How to Make the Most of the Remarkably Versatile Tuxedo Jacket

I have a tuxedo jacket that my sister gave to me awhile ago.  And now I am discovering that there are so many ways to wear it that I didn’t realize.  You can wear it day and evening, to work or business events, on weekends, on dates and all around town!  It dresses up anything, but it can be dressed down too.  This jacket can go from the casual to the fanciest of events.  And now I have style tips and outfit ideas to show you how to make the most of the remarkably versatile tuxedo jacket.

Since it’s a menswear piece, it looks best paired with something feminine.  Even if you are wearing a full tuxedo suit, wear a top that is more bare and girlie such as a satin camisole or lacy tank top.  With a jacket over it, age doesn’t matter.  And since you can wear a tuxedo jacket in place of a jean jacket, this piece is useful in anyone’s wardrobe!

If you already have a velvet blazer, it can be used in place of a tuxedo jacket. Substitute it in any of the outfit combinations below.

This is an updated post with two style tips and 44 ways to wear a tuxedo jacket/blazer.

How to Make the Most of the Remarkably Versatile Tuxedo Jacket:

Style Tips

TIP#1:  Wear a tuxedo jacket in place of a jean jacket.

TIP#2:  Wear a tuxedo jacket over a dress, a good pair of jeans, smoking pants…everything!

What Is Le Smoking?

Smoking pants, or cigarette pants, are a style with narrow legs that are slightly narrower at the bottom and finish at or just above the ankle. Cigarette pants may be more fitted in the thigh area and cut straight from knee to ankle, whereas straight-cut pants are generally straight from hip to ankle. Other names for cigarette pants are include smoking pants, slim-fit pants, drainpipes, stovepipes, tight pants, cigarette pants, pencil pants, gas pipes, skinny pants, skinnies, and tight jeans.

A tuxedo jacket can sometimes be called a smoking jacket. When worn together with smoking pants or bought as a complete suit, the look is called “le smoking.” To read all about how Yves Saint Laurent created le smoking 60 years ago, see Bazaar’s recent article HERE.

How to Get the Most Versatility From Your Tuxedo Jacket

To wear your tuxedo blazer for a variety of looks:  add wedge sneakers or a killer heel (beautiful and stylish but not excruciating :D); a big bag such as a tote (save the clutch for black-tie); lots of bracelets (roll up your sleeves to show the arm party); a flowing top in a fun print.

Dress up jeans and a tee with a tuxedo jacket.  Then you can add:  sneakers for everyday, ankle boots for a bit of edge, or heels for evening.

Outfit Ideas for Different Ways to Wear a Tuxedo Jacket

Since this jacket is normally used for fancy events, the following outfit ideas begin with evening looks and then go on to explore ways to wear it for business and anytime.

Evening Looks, From Black Tie to Casual

1. For black-tie events, wear the whole suit (tuxedo jacket with matching tuxedo pants/smoking jacket with matching smoking pant) with a white or tuxedo shirt and heels. The shoes can be kitten heels, pumps, booties, etc. You might also like to add an actual black tie, whether a men’s style tie, a bow tie or a ribbon tie.
2. For Easy Evening:  A tuxedo blazer buttoned over a ruffled white shirt + blue jeans.  Add a choker (especially nice in velvet.)  This looks great with an up-do!
3. For a sexy but not-too-daring evening look:  Fasten a tuxedo blazer over skinny black pants.  Add black heels and a bare camisole (you don’t even have to know it’s there).  Finish with red lipstick.

   

4. If your tuxedo blazer is a longer length, add skinnies.  A black jacket with black skinnies has the look of a suit.  Embellished or sparkly skinnies dress up the look of the jacket.

   

5. Wear a tuxedo blazer over a column of black:  black pants + a black shell top. You could also wear a column of any color (a top and bottom in the same color.)
6. A fancy v-neck top with a tuxedo blazer is a nice balance of casual and dressed up.  You might want to add your favorite skinnies.

   

7. Sexy Easy Evening:  A tuxedo blazer + black evening camisole + trousers or tweed pants.  Add a gold belt + leather sandals.  You may also want to add a dark red evening bag.
8. Create a high-class monochrome look by wearing a black tuxedo jacket or blazer over a black top and black skinnies.  Add a black & gold scarf at neck + gold heels.
9. A lace top (if see-through, add a matching bra or camisole) + black pants + tuxedo blazer.  Add gold heels + large sparkly earrings.
10. Pair a tuxedo jacket and a gauzy blouse with the bottoms of your choice.
11. A black tuxedo blazer + a black lace top + blue jeans.  Add earrings.  You may like to put your hair up in a messy up-do.
12. A tuxedo blazer + a white tee + black trousers.  Add gold heeled sandals + a statement gold necklace.
13. Black tuxedo blazer + red trousers + a black t-shirt.  Add neutral heels.

