Shop early, like, yesterday. Prices go up the week before prom, and selection turns into a pile of mustard-yellow jackets that look like they belong in a 1970s bowling alley. Also, bring your date or a brutally honest friend. They will tell you if the jacket makes you look like a real estate agent from 1987.
Never pay for insurance on the rental. Seriously. The store will try to sell you a “damage waiver” for $15. But here’s the secret: most tuxes are already slightly damaged. A missing button? That’s “character.” A red wine stain? That’s “vintage.” You’re better off spending that $15 on a backup bow tie.
And for the love of everything holy, check the size before you leave the store. I watched a kid walk out with a jacket that made him look like a human popcorn kernel. He didn’t check. He spent the entire night with his arms stuck out like a zombie. Don’t be that guy.
