Today we are digging into our archives as a result of some recent staff time discussing the validity of posts we have published in years past, realizing how good so many of them were and how applicable they are to you current readers and planning couples. Some of our men’s fashion posts have been our most popular posts, we think this might be due to the fact that there is so much inspiration + information out in the wedding world that surrounds bridal fashion! Men’s fashion is becoming a more prevalent topic but has a long way to go before it reaches bridal equivalent, and is more often needed, and therefor highly read.
So throwin it back a year or two to this post Jason from Beckett & Robb did for us filled with tips for the groom regarding fashion on the big day!
As a custom suit and tux maker we get to help grooms fulfill even the most unique requests. This also gives us a sense of current and upcoming trends. We also have the opportunity to help style grooms from head to toe, and are often involved in helping them during the all-important photography for groomals and on the big day. Here are our top 5 tips and trends for 2014:
WEAR A SUIT Although a tuxedo is classic choice, most guys are wearing suits these days. For practical reasons it makes more sense to spend money on a suit that can be worn post-wedding. The bride usually can’t do that with her dress. And a tux is nearly as useless after the wedding. With tux rental costs rising and suit costs falling, the additional cost to purchase a suit is more accessible than it’s ever been. A suit also has the advantage (over a tux) of being very flexible in terms of style and level of formality. A tux is nearly always black, and it’s always formal. Many weddings are based on informal themes and tux may look out of place. A suit can support many themes, from formal to rustic, beach to prep, the options are endless with a suit.
DRESS FOR THE SEASON Another benefit of a suit is the wide variety of cloth options available. For warm weather weddings consider lighter colors and lighter fabrics. Tan and light grey are common choices, and are readily available from many suit shops. If you go custom, such as through us at Beckett & Robb, you can even get more adventurous with vibrant blues, yellow, green and more. Tropical wool is a lightweight category of wool designed to breathe in warm weather. Other good choices are cotton, linen, or blends of the three. For cooler weather weddings consider darker colors and heavier fabrics. Black, charcoal, navy, and chocolate are common choices. While wool is often the most accessible choices, it’s becoming increasingly common to find tweeds, flannels, and corduroy suits at stores. And again, all are available through custom suit groups.
BOUTONNIÈRE FLOWERS SHOULD BE SMALL Too often the flower given to the groom is too large. The rule of thumb is that the boutonnière flower should be no wider than the width of the lapel on which it’s pinned. A good way to achieve this is to make sure that the flower hasn’t bloomed. A bud is smaller than a fully bloomed flower. This will look very tasteful and consistent with the wedding party without looking out of balance.
WEAR NEW SHOES There’s nothing like a pair of older, worn shoes to ruin an otherwise perfect outfit. We see this a lot, unfortunately. Buy something new that matches the same level of formality as the suit and the rest of the wedding in general. Avoid dated looks like the extremely pointed and distressed Italian look or the old box toe shoe from 2003. For most weddings the right choice is a lace up shoe. From most to least formal: a plain toe, a cap toe, or a wingtip. And unless the suit/tux is black, you should consider wearing a brown shoe.
— — USE A TAILOR Whether you purchase your suit from H&M, J. Crew, or Nordstrom, you should spend the time and money necessary to have your new suit altered to perfection. Assuming the fit is close already, pay attention to a few common oversights: slim the sleeves, taper the pants, and make sure you have just a little bit of “break” on the length of the pants. Adjusting those three things shouldn’t cost more than about $40 and will make a big difference. Plan on two weeks to make these changes. We find that even slim fit suits from major department stores are still too big in some of these areas. Of course if you commission a custom suit you can address these issues at the outset. Either way, 20 years from now you’ll be glad that you paid attention to the details.
TIES & POCKET SQUARES SHOULD COMPLIMENT, NOT MATCH I promised 5 tips, but this bonus tip needs to be shared! Often neckties and pocket squares are sold in matching sets. Our rule: buy them in sets, but never wear them in sets. A pocket square should compliment the rest of the look. It should draw a color from somewhere else in the look, including the tie, shirt, flower, or even the bridesmaid dress. But it shouldn’t be identical. It’s tacky. When in doubt go with a sleek white square folded to just barely peek out. Like James Bond. Although he’s never married.
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