She also adds that a tie should always match the tuxedo lapels. "Traditionally, that means a black silk tie, but if your lapels are navy, go with a navy tie," she advises. The best thing to do would be to keep things simple and leave your loud prints, thin stripes, and colors at home.

If you think about the most straightforward way to dress down a tux, the solution will be apparent: wear a tie rather than the traditional bow tie. A long tie makes the tuxedo more akin to a suit, which makes the outfit less formal.

Most of us think of the black-tie as the most formal of formal stylings, and that's not the case! The top tier in evening dress codes is white tie. For men, that name is very literal – you're supposed to wear a white bow tie with your formal tuxedo rather than the black of “black-tie.”

If the invitation says black tie, wear a bow tie. Black tie attire is a traditional form of dress that calls for a tuxedo with bow tie, don't use this as an opportunity to experiment. Your bow tie should match your black tuxedo in color, but made a quality, satin material to up the formality and add a bit of sheen.