Although my senior prom was many many years ago, I remember it as if it happened just yesterday. The mad rush to find the perfect gown, the perfect date, and of course – the perfect accessories! Accessories are often over looked because we spend the bulk of our time focused on our gown. I’ve put together this prom accessories check-list just to make sure you remember everything!
Chances are your date spends weeks of planning before the event to find the perfect dress to wear. As a guy you actually have it much easier. There are far less choices in colors and styles, and finding the right fit is generally much less of a concern for guys than it is for girls. Nevertheless, it is important to know a few basics about matching your tux to your date’s dress. The basics below will teach you how to easily match your tux to your date’s dress. Follow the 5 tips below, and your date will be impressed.
1. Wait until your date has bought her dress before renting your tux. The range of color choices and styles for prom dresses is much greater than for tuxedos, and it will be much easier to match a tux to a dress than vice versa. Ask her about her dress! She probably started planning weeks in advance, and spent many hours browsing through catalogs and walking through stores to find her perfect dress. She will love to tell you all about it. Asking her about it shows that you care and are excited as much for her about the dress, as you are excited about the prom night.
2. Now that you know what the dress will look like, you can start looking for your tuxedo. Call your local tuxedo rental places and ask them if they have experience in matching tuxedos to prom dresses. If the answer is yes then you will be in good hands.
3. Before going to the store by yourself, ask your date if she would like to come with you to help find the perfect tux. In most cases she will love to do this. She will be happy to help and likes that you trust her opinion. It also shows that you care about the prom night and want everything to go perfect as much as she does.
4. Ask your date if she could bring her dress with you to help find the right tux. She might not want to since there is a chance the dress will get stained or wrinkled before the event. If this is the case be understanding and give her a break! Instead of taking the dress, take a picture and bring it with you to the store.
5. Keep in mind that your tuxedo should be classic black with a white dress shirt. This is the basis for traditional black tie attire – the look you know from James Bong himself. To match a tux to a dress choose the right matching accessories such as cummerbunds, vests, bow ties, and/or neckties. Pay a close attention to the right color match. Even if you think that the color bow tie matches the dress, hold bow tie next to the dress in good lighting to make sure it really does. Also ask your date about her opinion. If you are unsure about it, don’t risk it, and keep looking.
6. If you really can’t find the perfect match, then stick to classic black. Black is not only the traditional and most formal color, but it will also match with any dress. There is a reason it is called “black tie attire” after all.
H Pohl is the owner and founder of http://www.ties-necktie.com/ Ties-Necktie.com offers a wide range of formal men’s neckwear and black tie accessories including neckties, bow ties, pocket squares, and cufflinks
Tuxedos are for old guys, right?! Perhaps you’re hell bent on wearing anything but some stiff drab tuxedo to your senior prom – but what alternatives to the tux are there? As prom fashion trends change for girls – they also change for guys.
Before you make any decisions, you must consult with your date. While it is important that you be comfortable in your choice of attire for the evening, it’s equally important that the two of you coordinate and look good together.
If your dates dress is super formal, you may need to just bite the bullet and go with a traditional tuxedo. But there are small things that you can do to give it your own style and look hip and cool. For example, ditch the jacket! When 
you’re selecting your tux, ask the sales person if you can look at their vest collection. Sometimes the vest worn under the jacket looks 10x better than the tuxedo itself! If that is the case, you can carry the jacket as an accessory, but let the vest be the focal point of your prom outfit. You can also experiment your neckwear. Bow ties can be very stuffy looking, but ascots and short ties are hot Hollywood red carpet trends. So by ditching the jacket, donning just the vest and a short tie (for example) you can turn your fathers tux into the talk of the senior prom.
Another idea is to mix and match your pant and jacket colors. There is no hard rule that says you must wear one solid color. Granted, you don’t want to clash – so it’s a good idea to take your dates prom dress to the tuxedo shop to really pull this off – but it’s a unique idea.
In the event that you do wear one solid color, you can add splashes of color and texture by matching your tux scarf and handkerchief with your dates dress. Perhaps your date is wearing a canary yellow evening gown, check with your tuxedo shop to see if they have scarves that match. If not, for under $50 you can go to your local fabric shop, pick up some material and find a seamstress who can quickly sew matching accessories for you. It’s a relatively simple job that can be done in a matter of days.
Now if your date’s dress isn’t super formal or traditional – your options will increase. You can skip the tuxedo all together and go for a well tailored suit, sports coat and dress slacks, or any other combination that you can think of. Though we spend a lot of time gushing over prom from the female point of view, this night is just as much yours as it is hers. So ultimately you’ll need to do what makes you most comfortable. Be safe & enjoy Prom 2009!