A cummerbund might be something you have never heard of and most recently heard of and was curious about which is the reason why you are reading this article. Most people think that it is a musical instrument when they first hear of it. But, no, it is not. A cummerbund is a wide and expansive waist sash or waistband that is typically pleated and often worn with single-breasted jackets or tuxedos. It was first embraced by British officers in India, probably taken from Indian sash being used by men. It spurred a lot of curiosity which later on turned into a fashion wildfire.

In modern days of fashion, cummerbunds became an important essential in formal and semi-formal suits and tie code of attire. It is a sort of wide cloth around the waist and comes in different colors such as black, blue, and dark maroon. Most men prefer to wear it to complement or match their trousers and their bowties. Cummerbunds have pleats facing up and being contemporarily used as an accent to the overall formal attire, and acts as a sort of transition between the trouser and shirt. Most times, a cummerbund is fastened by a ribbon at the back or with a buckle, and most recently, with Velcro.

Cummerbunds tend to keep up with the latest fashion trends, so it is now quite ordinary to see them matched with ties in all arrays of colors, however, still not acceptable for the so called fashion police. Some musicians broke the taboo also by wearing them with a white tie, in replacement of a customary Marcella waistcoat.

Here are a couple of tips on how to properly wear a cummerbund.

Make sure you know what kind of occasion you are going to wear a suit and cummerbund to. There are attire requirements for weddings, whereas for dinner parties there is less. Also keep in mind that fashion changes with the season, holidays and weather, so choose a color according to what is acceptable.

If you are attending an event before late afternoon, you may wear morning attire, which means you do not have to wear a cummerbund.

For selecting colors, it is always safe to choose simple and solid colors because they will add elegance to your attire, instead of making you look tacky. If you are going to a wedding, you can choose a color that accents your other accessories such as your tie or kerchief. But if you are unsure, and not quite confident to use other colors, then go for a classic black. With it you can never go wrong.

Your trousers should be one with a high waist that is going to be covered by the cummerbund. It is not acceptable to have your waistband exposed if you have a cummerbund on.

And of course, make sure that you tuck and attach it well so that it will not slide off which could become an embarrassing incident for you. Cummerbunds are a symbol of elegance and of being a true gentleman, so you must choose well if you intend to wear one.