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Buying a Tuxedo in Berlin

January 5, 2015

There comes a time when you get invited to a black tie event. What does black tie mean?

  1. Tuxedos for men
  2. Long gowns for women

They adhere to this more strictly in Europe. This day came for me last year when TD had to attend a very important business event in Hamburg. I was in panic. I had no clue about tuxedos and we had to buy the suit in the next day or two, to have it TAILORED to fit his height and be ready by the next week. ACK. I had really no time to go on the internet and do my usual research on tuxedos so I immediately went out to find realistic and available options.

GET INFORMATION FROM AN EXPERT

Thankfully we are in Berlin and the people who you meet at the different stores really know their products.And they are also more honest in their opinions.  I really admire this about them. So my first stop was to Hugo Boss, a fabulous German designer brand.

It was my first time in their store in Friedrichstrasse. Honestly I was a bit intimidated at first by the sharply suited man who was in charge of the tuxedo section, but I told him that

  1. My husband needed a tuxedo urgently
  2. Brief description of the event
  3. I don’t know anything about tuxedos, so I need information on the different styles and accessories.
  4. I was also very clear that TD was young and that though we wanted something that could could last a lifetime, he did not want it boxy and old-fashioned.

(Before all of this, I asked him politely if he spoke any English in my basic German. This is very important here in Germany and a polite query of “Entschuldigung, sprechen Sie English?” can be the difference between a cold reply or brilliant friendly customer service)

The man was very lovely and explained to me the different styles and showed me everything my husband would need when wearing a tux. In less than 10 minutes, I knew how much a complete set would cost from Hugo Boss and the basic things I needed to know.

TUXEDO BASICS

Though there are elements to the black tie look, you can add and subtract elements based on the size and build of the person who is wearing it and the look that they are going for.

Since a tux is worn once in a blue moon, I really wanted to find a tux that was flattering for TD and a style that would still look fresh 10 years from now. Nothing too trendy. To clarify some of the terms, this picture from after six is a useful guide.

aftersix-infographic-tux

TUXEDO JACKET.  Also called a smoking jacket here in Berlin. If you aren’t too tall, then I think a slimmer lapel is more elongating. Besides I am not such a fan of the wide lapel. I love a minimal simple look so I wasn’t really looking for buttonholes, pockets and vents. We were looking for a very streamline look. The white shirt must peek out slightly from the jacket sleeves. Like below.

Photo by Alvin Mahmudov on Unsplash

If it looks like below, you must pull the shirt cuffs so it peeks out of the jacket sleeve, like above.

TROUSERS.  Traditionally tuxedo trousers are pleated to help it drape straight down. But TD hates the loose “blousy” fit so I was looking for a plain, minimalist front. This is a matter of taste. The important thing is the pants fit perfectly. I don’t approve of the hipster rumpled tux look

DRESS SHIRT.  I ruled out the wing tip because I did not like  the exposed black strap around the color and how it made the bowtie look droopy, even if it wasn’t. The pleated tuxedo shirts isn’t very slimming so unless you have a models physique, I don’t really recommend it. A plain white dress shirt with french cuffs will do. And this also cuts the cost. French cuff’s are a must. Just check out this complete guide to tuxedos.

SILK BOWTIE.  They did not have these, and I was not looking for them either because I did not want to have to learn to make a bowtie. We got a beautiful ready made one from the Kooples. Nobody would know it was not tied by my husband. The fabric was thick and luxurious. It was not cheap either. 

CUMMERBUND OR WAISTCOAT.  You can do without this if you have trousers with trimmed waists AND if the jacket closure is in the same area as the waistband.  If the trousers are low rise, and meeting of the shirt and trousers can be seen the jacket is closed then a cummerbund/waistcoat is necessary to cover the waistband.

SUSPENDERS.  Belts are a no-no so usually suspenders are used so that the waistband stays in place and the pants fall as they were tailored to.  With the slimmer trousers fit that TD prefers, this was not necessary.

SHOES. The standard is patent leather. We found one easily in Galeries Lafayette.

CUFFLINKS. Thank goodness TD usually wears cufflinks so we did not need to purchase this. A sewn in button is a no no for tuxes.

WHERE TO FIND IT

Shopping for tuxedos is easy because there are limited to high end shops where you can find them. Here in Berlin these are the department stores that I went to that had different brands that carried tuxedos:

  • KaDeWe
  • Peek and Cloppenburg
  • Galeries Lafayette

Though most of the brands are the same, Hugo Boss, The Kooples, etc. each department store has different:

  • Styles available
  • Sizes available
  • Tailors and policies For example tailors at KaDeWe refused to adjust the jacket sleeve from the shoulder at the short amount of time we had, whereas The Kooples sales person had a special relationship with the tailor in Galeries Lafayette and said that it would be possible for him to make such a difficult alteration.
  • Diplomatic discounts

So it’s worth it to visit each store. I knew I had found THE ONE when I saw the basic black suit with tapered slim fit pants of The Kooples in Galeries Lafayette. It’s a super chic and cool brand.

