The height of wedding season is July to September, typically. I know what you’re thinking: July is so far away, so why should you even bother getting your wedding fit ready now? I’ll tell you: it’s because if there’s one occasion that you do not want to fumble, it’s being the guest at a wedding.
Seriously! All eyes will initially be on the happy newlyweds, sure, but for the rest of the afternoon/night, you’re on mingling duty, baby. People are going to be looking at—and judging—what you’re wearing. Photos are going to be taken more often than you can even count. And at the end of it all, when you’re tired and tipsy, you’re going to be beyond glad that you thought ahead with your outfit, and wore something stylish yet comfortable, lightweight yet classy. Which is why you need to start shopping now for pieces you can wear, and rewear, and rewear—all wedding season long.
The dress code of the wedding you attend is of the utmost important, but don’t sweat it too hard. Whether it’s an elegant, black-tie affair, a beach wedding, or something more laidback, we’ve got options galore for you below.
Nothing says beach vibes more than a linen suit. And in the most glorious shade of light green! You’re sure to be one of the sharpest dressed men at the wedding, and you get bonus points for not opting for a boring neutral tone, too. Plus, linen is the perfect summer fabric to keep you cool and breezy under the sun.
With the matching trousers to the above blazer, you’re going for the gold, baby. It’s hard—if not impossible—to look poorly dressed in a matching suit this pristine.
If the wedding’s at the beach, chances are a polo shirt is going to do the trick instead of a long-sleeve button-down. Choose something simple that looks good with your suit jacket but is also versatile enough to rewear for different occasions.
Loafers and leather are a match made in heaven. And isn’t that what weddings are all about?
If you’re going to a dressy-casual wedding, you need to know where to amp up the elegance and where to tone it down. An unstructured suit does both for you, with minimal effort. It’s still a suit, sure, but not as stiff and formal as a structured one.
Save yourself the trouble and hassle and just get the suit pants that go with the jacket, yeah?
It’s summer, and there’s a good chance at some point in the course of the wedding, your suit jacket is coming off. Therefore, a poplin shirt that still looks good with your pants is the hero you need.
Go for a tie with a little bit of pizzazz to up your look.
…And when you match your shoes to your tie, you’re hitting the nail of dressy casual on the head. Derbies are an infallible option that toe the line between elevated and everyday.
The dress code for a semiformal wedding allows for a bit more room for interpretation, but to be on the safe (and fashionable!) side, go for a dark blazer. The good news, though, is that your blazer and pants don’t have to be a matching set.
Pleated trousers are your best option here. And if you went with a dark jacket, you have a wealth of options to choose from.
Keep it simple, classic, and timeless with a white (or light blue) poplin shirt.
A semiformal wedding still means you should wear a tie! You have to have the formal in there somewhere, after all. It doesn’t have to be something ridiculously elegant, but we do recommend something recognizable, whether by logo or design, just to show you went the extra mile in dressing up.
You don’t have to go crazy with the shoes, here. Something simple, clean, and black should do the trick. If you have a pair of classy Docs in your closet already, pull ’em out for this wedding.
Ah, the cocktail attire wedding. Scary! But it doesn’t have to be. There’s a good chance this dressier wedding will take place at night, so you don’t have to worry about overheating in the summer sun. A wool suit is the perfect way to elevate your look, and pinstripes only add to the elegance.
Keep it classically handsome with a plain (but fitted!) semi-spread collar dress shirt, and let the accessories do the rest of the talking.
Speaking of accessories—a cocktail event is the perfect opportunity to bust out a pocket square. It’s classy. It’s cool. It’s very James Bond, really.
And, for a cocktail occasion, you can pull out the nice shoes. It’s time. Hell, even get them polished beforehand.
So you’ve been invited to a black tie wedding. Depending on the kinda guy you are, this is either going to be very exciting or very terrifying. Either way, you can’t go wrong with our black tie fit. It all starts with the perfect tuxedo—clean, elegant, timeless.
You can’t just wear any white button-front under a tuxedo! Look for a tuxedo-specific shirt. This one looks stellar.
If you know how to tie a bow tie, congrats on being better than everyone else. If you don’t—you should probably learn, because a self-tied bow tie looks a hell of a lot more impressive than one that comes tied.
No tux is truly complete without the cummerbund. It’s a wedding, so you’re gonna want to pull out all the stops.
Ah, the tuxedo shoe. Go for something shiny, sleek, and elegant. You won’t lose any points for not having laces.
Yes, it has to be white. Leave your printed pocket squares at home!
This is the time to break out the cufflinks. And the studs. It’s all about the finishing touches when it comes to black tie.
I know you’ve been waiting and hoping for this one. The casual wedding! Every guy’s dream, really—but that doesn’t mean you should skimp on style in the slightest. For summer, a silk camp-collar shirt is perfect. Not too dressy, not too casual.
Even though it’s a casual wedding, stray away from jeans. Instead, go for some comfortable trousers that still allow for plenty of movement, ’cause you’ll definitely be dancing later.
Chelsea boots are the ultimate shoe when it comes to being stylish but not overdressed. They go with almost everything, and are certainly fitting for a wedding.
Go for a leather belt that matches your boots to tie it all together and take the extra step in your classy fit.
