Conference turris::womannotes-v3

    As many of you know, I own a black tux with tails and *I LOVE IT*!!! I
    love to wear it but can't always wear it in the summer because it's
    made of wool and it gets hot. I have a red bowtie and cummerbund that
    go with it but I want to get them both in purple too. Deep purple. And
    I need it before Women's Weekend down in P-town in October because they
    have a prom there and I'm going to it this year. Even if it's by
    myself!
    
    I like to be creative with it and try wearing it with different
    combination of things. I've worn it over a white tank top with jeans
    and sneakers on.
    
    I love to see other women wearing tuxs. It makes kind of a radical
    statement for me i.e. "I'll wear whatever the heck I want to, I don't
    care if men traditionally have worn this". I also love to see women
    dressing or fixing themselves up in radical ways i.e. spiked haircuts,
    pierced noses etc. 
    
    I'll have to tell my "Buying a tux" story here when I get time. It was
    an experience!
    
    the Outlaw
    

    
    	Well, Laurie, since I'm going to Women's weekend and I'd *like*
    to go to the prom (I never went to one in school)--maybe you can 
    help me find one when you come out to the "boonies" to visit! :-)
	
    	I always liked my father's tux, I even used to help him get 
    dressed in it (he *hated* doing the buttons!).  Let's see what we 
    can find!!
    
    
    Catch ya later!
    
    Debbi

    I think they look ridiculous on men. On women it's worse. Sorry.

I got no respect for anyone who wears a tux with a fake bowtie.  Those
things look so ineffably silly.  With a real bowtie, a tux looks good.
Okay, so I'm a bowtie snob.  We're a dwindling number, and we got rights
and I say strike for our rights.

When I think of women in tuxes, I think immediately of Marlene Dietrich,
and that's enough to get me started thinking about...  uhm, excuse me, I
gotta change the subject.

-d

    Where is this prom held?  What's the dress code?  :-)  Do women have to
    wear tuxes, or can they wear traditional female prom gowns as well? 
    Does one have to have a date in order to go?  I'm just curious since I
    do plan to go to the women's weekend.  
    
    Re tuxes, I think some men look good in tuxes.  Even though I usually
    prefer men in jeans, I remember that the first time I ever saw one of
    my SO's in a tux I said, "Wow, you look good!"  (Of course, he was very
    young at the time.)
    
    I have a feeling I would look really stupid in a tux.  I'd have to wear
    a little boy's size.  I'd get more of a kick out of dressing up in a
    prom gown myself.  (But, I'd probably we thinking, "But, where are the
    *boys*???  A prom without boys...really!)  :-)
    
    Lorna
    

    
    I think tux's look smashing on a woman, maybe less so on a man, but I
    think I've seen more women in tux's than men!  Most of the time, when
    a man is wearing one, he looks bothered and the tux itself (invariably
    a rental) is ill-fitting, which doesn't help.  I love what (I think) is
    known as morning dress, but though that jacket has tails, it's not a
    tux, I don't think.
    
    I didn't know there would be a prom!  I don't know what to wear!
    
    Lorna, will you be my date to the prom? :-)
    
    CQ
    
    

    Lorna, don't worry, I imagine there will be boys at the prom.  Of
    course, most will probably be wearing prom gowns, but....
    
    :-)
    
    D!

    re .7, and those boys will most likely be dancing with each other
    *sigh*
    
    re Christine, just remember when all the offers start pouring in that
    you asked me first!  :-)  :-)
    
    Lorna
    

    RE: Prom down in P-town on Women's Weekend
    
    Some women wear tuxes and others wear gowns. I've never been to that
    prom down there but I don't believe they have a requirement of a dress
    code to get in. You could probably just wear comfy clothes (like jeans
    etc.) as well. It's really exciting to see women all dressed up and
    heading to this big function. It kind of makes you feel important.
    Boys? Sorry Lorna but I don't think you'll see too many boys at this
    prom ;-) Save me a dance or two.
    
    Sounds like we may have a little DEC group of women going to the prom!
    Yeah! And maybe we can head over to the Gabriel's hot tub afterwards!!
    
    the Outlaw

    
    Tuxes on women are HOT!
    
    When Princess Diana was photographed in one, my view of her 
    was drastically, eternally altered (wistful sigh).
    
    I don't own one, but I sure would like to!
    
    Carla
    

    my curse in life is that people keep telling me I look great in formal
    wear but i can't stand wearing it.
    
    well, so it's just a *little* curse...
    
    Daniel

    rte.8 Lorna, I promise not to dance with the other boys, even if they
    do compliment my gown ;-)

    re .11, I think Princess Diana looked good in her tux, too.  I think
    she *always* looks good in what she chooses to wear, and that she has a
    fantastic figure.  I like the way she looks in jeans and a sweater,
    too.  If nothing else (and there may well be nothing else...ha-ha), I
    think she's possibly the best dressed woman of her time.
    
