Every year, we like to see what were the most popular tuxedo and suit rentals for the entire year. Last year, we saw an abundance of formal event activity: proms came back, although not fully, galas started to creep back and of course weddings were incredibly popular.
We generally can see what is trending in the men’s fashion area because we rent so many tuxedos and suits. However, when we run reports from our rental system, we are sometimes surprised what makes it into the top 5 category!
With many 2020 weddings postponed due to COVID-19 and even some 2021 weddings delayed, we saw an immense number of weddings in 2021. So what were our top 5 tuxedo and suit rentals during 2021? Let’s not waste any more time and get to our list!
TUXEDOS
- Ike Behar classic black tuxedo with notch lapel
- Ike Behar full navy tuxedo with notch lapel
- Michael Kors light gray tuxedo with notch lapel
- Ike Behar navy tuxedo with black peak lapel
- Allure Men cobalt blue tuxedo with notch lapel
# 5 Allure Men Cobalt Blue Tuxedo
At the beginning of the year, we did not expect this tuxedo to be so popular. However when you look at the vibrant and beautiful blue fabric of this tuxedo, we should have known better! The tuxedo has no satin on it, rather a border stitching on the notch lapel to emulate a satin border and fabric buttons. This was the perfect tuxedo for grooms who wanted a modern and striking blue color that went well with our brown shoes.
# 4 Ike Behar Navy Tuxedo With Black Peak Lapel
This tuxedo is the same exact fabric and style of our full navy Ike Behar tuxedo with notch lapel. The only difference is a black peak lapel and black buttons to match that lapel. Often, brides and grooms want to help distinguish the groom from the bridal party and fathers. One of the most common things we saw during 2021 was the groom wearing this tuxedo and the groomsmen wore the full navy tuxedo. This was a great choice to help dress the groom a little differently and help distinguish him further from the groomsmen.
# 3 Michael Kors Light Gray Tuxedo with Notch Lapel
Even we were surprised by this ranking! This light gray tuxedo with the thinnest of satin running down the notch lapel was popular with our spring and summer weddings. Although when we set out to rank our most popular wedding tuxedo rentals, we had no idea this one was number three, or even made the top 5 list! Part of its popularity, we think, is because of the Michael Kors name, the light gray color goes very well with warmer weather weddings and events, and it goes beautifully with most every bridesmaid color! We can say though, that the fabric is quite comfortable and luxurious and that could have swayed our brides and grooms. Nonetheless, a great tuxedo choice for a wedding.
# 2 Ike Behar Full Navy Tuxedo with Notch Lapel
Before we ran the numbers in our tuxedo and suit rental ordering system, the staff at Darianna Bridal & Tuxedo was trying to guess the most popular tuxedos rented by our wedding parties. We all guessed this tuxedo to be the most popular one. We were close but this tuxedo came in second. We can say, though, that it’s by far our most pinned tuxedo on our Pinterest page. This is a very handsome navy color with very luxurious fabric that provides all day comfort for grooms, groomsmen and fathers.
# 1 Ike Behar Classic Black Tuxedo With Notch Lapel
There is no surprise at the popularity of this fine tuxedo. However, when we were trying to guess the top tuxedo rentals, we had no idea that it was our most popular wedding rental in 2021. We knew it would make the top 5 list but had no idea it would be number 1! The classic, timeless look, luxurious fabric and perfect fit have always made this a favorite for just about anyone for any occasion. We found that brides and grooms who were interested in creating a timeless look tend to choose this tuxedo. We always advise that it’s a good idea to keep your wedding photos timeless so in 25 years you don’t question what you wore for your wedding! This tuxedo would certainly help you with that goal.
TOP 5 WEDDING SUIT RENTALS
In some instances, brides and grooms prefer to dress the groom and groomsmen in suits rather than tuxedos. That approach is evident in the number of suits we rent every year for weddings.
- Erik Lawrence steel gray suit
- Ike Behar navy suit
- Erik Lawrence black suit
- Erik Lawrence french blue suit
- Ike Behar light gray suit with peak lapel
Okay, first things first: we were REALLY surprised that the Ike Behar Yale blue suit did not make it into the top 5! It was number 6. It seemed that so many wedding parties wore this suit in 2021 but I guess when you are doing thousands of tuxedo and suit rentals, it can be challenging to keep track of which is precisely more popular. In addition, we all thought that the Ike Behar navy suit would have come out on top. In fact, it came in as the number 2 most popular suit rental for weddings.
