The adage of the new age fashionista (men) these days has become more like “Dress sharp or go home.” If you are the ones who belong to the category of dressing sharp, then probably you are making the most of your time and money. It does take an effort to bring out the suave side in you but if you have made the right choice of apparels and accessories, then you have conquered half the struggle. And equally important is the fact your knack of accessorizing will take you places because modern dressing for men requires you to get all experimental and bizarre.

Having said that, even though a cummerbund doesn’t come as a surprise to most, there are only a handful of men who are capitalizing on its quality of being dressy with a tuxedo. It may just be a waist band for most of the men out there, but for those who actually understand its aesthetic significance, it means way more. Its importance may have been undermined in the past but not anymore.

Listed below are some facts that will take up men’s fashion up a notch:

                    

The Origin

The history of the cummerbunds dates back to the time when India was a British colony. And this piece of waist band (as some of you may call it) had more of a pragmatic feel than being pretentious. This sash was invented for the British military workforce as an alternative to their mundane dining attire. And with the advent of the tuxedos much later, the cummerbund gained more substance. It became mandatory to don one after the momentousness of the bow-tie, without which the tuxedos are almost inconceivable. Thus it is interesting to note how a military dining essential transformed into an accessory so beautifully.

Today, a cummerbund is symbolic of a man with good taste. Its notability is exactly in line with what the bow-tie and waist-coat are to formal dressing, during the period of 1850’s colonial rule.

      

What is it Used for?

The utility of a cummerbund is about covering the waist. “Cummerbund” is derived from the word “Cummer” which literally means “waist” in Hindi. Hence, the purpose of obscuring the waist. When adorned with formal men’s wear on proms and weddings, the cummerbund as a coveted menswear accessory is one of the most stylish ways to plaster the waist area while bringing out the classy man in you. It looks fierce when you complement it with the inseparable and classic formal wear or tuxedo jackets:

Defining the Ideal Way of wearing a Cummerbund

It is arguable whether there is a correct or incorrect way of flaunting a cummerbund. Many men fashion connoisseurs have debated time and again about how the cummerbund ideally is to worn. And the answer is as uncomplicated as it can get. The only way to ideally exhibit this accessory of tasteful sartorial choice is to keep the pleats in the skyward direction.

Having established that, the cummerbund needs to accomplish the essential purpose of covering the waist by being placed around it. The appropriate method of donning this accessory is to position it in a way that it lies just perfectly dividing the trousers from the shirt. You may not realize but if you don’t set it in the way as mentioned above, there are chances that you might show up shabbily dressed. And you wouldn’t do that to yourself if you have had the perseverance of putting a dapper look together. Hence, one needs to be extremely mindful when it comes to placing it.

What Complements a Cummerbund?

You may have a tantalizing moment if you have the accessories in place but don’t know how to master the art of accessorizing them the right way. What complements a cummerbund? How does the bow-tie have to be in order to make a brilliant statement? Are suspenders required/not required or will they add/take away from a look? Well you need to take substantial notes on how cummerbunds supplement bow-ties and suspenders to have an impactful James Bond like outcome.

Bow-tie and cummerbund:

Proms and ceremonial events like high-teas are no less of a fashion extravaganza. Fashion mavens do it best when they match their bow-ties with the cummerbunds and that’s the only way how it is done. The coordination of a bow-tie with the cummerbund is extremely important to make an abiding statement. You may go unconventional with your choice of color that you decide but make sure that the bow-tie and cummerbunds are in perfect synchrony with each other. That’s the only way that you are in for making lasting statements and countless compliments.

                                     

Suspenders and cummerbund:

The relationship between a cummerbund and suspenders needs to be understood unambiguously before you decide your look of the day. The functionality of both is completely different from each other. Yet it can be easily concluded that while the suspenders essential to pull the trousers and keep them in place, the cummerbund is an object of beautifying the end-result. The ideal combination suggests that the two of them must go hand-in-hand and you are going in for a complete look only when both are present.

                                    

Color and Make

Cummerbunds add to a formal look most phenomenally but close attention has to be paid to its color and material. Go for a silk make rather than any other substandard mixed versions. An uncomplicated pleated sash is all that you need to bring out the best. Coordinate the color with the tie and go for understated tones, especially for formal wear. It is safe to invest in colors like a black or gray because normally that’s what your formal tuxedos comprise of, unless you are supplementing the cummerbunds for semi-formal dressing. Then probably you have a scope to experiment.

It is vital that the cummerbund is understood as a menswear accessory and not adorned just because you want to. Its utility versus the aesthetic out-turn is extremely relevant and that’s where most men go wrong. Make sure you make the ideal pick when you invest in one.

Image Source: Media GQ