles bring a little more to the dance floor than in the past. That means you’ll have to put in a little effort (but really, only a little). Read on to set yourself apart from the pack with the best prom styles for men.
Table of Contents
Modern Prom Tux Ideas
Traditional Prom Tux Ideas
Creative Prom Tux Ideas
Trendy Prom Tux Ideas
Prom Tux Accessories
Bonus: Prom Tux Questions, Answered
Prom Tux Ideas, Inspired by the Red Carpet
Awards shows tend to be a little long, with questionable films taking home the hardware—hardly worth the dank memes and gifs. At least they’re good for another, better thing: style inspo. Knowing who won the red carpet can provide you with more than enough prom tux ideas.
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MODERN PROM TUX IDEAS FOR 2024
You respect tradition, but you don’t want to risk looking stale. These are updated, modern versions of the most classic tuxedo styles.
Mark Ronson’s tux noir pairs a black dress shirt with a contrast shawl dinner jacket. The necktie is a little bit rock, but a bow tie finishes the look nicely, too.
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TimothĂ©e Chalamet’s grosgrain bound tux look, made even more modern by the air tie. Be sure to button up all the way to the top—that closed collar makes a big difference.
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With the brightest fits trending right now, Dave Franco’s midnight blue move is a low-risk, high-reward way to add some flavor to the classic black tux.
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TRADITIONAL PROM TUX IDEAS FOR 2024
There’s a reason these prom tuxedos have aced the test of time: they’re classics. You’ll thank yourself in 20 years when you find your prom pic in a box and have no regrets.
Prom Queen. Rami Malek pulling out the grail of traditional prom tuxedo looks: peak lapel tuxedo, clean white dress shirt, bow tie, and a low cut vest.
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Andrew Garfield’s look uses the same tux base, but he makes his a little less formal by skipping the vest. Do you, ‘Drew. Can we call you ‘Drew? Didn’t think so.
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If you’re into classic film, you know how long the white dinner jacket’s been around, so it’s definitely traditional. Still, a great prom tux idea—LaKeith Stanfield’s look is all the proof you need.
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Wait, didn’t we just see this tux on Rami and ‘Drew? The difference is the lapel of the jacket—this one has a shawl collar. Man of the Woods brings Bond vibes, and it works.
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CREATIVE PROM TUX IDEAS FOR 2024
You’re an individual. You want a prom tux that raises the bar for self-expression, but you’re not ready to go full tuxedo-gown. We’ve got you.
Zayn Malik in a rose suit. This one still holds up.
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Best supporting pants. When you do a full tux—pants and jacket—in a unique color like Mahershala Ali does here, you turn heads and rack up awards. Y’know, like the prom king award.
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TRENDING PROM TUX IDEAS FOR 2024
Right now is all that matters. You aren’t afraid to jump in and ride the wave. These are the latest prom tuxedo trends.
If you’re claustrophobic, the double-breasted tuxedo might be a bad choice. If you have a fear of looking sloppy, it might be the best choice. Case in point: Trevor Noah. For best results, keep it buttoned up.
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Here’s the thing: metallic jackets are great for celebs like Jared Leto, but you can get all of the positives (bright, unique color) and none of the negatives (causing an epileptic seizure) with a gold dinner jacket prom tux.
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Prom Tux Accessories: Ties, Shirts, Shoes and More
Once you’ve chosen the perfect tux, it’s time to fill in the gaps in your prom outfit with these accessories.
PROM TUX NECKWEAR
Black
Sometimes the most obvious choice is the right choice. Pair a black bow tie or necktie with anything and you’ll be fine.
Pattern Black and White
If you’re wearing a solid black or midnight blue tux, try a patterned tie in black and white—it’s really hard to mess this up.
Colorful Neckwear
A little color can be a good move, but it can be easy to overdo. If your tie is colorful, keep your tux and shirt black and white.
Worried about tying a bow tie? We’ve got your back. Learn more here.
PROM TUX POCKET SQUARES
White
White pocket squares look good with everything, and demonstrate you’re really, really good at folding things. Your parents will be so proud.
Black and White
You can get a lot of mileage out of black and white. Try a simple pattern, a unique design, or even just a shoestring detail.
Colorful Pocket Squares
Remember what we said about colorful ties? Same goes for your pocket square. Keep your tux and shirt simple if you choose colorful accessories.
PROM TUX SHIRTS
Dress Shirt or Fly-Front Shirt
Wearing a dress shirt is a low-key move, leaving the door open for your tux or tie to make a statement.
For a sleek, modern choice, try a fly-front shirt (the kind that hides your shirt buttons).
Tuxedo Shirt
Elevate your look without going full-on formal. The fold-down collar says “Relax, it’s just prom,” but the pleated front says “I legitimately know how to tango for real.”
Wing Tip Shirt
Only with a traditional tuxedo style, and TBH, this is probably too serious for prom. But do you.
