Category Archives: <span>Tux trends</span>

February272018NOCOMMENTS

mainstreetformals

Tux trends, Uncategorized, wedding

The tuX files: Sneak peek at what’s new at Main Street Formals

The talented crew of Lague Construction is working hard to keep us on schedule.

The sun is shining, and spring is in the air at Main Street Formals, as we wait with bated breath to witness each stage of progress in our building addition. There has been lots of activity here at the shop recently, as we wrapped up our participation in a number of successful local bridal expos and ratchet up our expectations for a busy 2018.

At present, much of our attention is dedicated to the expansion of our building, which after some 300 years of solid service (did you know we are the oldest standing structure in Acushnet?) needed to be expanded to make room for more inventory. Why do we carry so much product during a time when retailers everywhere labor to carry less? No friggin clue. We’re just nuts that way. These no-good salesmen keep knocking on our door, showing us racks and racks of amazing suits and formalwear, and we are simply powerless to say no. Toss in a new catalog, or an envelope full of the latest season’s swatches, and we’re instantly reaching for our wallet.

So, speaking of the “latest swatches,” what are we seeing for the hot looks for 2018? On the wedding end of the business, we expect strong demand for navy and charcoal, as brides continue to shift away from the lighter, more casual tones that have been so popular. We are also seeing a return to a more formal aesthetic, with the resurgence of bowties (yah!) as brides embrace the cosmopolitan elegance of black tuxedos in the opulent historic mansion settings of Newport and its peripheries.

For suits, charcoal and banker’s gray remain strong, for even the suit novice can put together a sharp ensemble with minimal effort. Navy and indigo continue to gain steam–all in tailored two-button models. The fashion blogs continue to promote bold colors, but we’re not hearing many requests for them (because you’re all a bunch of chickens). We are working hard to get you fellas to step out of your comfort zones, and if you’re toeing the waters, we recommend the addition of a patterned suit or two (windowpanes are hot right now). If you are the boss (or want to be), then perhaps it’s time to add a double-breasted suit to the mix. If you don’t know what that is (which makes us want to cry), just pop in, and we’ll walk you through what’s out there.

More news coming, we’ll post as time permits. Over and out. 😉

February262018NOCOMMENTS

mainstreetformals

price-shopping, Tux trends, wedding

The tuX files: Myth-Busting at Main Street Formals

This handsome groom came all the way from Maine to buy a suit from us! 😉

Wedding season is nearly here, and as we host new brides and grooms in the store, they regularly regale us with tall tales from the competition. For fun this afternoon, we thought we’d bust a few of the myths out there.

MYTH #1 CHAIN STORES ARE CHEAPER.
Guess again. Shopping malls charge their tenants high rents for those properties, and they take a percentage of store sales, too. Guess who really pays for that. That’s right, You. Nestled in quaint, rural Acushnet, Main Street Formals owns its location, helping to keep our average tuxedo rental prices dramatically below what the big box often gets. How much lower? This weekend, one of our wedding customers reported he’s in another wedding at [the name that cannot be named], and he is paying more TO RENT a suit from them than he is TO BUY a suit from us.

MYTH #2 WE CAN’T MATCH YOUR COLORS.
When it comes to matching your colors, “mainstream” has nothing on Main Street. In addition to the hundreds of hues we carry in stock, our experienced, eager staff is happy to show you catalogs full of colors that we can special-order. What’s that you say? The color is so new that formalwear manufacturers haven’t made it yet? If we can’t match it, we can make it. That’s a level of service you just can’t find in a big box shop. Other stores claim they have “the most,” but if you ask them if they will custom-make accessories for you, you’ll probably hear crickets.

MYTH #3 YOUR GROOMSMEN AREN’T LOCAL.

Uncle Charlie’s nephew from Roswell.

Whether they hail from Michigan or Mars, your out-of-towners can request a courtesy fitting from any tuxedo shop in their hometown and send us the sizes. When in town for the rehearsal dinner (1-2 days before the wedding), they can visit our store and try on their tux, and if it doesn’t fit, we will fix it while they wait. Wrong shoe size? Gained 15 pounds? Unlike chain stores, our store is stuffed with extra inventory, and we are the region’s only formalwear store with full-time in-house tailoring. When it comes to making your “Men in Black” look their best, nobody beats Main Street Formals.