We asked them is they gave a diplomatic discount, and though they don’t usually, they contacted their head office and were able to give us one.  They also had a beautiful bowtie, and the section next to it had the patent leather shoes that we needed. It was a one stop shop! 

Photo by Jason Briscoe on Unsplash

I will try to update this post with a picture of my husband wearing the suit. He was very happy with what he got, and it was perfect for that posh event in Hamburg. He also used it during our Church Wedding in the middle of Winter and Spring in Berlin. 

If you would like to geek out on tuxedos, here are some amazing guides:

The Tuxedo Shirt Guide

Tuxedo Shirt Styles: The Complete Guide

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Welcome

Hello! I’m Ayessa, trailing spouse to a diplomat, mama to DiploBaby and DiploDog and founder of Declutter MNL. I love talking about how to achieve a minimaluxe lifestyle one step at a time.

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I love Halloween because it’s super fun for @dip I love Halloween because it’s super fun for @diplobaby. I love how his eyes light up. Before I was a parent, there was no reason to decorate.

Glad there is now a @gifi.ch near us with affordable HALLOWEEN DECOR & COSTUMES. 🧛‍♂️ 

I hope you enjoy seeing what they have in this short video! 👻 

It’s not lost on me how much plastic is used during Halloween, from the polyester costumes to the decor elements. 

ECO TIPS:

🎃 I usually slowly built up my Halloween decor. I buy 2-4 pieces each year

🎃 I take good care of them & store properly so I can reuse for years to come. It’s never singe use!

🎃 I also don’t throw away as much as possible. If there is damage, I repair.

🎃 If i dont use something anymore, I pass them on to others by selling it for a fraction of the price on Marketplace.

🎃 If it doesn’t sell, I pass them on the Pay it Forward Nyon group or place them in the donation pile in our dechetterie where others can take them.

🎃 if it’s not repairable, I take it apart so that the materials can be recycled.

🍭 As for TREATS, I hate the PLASTIC wrapped candy 🍬 so we usually give PAPER wrapped mini chocolate bars.

⛑️ HEALTH TIP:

If a piece of decor or costume SMELLS STRONGLY OF PLASTIC, DO NOT BUY IT! That’s toxic VOCs leaching into the air. It’s not good for you!

What about you? How do you try to have a sustainable Healthy-ish Halloween?🤪

I usually go in the same costume every year. Change is overrated lol. What about you? Do you know what your wearing this year?

#UDWinGeneva #udwholidays #udwhalloween
HOW NEAR IS @geneveaeroport? We are very lucky th HOW NEAR IS @geneveaeroport?

We are very lucky that the Geneva Airport is very near because it is located 4 km northwest of the city centre. It takes us less than 15mins by car & is easier to get to than airports outside the city.

BUT also means that many of the Geneva residents suffer from AIRCRAFT NOISE POLLUTION. 

In some parts of Geneva, like Vernier, Meyrin, Bellevue, Versoix, etc will have the airplane pass on top of you or very near you. This is something to consider when you are MOVING TO GENEVA & looking for a home.

When we were in @bioparcgeneve recently, it felt like airplane after airplane was going overhead every few mins. The poor animals were screaming each time.

A  report by the European Environment Agency(EEA) in 2017 said that 12% or 73,500 Geneva residents have their hearing disturbed by aircraft noise. Probably the figures have risen with the natural increase population & travel?

“The EEA describes noise as a pervasive pollutant that directly affects the health and well-being of humans and wildlife. Populations exposed to high noise levels can exhibit stress reactions, sleep-stage changes, and clinical symptoms like hypertension and cardiovascular diseases. All of these can contribute to premature mortality. The World Health Organization (WHO) reckons that humans exposed to noise levels above 40 decibels at night experience adverse health effects.

Across Europe it is estimated that noise contributed to at least 900,000 additional cases of hypertension in 2011.” - @le_news_ch 

DID YOU KNOW that owners of homes affected by the noise can request for soundproofing to be paid for by GVA? 

Check if your home meets the conditions for FREE SOUNDPROOFING c/o Genève Aéroport here:

https://www.gva.ch/en/Site/Geneve-Aeroport/Questions-Reponses-FAQ/Bruit#

SAVE or SHARE this now with someone you know who might be moving to Geneva or is already suffering from aircraft #noisepollution. 

#UDWinGeneva #UDWgenevagoodtoknow #expatingeneva #diplofamily #expatlife #genevaswitzerland #expatingeneva #filipinoingeneva #pinoyingeneva #movingtogeneva #movingtoswitzerland #movingtogeneva #genevaexpats #switzerlandexpatlife #geneva #genevaswitzerland
MERCADONA HAUL Whenever we go to Spain, we love t MERCADONA HAUL

Whenever we go to Spain, we love to go to @mercadona. It might be small but has a good affordable selection. It’s my thrifty Spanish MIL’s favorite.