    Lorna
    

    A very good friend of mine is getting married next April.  I'm a 
    teensy bit upset that he refused to consider me as a candidate for
    his "best man" simply because I'm a woman.  When he told me that
    if I showed up in a tux, he would not allow me into the reception or
    the wedding ceremory, I was hurt.  I would have liked to rent a nice
    pale gray morning coat or tux with pink tie and cummerbund to save 
    myself the expense of buying a fancy dress (formal wedding).  Now 
    my choices are not to go to the wedding or buy a dress I really
    can't afford.  
    
    Linda
    

...Linda, it would appear that your "very good friend" isn't as good a
friend as you thought he was.  I can see his not considering you for the
"best man" role, because that is a male role in the way that the maid
and matron of honor are female roles.  Yeah, I know, tradition.

But to say he'd bar you for wearing a tux smacks of insensitivity.

-d

    Sheesh.  If I was instructed as to what to wear to a friend's wedding
    (and I wasn't in the wedding party) I would just plain NOT GO!  It's
    not worth it. What kind of friend is that???
    
    [ I dunno...a little voice in the back of my mind says "homophobia" but
      I have no reason to believe that...]
    
    D!

    When my younger sister got married about 7-8 years ago, she wanted all 
    the schmaltz.  But being somewhat of an artiste and also not willing to 
    force bridesmaids into paying exhorbitant amounts of money for cheap 
    and tacky dresses, she decided the entire wedding party would rent white 
    tuxes.  Natch, we got quite the rental discount at the store!  Rental 
    tuxes aren't made for women's bodies, particularly the pants, but with 
    the jackets on, wow, the collective effect was fabulous!  The pictures
    taken around the gorgeous white Rolls they rented were stunning.  The
    only thing that differentiated me, (and I was "the best woman", not the
    "maid of honor", and I toasted the couple after the best man did), from 
    the other attendants was that the tiny bows on the front of my white
    high heels were black where the other women's white heels had white bows.  
    Just to gush a bit more about her style, for her attendants' gifts, she 
    had had designed and made different kinds of crystal and pearl drop 
    earrings which she gave us the day of the wedding and which we all wore.  
    Hers, the most ornate and beautiful, obviously.  Shoulder dusters before 
    I'd ever even heard the word!  (You should see how she decorates her homes 
    and dresses her kid!).
    
    I've had to buy black tux pants over the years for various bartending
    jobs.  Again, the problem with the pants is that you can usually only find 
    them cut for men.  Tres unflattering if you have any curve to your hips at 
    all because the pockets gape.
    
    But a long time ago, I bought a woman's tux - black.  The jacket had 
    satin lapels and sleeve cuffs and a single (satin) button closure in front. 
    The pants had the satin strip down the legs and they were beautifully 
    cut!  I wore that thing for years for dressy occasions with a sheer,
    black, low-cut stretchy top underneath, (it's not as risque as it
    sounds but it was classy and different), and sparkly jewelry and when it 
    began to look kinda tacky and worn, it went to work behind the bar with 
    a crisp white shirt underneath.  No ruffles, no bow ties, no cummerbund
    or vest.  It's long gone now, but I'd love to find a brand new one just
    like it though I doubt I ever will.
    
    Sandy                

    
    
    I love tuxes on anyone!
    
    I've spent considerable time in rental places trying on
    while some one else was there to actually buy or rent.
    For me, so far, it's a matter of not wanting to put out
    the money because I don't know where/when I would wear it
    (well, not yet anyway  ;-) )
    
    My fave is a Pierre Cardin with tails, with an "un-notched"
    lapel (does that have a name?). One of the boys' sizes 
    fit me.  The tails on the mens' sizes drag on the floor whe
    I try them on.  If I bought one, I'd get both a red cumberbund (sp?)
    and a pink one.
    
    Pat
    

    Both Liz and Ralph have made Tux pants for women.  I own a pair
    of Liz Claireborne's and almost picked up Ralph Loren's when I
    saw them at my favorite stores (TJMaxx and/or Marshall's).  I 
    have a white Tux-like double-breasted Liz jacket that I have 
    worn with the pants.  So, gyns, it is possible to fit our bodies
    into Tux's.  My pants have the satin strip down the leg.

    justme....jacqui

Tuxes are hot hot hot. On men, on women, but especially on me. :-)

	-- Charles

    
    
    
    				woof
    
    
    
    
    E Grace

    Well, I get to wear a tux quite often.  It's the standard attire for a
    musician ... and since I play 5 or 6 shows a year, most of the pops
    concerts and some of the serious concerts with the Thayer Symphony
    Orchestra, and have been the drummer with the Stardusters Orchestra
    (big band) for 10 years ... the tux gets a lot of use.  
    
    It's very practical ... haven't had to worry about style changes over
    these past 10 years ... and it's fun (last time I was in the pit for
    Sound of Music I wore a black tux shirt with a white tie and
    cummerbund).  I have added some color over the years -- gray, white,
    pale blue matching ties and cummerbunds -- I sometimes put on my
    black/white saddle shoes for pops concerts, too.
    
    The only fitting problems I have are with the tie and cummerbund --
    have to buy a boy's size.
    
    Jo-Ann

    Got married in Las Vegas a few months ago - we both wore a Tux (or dinner
    suits as we tend to call them in UK). My husband likes me to wear one,
    although I do admit - the groom looked prettier than the bride!