Men Feel More Confident In A Suit — But Many Still Struggle To Dress For The Occasion, Survey Finds

A new survey reveals that while most American men feel significantly more confident in a suit, many still have trouble decoding dress codes and tying the perfect knot.

The study of 2,000 U.S. men, commissioned by Generation Tux and conducted by Talker Research, found that men feel 67% more confident when wearing their best suit or tuxedo. However, that confidence doesnt always translate to knowing what to wear — or how to wear it.

When tested on wedding dress codes, only 53% could correctly identify what qualifies as black tie attire. Even fewer — just 41% — recognized white tie standards, and only 17% correctly picked out cocktail attire. On the other hand, respondents were far more familiar with casual and relaxed dress codes: 83% identified casual correctly, and 54% nailed beach or tropical.

Despite these gaps, 84% of respondents said they knew the difference between a suit and a tuxedo.

Neckwear posed another challenge. One in five men said they lack confidence in tying a necktie, and 24% said their partner does a better job than they do. Another 10% rely on a go-to instructional video, and 10% opt for clip-ons. The most Googled tie-related query? “How long should a tie be?”

The bowtie fared even worse: 61% of men said they arent confident tying one, and 47% admitted they cant do it at all. On average, men try three times before successfully tying a bowtie.

“Follow a few simple rules to make sure you nail the dress code. Black or white tie, go with a tuxedo. Formal, wear a classic black or navy suit. Casual, tropical, or garden weddings, show up in a tan or blue suit (and have fun with the accessory colors),” said Jason Jackson, President and COO of Generation Tux. “When in doubt, just ask. It’s better to swallow your pride and ask than show up in something that isn’t appropriate.”

As wedding season gets underway, many men may find their closets underprepared. Only 17% say they have what they need for a “black tie” event, and just 27% could assemble a “cocktail” outfit from their current wardrobe. On average, men own two suits and wear them outside of work twice per year.

Nearly half (44%) are unhappy with their suit selection, and many are willing to spend big to fix it: the average man said hed drop more than $1,200 on the perfect suit.

“The right suit makes all the difference in how you look, and how you feel,” Jackson said. “A great looking suit that doesn’t fit correctly won’t have you feeling like a million bucks. And with options like rental, you don’t have to spend a million bucks to look like it.”