Prom Knights Formally Say Hello to New Traditions

High school guys headed for this year’s prom are putting a twist on the traditional tux.

Whether they’re adding a paisley vest to a classic black tuxedo or dressing head-to-toe in 1970s pastel formal wear, prom-goers are showing that black-tie attire can be colorful.

Some are dressing up like the half-witted characters in “Dumb and Dumber”: They’re heading to vintage clothing and costume shops and requesting tuxedos with huge lapels in garish colors such as orange and baby blue.

A few dandies are going the full Fred Astaire route. They want the tails, the top hat, the cane and even spats.

Most guys want a traditional black tuxedo, but lest anyone think they’re taking this prom business too seriously, they’re pairing it with fun accessories like a Mickey Mouse-print vest.

“Vests--that’s where the action is,” says Conrad Maag, owner of Penguin Pformalwear in Corona del Mar. “Guys can show their personality without being garish. A lot of guys might be apprehensive about wearing a purple coat, but they can jazz up their tux with a vest.”

His customers like vests in vivid colors and bold prints such as paisleys or cartoon characters.

Most favor the classic black tuxedo with a shawl collar, although Maag does see a few “crazies” who will pair a gray-striped pant with a purple coat and throw on a top hat.

“They want attention,” he says.

Some kids have turned to costume shops for more outrageous garb. Bill Carden, owner of the Costume Trunk in Laguna Niguel, has seen students go to their prom dressed as colonial-era rebels and Prince Charming.

Lime green, paisley and pastel tuxedo jackets from the ‘70s with huge velvet lapels are hot with guys who want something different, says Michelle Sauer, owner of Ragztop Vintage in Fullerton. They wear the vintage jackets with bell-bottoms and platform shoes.

“Why not? You’re only in high school once--hopefully,” Sauer says.

In some high school circles, kids favor Gothic formal wear. They’re heading to the prom looking like extras on “Dark Shadows” or “Interview With the Vampire.”

“It’s Elizabethan but dark, almost vampirish,” Sauer says. Gothic guys are wearing cutaway coats in black or gray or even hooded capes, with a ruffled tux or poet shirt and a velvet bow tie.

Others set themselves apart with Ragztop’s off-the-wall accessories like “Cat in the Hat” striped top hats and colored spats.

Striped zoot suits or ‘30s-style tuxedos with tails are popular prom rentals at the Costume Connection in Costa Mesa, says co-owner Julie Fitzgerald. She also gets guys wanting a ‘50s-style white dinner jacket and corsage, or a ‘70s Travolta look--white suit with big lapels and a black shirt. Occasionally some young fop will want to dress like one of the three musketeers, complete with boots and a cavalier hat with a plume.

“Of course, they clear that with their date first,” Fitzgerald says.

Most high school students don’t want to stand out like a musketeer.

“They all say they want to be different, but they only want to be as different as their friends,” says Jean Gibson, owner of Gingiss Formalwear in Mission Viejo Mall, Westminster Mall and South Coast Plaza, Costa Mesa. “They want to look unique, but not out of place.”

The majority do not stray from the ubiquitous black tuxedo. Regular tuxedo jackets, either single- or double-breasted, have replaced waistcoats that were popular four or five years ago.

Gibson’s customers are also expressing their personalities with bow ties and vests. One vest destined for numerous proms comes in black satin with colorful streamers.

“It’s under the coat. It won’t scream at you,” Gibson says.

Prom-goers can choose from a wide selection of tux accessories in rich colors like dark green, navy and burgundy, says Greg Goodwin, spokesman for Friar Tux Shop, in Huntington Beach, Costa Mesa, Orange and Lake Forest.

“Guys want something wild underneath their tux,” he says. “That’s where they set themselves apart.”

Instead of a standard tux shirt with the wing collar, some will opt for the banded or mandarin collar shirts--the kind Tom Hanks sported to the Academy Awards, Goodwin says.

“They wear it with a jeweled button cover at the top. It’s an accent that takes the place of the tie,” he says.

A few guys will wear Doc Martens instead of a formal shoe.

Tuxedo rentals range from about $40 to $80 for the complete ensemble, and most stores offer student discounts. Some kids opt for top-of-the-line tuxedos by Perry Ellis, Christian Dior or Pierre Cardin, Goodwin says.

“They’ll look pretty stupendous,” he says.