Here’s how to ‘suit up’
You may think that the wedding day is all about the bride, but the truth is, you want to look good, too. Your wedding day will actually be the first time you formally present yourself to the world as a married couple. To dress for this very special occasion, you’ll be looking at either wearing a tuxedo or suit, depending on the formality of the wedding. “Most bridal gowns and bridesmaids’ dresses are still formal traditional gowns, which do dictate a tuxedo for the gentlemen in the wedding,” said Rick Bourbonais, owner of Brighton Tux Shop. There’s also a trend toward less formal attire, so Brighton Tux Shop offers five different retail ready-to-wear suits for purchase, as well as four suit rental options. “Rental is far less expensive, as everything is included, down to the alterations and shoes,” Bourbonais said. “In the ready-to-wear side, each guy must purchase not only the suit, but also a shirt, tie, belt and shoes. Alterations are most always needed, too, which is an additional cost. We do offer both options, however.” While formal wedding attire has been traditionally black there are many more options today. “Now gray and blue are the popular colors,” Bourbonais said. “The blue shades include navy and slate and our newest shade for spring is dusk. Gray is available in light or heather, dove, smoke, steel and charcoal.” For upcoming late spring and summer outdoor weddings, Bourbonais said that one of the newest trends is a “no coat look.” “We offer six colors in lapelled full back vests or what we call ‘sleeveless coats,’” Bourbonais said. “The vest features a lapel and breast pocket so wedding parties can still pin on boutonnieres and use pocket squares, giving it a nicer look with formal bridesmaid dresses.” With so many choices, here are six rules to guide the groom in choosing his attire, presented by The Knot:
Rule #1 — the suit or tux should fit the formality of the event Your attire should be appropriate for your venue and with the overall vibe of the wedding. If your wedding is in the daytime or outdoors, you can be more casual, like a lighter-colored suit in a fabric like seersucker or khaki. If it’s a more formal evening affair, go with either a dark, well-tailored suit or a tux. For an extra-luxe venue, White Tie (a black tailcoat, white shirt and white bow tie) is the ultimate in formalwear.
Rule #2 — your attire should coordinate with your bride’s gown Make your style a joint effort. If she plans to be decked out in a bedazzled affair, you don’t want to wear a lightweight linen suit — a classic black tux is more like it. Other great pairings: a rustic gown paired with a tailored tan suit, or a streamlined city-chic gown with a slim-cut gray suit.
Rule #3 — your body type should dictate the suit The key to looking your best is to listen to your body type. If you’re tall and slim, you’ll look good in most suits and tuxes. If you want to add bulk, try a double-breasted suit to make you look broader. To slim down, try a fitted sit with a little nip in at the waist to give the impression of a leaner silhouette. Wear a darker suit for a more slimming effect. To elongate your body and add some height, go for a two- or three-button jacket with a low button stance. “Slim Fit is truly the style choice today,” Bourbonais said. “In the rental industry, this fit still looks good on bigger guys. This fit features a nice shape or compression to the body of the coat, as well as a nice taper to the pant from the knee down. It’s not a skinny jean-look, it’s very tasteful and stylish.”
Rule #4 — the fit should be perfect The fit is the most important aspect of your suit or tux looking its best on you. You should be able to move around easily with plenty of room for twisting and turning. Here are a few basic guidelines: • The jacket sleeve hem should fall at the wristbone with 1/4- to ½-inch of the shirt cuff showing below. • The bottom hem of the jacket should cover your rear and the vest shouldn’t pull open. If it does, it’s too tight. • The collar should lay flat on the back and sides of the neck without any gaps or bulges. A bow tie should fit snugly around the collar. • Pants should fit comfortably when standing and sitting, and break across the top of the shoes so they cover the top one-third.
Rule # 5 — your look should coordinate with your groomsmen Traditionally, the groomsmen wear attire that is the same or similar to that of the groom. Whether it’s the exact same suit or tux or not, it should match in style and feel with yours. Your whole wedding party should have a cohesive style, so aim to pair your groomsmen’s style to that of the bridesmaid’s.
Rule # 6 — your accessories should set you apart Now that everyone is matching and coordinated, it’s time to pick out a few unique details. Spice things up and wear a special boutonniere or bow tie, vest, necktie, cummerbund or cuff links in a different color or style. If your wedding palette has two colors, you can wear one of the shades while the rest of the guys wear the other. For a luxe affair, each of the groomsmen can wear a tux with a black bow tie and black vest, while you don a white tie and white vest, for example. Inject your personality into your attire. Are you musical? Then add a treble clef to your boutonniere. More of a sci-fi nerd? Find a cool pair of Star Wars-inspired cuff links.