Wear With Faux Leather Pants

All references to leather are recommended to be faux in order to be kind to animals.

1. Easy Evening/Date:  A tuxedo blazer worn open over a striped t-shirt tucked inside faux leather pants.  Add a studded black belt + a chunky chain bracelet + a long, narrow chiffon scarf tied around neck with long ends in front.  Do a smoky eye and nude lips.
2. Sexy date:  Tuxedo jacket + black leather pants.
3. Festive Sexy Evening/Date:  Tuxedo blazer + black leather pants + a top of your choice.  How daring are you; how cold do you get?  😉
4. A tuxedo jacket + a brightly-colored blouse tucked into black leather pants.  Add a faux fur scarf or a boa + gold heels.
5. Tuxedo blazer + a black top + black leather pants.  Or, use any color sweater.
6. Tuxedo jacket + a brightly-colored blouse tucked into black leather pants.   Add a fur scarf or boa + gold heels.

Wear Over a Dress

1. Wear a tuxedo jacket over a sheath dress.  Add satin evening shoes + statement jewelry.
2. Tuxedo blazer + a black sheath dress.  Add boots, if possible.  Add necklace + earrings (black, silver, studs, leather…)
3. Tuxedo jacket + a little black dress.
4. A tuxedo blazer + a cocktail dress or cocktail pants.
5. A tuxedo jacket + a sequined dress.  Add black heels + delicate gold jewelry.
6. Use a tuxedo blazer as a coverup over a dress.  Add black opaque stockings and pumps + long sparkly earrings.  Put hair up and do a smoky eye.

Wear With a Skirt

• A tuxedo blazer + a long skirt or maxi dress.
• Tuxedo jacket + a long, black skirt.

• A tuxedo blazer over a metallic or lace turtleneck and a sparkly and/or sheer skirt.
• Wear a tuxedo jacket with a pencil skirt and a pretty top (i.e., a bare camisole or tank in silk, lace, velvet, sequins or a metallic or shimmery material.) Finish with heels and special jewelry.

Ways to Wear a Tuxedo Jacket for Business

1. Business Dinner or Evening Event:  A tuxedo jacket + black faux leather pants.  Add gold heels + black and gold bracelets.  For an elegant yet businesslike look, put your hair up.
2. Day to Evening:  For the office, wear a black tuxedo blazer and a white silk or flowing shirt over black skinny jeans/pants. Then turn back the cuffs so that the white shows over the black. Add sleek ankle boots or patent pumps and a gold bracelet.    For evening, change into flat-heeled black boots.
3. Tuxedo blazer + tailored boot-cut trousers or pencil skirt.
4. Wear a tuxedo jacket with a pencil skirt, printed or solid, and any shell top you like to wear for work.
5. A black blazer jacket + a pretty white blouse over skinny black pants.  Add black pumps.  You might like to roll back the sleeves.
6. To a tuxedo blazer and sheath dress, add boots + a necklace + earrings.  You may like to choose stud earrings, a necklace and/or bracelet on leather cord, jewelry in colors to match what you’re wearing.

Ways to Wear a Tuxedo Jacket Anytime

1. Weekends:  A tuxedo blazer + a black tee + blue jeans.  Add oxfords.
2. A tuxedo jacket + a plain gray, black or white t-shirt + skinny jeans.  Add patent leather oxfords.
3. Tuxedo jacket + a white scoop-neck shell + slim black pants or jeans.Sequin Trim Shawl Collar Tailored Blazer from Shein with jeans and a silver belt
4. Tuxedo blazer + any jeans, even destroyed skinnies + a graphic or simple tee or shell.
5. A black graphic tee + black pinstripe pants + a tuxedo jacket.  Add red or animal-print heels.
6. A black tuxedo blazer + a black t-shirt + red trousers.  Add neutral heels.

   

7. A graphic tee + skinny blue jeans + a tuxedo jacket.  Add flat animal-print footwear.
8. A charcoal graphic tee + skinny black or blue jeans + a black tuxedo blazer. Add a brown or black fedora + peep-toe booties.
9. Wear a tuxedo jacket and a gauzy blouse with bottoms of your choice.

As you can tell, a tuxedo jacket is a good buy! No need to save it for fancy occasions. I hope these outfit combinations will inspire you to use your tuxedo jacket and velvet blazer often.

Let’s Connect!

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Like this post?  You might like to find more outfit ideas in my Fall/Winter Evening Series HERE or my  Evening category HERE.

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Angie

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