We were so lucky that we had a @mercadona right beside our hotel Marina Badalona. Very convenient.
Our favorite things to bring home are:

☕️ frozen porras (bigger than churros)

🐑 baby lamb chops (the only lamb I eat coz it’s not malangsa & all you need to do is fry till crispy in olive oil with S&P) it’s called Chuletas Cabrito but TD calls it lechal 

🐽 chicharon or crispy pork rinds

🥔 Homemade potato chips. The best potato chips for me are from Spain. I don’t know how it’s so much yummier! The olive oil???

🎣 canned Sardines & tuna for me and Yaya B

TIPS:

🧊 For frozen items, we usually ask the hotel before we buy if they can put it in their freezer until we fly.

✍️ I usually bring different sizes ZIPLOCK BAGS, MASKING TAPE & MARKER when we travel so we can put everything in, label with our name and room number.

📸 then I take a photo so we can just show it to the staff and they can easily find it in their freezer.

✈️ When it’s time to pack, I placed our beach towels around the frozen packages coz I know they will SWEAT & I don’t want our other things to get wet 💦 

What  grocery do you usually like to shop for when in Spain? Where do you buy them?

#udwinbarcelona #udwinbadalona #udwtraveldiaries #udwtraveltips #udwtraveltip #diplofamily #filipinotravelblogger #pinayblogger #diplowife #diplomatswife #filipinoabroad #tdwtraveldiaries #takekidseverywhere #travelblogger #travelvlogger #travelvloggerph #filipinoblogger #filipinablogger #filipinavlogger #filipinoineurope #welltraveledkids #expatwoman #pinayblogger #familytravelblog
FREE GEAR RENTAL @boxup.app + OUTDOOR GYM at ISW C FREE GEAR RENTAL @boxup.app + OUTDOOR GYM at ISW Calisthenics Park 

📍Chem. des Tuileries 140, 1293 Bellevue

After the lovely BIOPARC we headed across to this chill park with ample PARKING that had so many things for kids & anyone who wants to move & work out:

⚽️ The kids wanted to kick around a football so we borrowed a ball from @boxup.app (they also have pumps, 🏓, 🏐, 🏀, etc) just download the app & turn on your Bluetooth & follow instructions! Return after 3hrs.

👟 Outdoor gym - this was a huge hit with the kids

⚽️ football - this too!

🏀 basketball court

🏓 Ping-pong 

🏐 Beach volleyball court

🤸🏻 Monkey bars

🛝 small playground

Thanks for the wonderful afternoon guys @lidia_otilia_botezatu! 
How lucky are we to have these beautiful, clean open spaces. And the free rental gear is AMAZING! so convenient.

This is in Geneva, about 15mins drive from where we live.

SAVE THIS on your list of PARKS to visit!

⚠️ WARNING

it’s in the airplane path so there will be loud noise from that. It’s not as close as the bioparc but bring earplugs/earphones if you are sensitive.

#udwingeneva #genevaswitzerland #genevaforkids #diplobaby #diplofamily #filipinotravelblogger #pinayblogger #diplowife #diplomatswife #filipinoabroad #tdwtraveldiaries #takekidseverywhere #travelblogger #travelvlogger #travelvloggerph #filipinoblogger #filipinablogger #filipinavlogger #filipinoineurope #welltraveledkids #expatwoman #pinayblogger #familytravelblog
BIOPARC GENÈVE Yesterday was a holiday in Switze BIOPARC GENÈVE

Yesterday was a holiday in Switzerland (except for Geneva). It was raining & miserable so I wanted to take @diplobaby out for a few hours. Thankfully midafternoon it stopped raining.

We met with our friends @lidia_otilia_botezatu in @bioparcgeneve and had a lovely time in this volunteer run zoo.

TIPS💡

🆓 It’s free for families on your FIRST visit!

🦢 you walk inside animal enclosures so wear shoes that you don’t mind getting dirty/stepping on poop. We wore boots & happy we did

🅿️ there’s parking inside on wood chips, if it’s full there’s another pavement parking (free up to 4hrs) across the roundabout 

🦔 Do not feed or touch the animals no matter how cute they are

🗺️ There are 2 routes (purple & blue) and 1-1.5hrs #diplshould be enough 

❎ Park closes at 4pm

SAVE THIS NOW if your looking for a fun & not too you can do in well und2hrs. It’s nice that you can go inside unlike most zoos so it’s quite unique.

⚠️ WARNING

it’s in the airplane path so there will be loud noise from that. @diplobaby who is super noise sensitive did not mind as much as I thought he would because he was so entertained by the animals.

#udwingeneva #genevaswitzerland #genevaforkids #diplobaby #diplofamily #filipinotravelblogger #pinayblogger #diplowife #diplomatswife #filipinoabroad #tdwtraveldiaries #takekidseverywhere #travelblogger #travelvlogger #travelvloggerph #filipinoblogger #filipinablogger #filipinavlogger #filipinoineurope #welltraveledkids #expatwoman #pinayblogger #familytravelblog
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