Ruffle Shirt
There are a lot of things we didn’t expect in 2019, but here we are eating Tide Pods (are you still doing that?), and ruffle shirts are back in the mix for prom. No fear, just badass ruffles.
PROM TUX SHOES
Patent Leather
Patent leather is an easy go-to when you’re wearing a tux. Simple FTW.
Cap Toe Shoes
A sleek cap toe shoe demands just enough attention. This pair adds variety to your look without upstaging your tux.
Loafers
Velvet slip-ons and grosgrain loafers will improve your dance moves by up to 20% (probably). If it’s warm outside, skip the socks and let those ankles breathe.
Sneakers
Sneakers are a good swerve, but a clean pair in black are the only kind we can safely recommend. Yeezy yellow at your own risk.
PROM TUX CUFFLINKS
A tux without cufflinks is like eating fries without ketchup… or ranch, or mustard, or whatever you like to dip into. So I guess what I’m saying is live a little and wear them.
Bonus: Prom Tux Questions, Answered
Nobody’s born a prom tux pro. Whatever prom tux ideas end up shaping your look, you’ll probably have some questions—that’s normal. We have the answers, and they’ll help you avoid bad fits, awkward photos, and general prom anxiety (been there).
Suit Vs. Tuxedo
Suits and tuxedos might seem pretty similar, but a tux isn’t just a black suit worn with a bow tie (and not all tuxedos are black and white). The biggest difference is the silk satin used in the design of the tuxedo’s jacket lapels, buttons, and pants. Suits are usually made with one fabric on both the jacket and pants—no satin involved—and normal buttons.
So, should you wear a suit or a tuxedo? Honestly, it’s prom—when else are you going to bust out a tux? Up your game for the big night and let your bar mitzvah suit sit this dance out.
Bow Tie Vs. Necktie
With a prom tuxedo, bow ties are the don’t-think-twice choice—and don’t worry if you don’t know how to tie one yet, it’s simple. But done right, a slim necktie can score style points, so consider your options.
If you’re wearing a traditional prom tux style (see above), a bow tie is your best option. You’ll look like a pro, and it’ll keep your look consistent.
In one of our modern or trendy prom tux ideas, you’re in the clear for both bow ties and neckties: necktie for a laid-back look, bow tie to keep it classy.
With any creative look, and you’ve got a third option—no tie. This works best if you button your shirt up completely, and you’ve got to wear it with confidence. This is prom, not a cruise ship (and if your prom theme is cruise ship, it’s still prom).
In the end, no matter what your overall look is, choose the tie style that makes you feel comfortable and confident.
Should I match my date?
Short answer: No.
There are several reasons, but for starters, it’s almost impossible to keep matching outfits from looking like a costumes. You may not wear a tux very often, but hey—it’s still supposed to look like clothing.
There’s also a big difference between matching and coordinating. If your date has an elaborate color scheme planned, that can work with any of the prom tux ideas we’ve offered here. But narrow it down to one or two of those colors for your outfit. Power couples do this all the time, but they still maintain their individuality. Why? Because they’re coordinating, not twinning.
How much color is too much color?
Most of the time, getting dressed is about making personal style choices. That definitely applies to color, but here’s the thing about choices… they come in two flavors: good ones and bad ones. There are two different ways you can (and should) make a good color choice.
The first is to let your tuxedo do the talking. If you wear a colorful tux—whether it’s only the jacket, or both pants and jacket—keep your accessories and shirt to a low-key black and white color scheme. That keeps the attention where it belongs—on your statement tux. Add too much color, and you start to look like someone finger-painted your outfit on.
The second option is to keep your prom tux black and/or white, and take your tie, pocket square, or shirt for a ride around the color wheel. Again, it’s easy to overdo it, so if you bring the color to more than one accessory, choose complementary colors.
This may seem limiting at first, but there are a lot of patterns, like pindot or stripes in black and white, that can make your outfit more interesting. But please, please, do not make the most common prom tux mistake.
How should my prom tuxedo fit?
Wearing a prom tux should look effortless, but you’ll need to pay attention to how it fits to be your prom’s GOAT (Greatest Of All Tuxedos). Lucky for you, there are just 3 major parts to double check and dial in.
The Jacket:
The Shirt:
The Pants:
Dive a little deeper and perfect your fit here.
Do I button all of the buttons on my prom tux jacket?
Unless your jacket only has one button, never fasten all of the buttons on your suit or tuxedo jacket. Let’s break it down:
2 buttons: Fasten the top button only.
3 buttons: You have the option of fastening the top button, but always button the middle.
Double-breasted jacket: Fasten the top button (and keep it fastened—don’t wear this unbuttoned).
But no matter the jacket, never button the bottom jacket button—it just won’t fit very well or look right.
Finding prom tux ideas is a solid start, but that’s only half the battle. We get that finding a tux for prom can be a hassle. That’s why we make it simple. Just answer a few questions, order online, and we’ll deliver your prom tux to your door. No tux shop trip required. Plus, it’ll actually fit. Sound good?
Remember: prom is one night, but photos are forever.