How to Wear a Cummerbund

Putting on Your Cummerbund

Put on your shirt and pants first. A cummerbund goes over both your shirt and pants, so you’ll want to get dressed first before putting it on. You can tie on your bow tie either before or after getting the cummerbund in place.

Hold the cummerbund with the pleats facing up and out. This is the “right” way to put on a cummerbund, for the sake of both fashion and function. While they’re not usually too conspicuous, downward-facing pleats can send the message that you’re unfamiliar with the accessory. The pleats in a cummerbund are not just there for aesthetic purposes—they can actually be used to hold loose cash, tuck away ticket stubs, or even catch wayward crumbs at a fancy dinner. Not all cummerbunds have pleats. If yours doesn’t, look for a label or logo to help you orient it properly.

Place the cummerbund over your natural waistline. Situate the cummerbund so that its upper half covers the bottom of your dress shirt and its lower half covers the top of your trousers. Pull it taut against your waist, but not so tight that it feels uncomfortable. If the cummerbund falls below the bottom button on your dinner jacket, it’s too low. If the fabric of your shirt is visible around your waistline, it’s too high. Positioning your cummerbund correctly may require you to wear your trousers slightly higher than hip level, which is where they tend to sit on more modern styles.

Fasten the cummerbund using the buckle at the back. Hold the cummerbund firmly around your waist and strap it in place using the belt-like buckle in the back. Simply guide the long strap on the left side under the buckle’s lower opening. Then, pull it up and out through the other end. You may need to have someone assist you with securing the cummerbund, since it can be difficult to thread the buckle behind your back.

Adjust the size and hide the excess strap material as needed. If your cummerbund isn’t fitting quite right, take it off again. Pull on the strap to tighten the fit, or lift up on the buckle to loosen it up. Then, tuck the loose end of the strap into the small pocket on the back inside face. Make sure your cummerbund fits comfortably and snugly. You don’t want it to be so tight that you have trouble breathing, or too loose that it slips down. Make sure there are no wrinkle or folds in the strap. These could start to cause discomfort the longer you wear your cummerbund. Nearly all modern cummerbunds feature this inside pocket. If yours doesn’t, simply smooth down your strap as much as possible so it doesn’t wrinkle against your back.

Styling a Cummberbund

Wear your cummerbund with a bow tie. Cummerbunds are traditionally worn with bow ties, since longer neck ties overlap awkwardly. A bow tie, tuxedo jacket, and cummerbund, in contrast, creates a clean, classic look. Try to choose a bow tie that’s the same material as your cummerbund. Don’t worry if you’re not a bow tie person. They’re also typically worn with tuxedos and similar formal attire, which means they’ll look quite natural with a cummerbund. Avoid wearing a pre-tied, clip-on bow tie. They’re easy to spot and come across as immature.

Wear your cummerbund over suspenders for extra support. You don’t typically wear a belt under your cummerbund, so if you need some extra help keeping your pants in place, clip on a pair of suspenders before you put on your cummerbund and jacket. People won’t be able to see the suspenders, but you should still wear a black or white pair just in case your jacket slips. You want to ensure that the color scheme of your outfit is consistent.

Choose a cummerbund that’s the same material as your jacket lapels. For dinner jackets with satin lapels, anything but a satin cummerbund (or a convincing faux-satin material) will look out of place. If your lapels are ribbed or grosgrain, you’ll want to shop for a cummerbund in a material with a similar texture. Matching your cummerbund to your jacket lapels helps it blend in with the rest of your outfit, making it appear more uniform.

Choose a black or midnight blue cummerbund for a classic look. Tuxedos are nearly always black or dark, navy blue; anything else can look tacky. Matching the color of your cummerbund to your jacket in one of these dark hues will look classic and clean. You can’t go wrong! A plain cummerbund looks the most elegant, and it's appropriate for any occasion.

Go with burgundy or bottle green for a splash of color. While an all-black tuxedo, bow tie, and cummerbund combo is the traditional look, you can also go with a cummerbund in a subtle color if you want to match a date or just add some color. Sophisticated colors like burgundy, hunter green, plum, or gold tend to work best for livening up a cummerbund. Resist the urge to match your bow tie or any other accessories to a colorful cummerbund, which can look tacky and immature. Stay with a plain black bow tie to keep your look classy.

Don’t pair a cummerbund with a vest. Both a vest and a cummerbund serve the same function: to conceal your waist. Wearing both at once looks too busy and is often considered a major fashion error, so choose between one or the other for black tie events. Cummerbund or Vest? Cummerbunds are more comfortable for warm-weather events, since they cover less of your torso. Vests are usually seen as more formal and modern.