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We are fast approaching wedding season. For most of us, this means that at least one of our summer weekends will be taken up with the activity of being a wedding guest.
Love them or hate them, there’s no denying that weddings are important occasions. This importance is reflected in the myriad of dress codes, style guides and unwritten rules that relate to what we must wear to attend them.
We’re sorry to break this to you, but dressing well for a wedding isn’t always straight-forward. Ensuring your status as a stylish wedding guest will involve more thought than just putting on your favourite suit.
In reality, looking good at a wedding involves a careful balancing act of meeting etiquette expectations while still letting a bit of your personal style shine through. In other words: you want to look enough like all the other male guests to be polite, but different enough to mark yourself out as a man with style.
Still following?!
We’ve put together a guide for dressing for weddings in a way that’s etiquette-appropriate, stylish and true to you.
The suit
The suit you choose will be the linchpin of your entire look. For an autumn or winter wedding we’d recommend opting for navy or dark grey. During the spring or summer you may wish to mix things up a bit and go for a light grey, beige or pale blue suit.
Here are a few other key things to keep in mind:
- Black suits can be worn for a wedding, but you may end up looking like you’ve come straight from the office.
- Having your suit professionally fitted will always elevate your look. A bespoke suit is never out of place.
- For a contemporary look, choose a slim fitting suit with narrow lapels.
- Patterned suits can be a good choice for a wedding, but they’re much harder to pull off. A suit in a solid colour will create an instant classic look.
The shirt
It’s very hard to beat a crisp white shirt, especially at a wedding. A classic white shirt will make your outfit formal but fresh, and will give you an excellent palette for adding accessories.
The accessories
If you are a fan of tailoring accessories, a formal event such as a wedding gives you the perfect opportunity to shine!
During the cooler months a waistcoat can be a stylish and practical addition to your outfit. This is also a great time to give your cufflinks, pocket squares and lapel pins an airing. As for ties, weddings are generally formal enough that you will require neckwear of some kind. If you want to do something a bit different, swap your tie for a bow tie or cravat.
The shoes
Traditional wedding guest attire calls for formal footwear. Choose something in suede or leather. Brogues and oxford styles are ideal, as are dressier styles of loafers.
Looking for the perfect wedding guest accessories? Take a look at our collection of neckties and pocket squares.