Class dismissed.

February282017NOCOMMENTS

mainstreetformals

Tux trends, wedding

The tuX files: Back to Black: Permission to indulge

Fabian Couture slim-fit shawl tuxedo

Let’s talk about you. You’re smart, you work hard. Right? Right. You do your job, you feed the family, you go to school–you get it done. Sometimes, you think about a version of you that doesn’t have to worry about the bills or the hours or the kids. While you are wiping the oatmeal off the front of your sweater, you wonder if somewhere in another dimension, you’re waking up in St. Tropez in silk sheets, warm air with a cool breeze …But then there’s another stack of papers, another pile of snow, another spill, another stain, another day, another dollar, and you’re not in St. Tropez–you’re just here, and you’re doing the best you can.

Photo: Imagemakers

The daily grind is built on compromises—coupon clipping, corner-cutting, staying in on Saturday nights. You deal with a little bit less now, so that you can have a little bit more later. But soon you are getting married, and when it comes to your wedding, you deserve More.

More is freedom from compromise; more champagne, more dancing, more luxury, more glamour. More is limousines and ball gowns, flowers and lights and multi-tiered cakes. This is a celebration of you and yours, and far from your daily life, the only grind you’ll find is on the dance floor. Your wedding day is more than an ordinary day, and a jet-black tuxedo is more than an ordinary suit. It’s says, You are not just “a” man. You are the man.

Once-in-a-lifetime events deserve more than the ordinary. For your wedding day, feel free to elevate your expectations. You deserve it.

February152017NOCOMMENTS

mainstreetformals

Tux trends, Uncategorized, wedding

The tuX files: Out with the old, in with the blue

Navy Sebastian tuxedo by Ike Behar. Photo courtesy of ImageMakers

When it comes down to it, there are two kinds of people in this world; those who sing “Da Ba De Da Ba Di,” and those who know “If they were green, they would die.” Whichever way you fall in this key cultural divide, all children of the nineties will remember the iconic Eiffel 65 classic, “I’m Blue,” in which the song’s subject pays tribute to the coolest of all colors with their blue house, blue corvette, and blue girlfriend. What makes this song relevant in today’s vastly different world, you ask? Well, it turns out Eiffel 65 had it right when it comes to this year’s biggest color in wedding menswear!

Slate Bartlett tuxedo by Allure. Photo courtesy of ImageMakers

That’s right, 2017 channels 1999 as blue is THE color. Luckily, you don’t have to venture out into the cosmic sea of bridal blues alone. Whether you’re looking for London blue, slate blue, navy or indigo, Main Street Formals offers a wide selection of retail and rental options to complete your wedding day vision. As always, when it comes to fashion, you can trust the award-winning formalwear experts at Main Street Formals to style your guys perfectly, without breaking the bank. Now, that’s something everyone can get behind– “da ba de-er’s” and “ if I were green-ers alike.”

February82017NOCOMMENTS

mainstreetformals

Uncategorized, fun, Tux trends

The tuX files: Classy as buck

Main Street Formals celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2016, and we remodeled our showroom to celebrate! If you haven’t been here since your high school prom (or longer), take a short ride to the countryside and check out our new look and all of the new offerings on display.

Spring 2017 suits (on the way!)
Our new “Milan” slim-fit tuxedos
Our new “Main Street” necktie collection!
Our new “Axis” line of patent formal shoes
Our new “Allure” caramel brown formal shoes
Our new “Hudson” matte-finish formal shoes (on the way!)
New colors in our Simply Solid vest line
New hats
New statement socks
New lapel pins
and our uber-classy new mascot, Bogart the Buck!

March312015NOCOMMENTS

mainstreetformals

Uncategorized, fun, price-shopping, Tux trends, wedding

The tuX files: Tux Rogers has some advice for men.

Tux Rogers wants you to know that there’s nothing funny about paying more for less.

Don’t be fooled by the competition’s gimmicks and “discounts.” Main Street Formals has the most colors, award-winning service, and the best value around. Period. End of story.

Stop into the shop to see for yourself, or explore our website to learn more about New England’s biggest little tux shop.