# 5 Ike Behar Light Gray Suit
Brides and grooms who wanted a gray suit for a warmer weather wedding, tended to choose this suit. The fabric was soft, light and comfortable. And of course, as with all Ike Behar suits and tuxedos, it fits perfectly every time. The peak lapel on this suit adds a bit of style and flair to the look. Some wore it with the scoop vest, others did without the vest and may have added suspenders. We saw most rentals for this suit for Spring and Summer weddings.
# 4 Eric Lawrence French Blue Suit
Coming in at number 4 is our French blue suit. Again, before compiling our totals, we thought this one would have been in the top 3. We were close! The striking bright yet dark blue color of this suit is what attracts most of our brides and grooms to it. Wedding photos come out vibrant and defined when the wedding party is dressed in this suit. We predict this will be a popular suit for many years to come.
# 3 Ike Erik Lawrence Black Suit
Okay, this is somewhat of a surprise to us! Why? We didn’t think a black suit would have made it into the top 5 suits rented for weddings. Given the extreme popularity of the various shades of blues and grays that we rent and sell, we thought that those colors would have outpaced the black suit rentals. However, that’s why we run reports that summarize the thousands of rentals we do every year to see who are the clear winners! This is a very handsome, timeless suit. The trim fit jacket, slim fit pants and matching vest all create a very professional and modern look. In addition, the pants are both adjustable and have belt loops for grooms and groomsmen who like to wear a belt.
#2 Ike Behar Navy Blue Suit
Again, no surprise here, even though we thought this would have been the number 1 most rented suit in 2021. Instead, it came in at number 2. Many of our brides and grooms love our Ike Behar full navy tuxedo but do not want any satin. This suit solves the problem by replicating the navy tuxedo without satin. The slim fit and classic dark blue color make this a favorite for our wedding parties. I personally love this suit and have ordered one for myself. Many of our grooms purchased this suit while the remaining groomsmen rented it. The sheer number of groom purchases of this suit alone is a testimonial of how great it is!
This was definitely the suit for a bride and groom who wanted a different kind of blue. This blue shade is very pleasing and that’s before we get to the fact that it’s an Ike Behar. The fabric is super luxurious, very comfortable and fits like a custom suit.
# 1 Erik Lawrence Steel Gray Suit
This darker gray suit was very popular with many of our wedding parties. We found that brides and grooms were choosing this suit no matter what season it was. This is a very professional looking suit that has both style and comfort. The gray color is a true dark gray and is not mistaken for black. The matching trim fit jacket, slim fit pants and vest make great attire for your wedding party. We also found that many grooms purchased this suit rather than rented it. Grooms have told us that they like the suit so much that they would rather be able to keep this suit for future use. More frequently, the groomsmen rented the suit rather than purchased it.
So what was more popular for weddings, tuxedos or suits? We can say that last year, more tuxedos were rented than suits. 70% of our rentals were tuxedos and 30% were suits. It seemed that brides and grooms were going for a more formal look, thus choosing tuxedos more frequently for their wedding. That’s not to say that suits do not look formal. In fact, some of our suit rentals look more formal than certain tuxedos. However, our best advice to you is choose a style that you like and are comfortable with, regardless of whether it’s a suit or tuxedo.
Another thing to consider is to try to match the feel and look of the bridal gown. If the wedding dress is very formal, you may want to choose tuxedos for the wedding party. If the bridal gown is less formal, perhaps a suit is more appropriate.
So there you have it! Our Top 5 wedding tuxedo and suit rentals for 2021. With 9 new tuxedo and suit styles being added to our 60 or so already on offer, we are curious what will make the top 5 list for 2022. I guess we will have to wait and see!
Are you curious what father’s should wear to the wedding. Read our blog with advice on dressing father for your wedding.
About the author: Franco Salerno is co-founder and co-owner of Darianna Bridal & Tuxedo, now in their ninth year in business. In that time, he built the tuxedo department into a force rivaling big box stores by providing expertise, caring service, and beautiful, quality formal wear. Personally invested in every transaction, Mr. Salerno provides customers with the utmost trust and confidence, assuring their wedding or formal event attire will be perfect. A native of Philadelphia with extensive international business experience, he currently resides in Warrington, Bucks County with his wife and store co-founder/co-owner Wendy, and their two daughters for whom the store was named, Daria and Deanna.