Just wear a suit More on reddit.com

I always feel like the bride and groom are at different events when she is wearing a typical wedding dress, and he is not "comfortable" wearing a jacket. A well fitted suit jacket or blazer is just as comfortable as a sweater.

This blazer is a stretch fabric and on sale for $50.

Lauren Ralph Lauren Men's Classic-Fit Ultraflex Stretch Patterned Blazer & Reviews - Blazers & Sport Coats - Men - Macy's

The least he could do is add a vest.

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/55/d4/cf/55d4cf96d9de1b3bb2647a3063922fc6.jpg

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/564x/bc/2c/ad/bc2cad403213a0bf03709d725a96ee3b.jpg

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Shirting

/r/mfa's guide to shirting

/r/mfa's guide to custom shirting

WSJ visual for collars

Rules for shirting are fairly straightforward: wear white. This rule can be bent if done tastefully, alternative options could include: light blue, very light lavender or pink, and slightly off-white to name a few. This decision should be made in conjunction with the wedding suit and tie, use the shirt as appropriate backdrop to the entire ensemble. Collars should be point, semi-spread, or spread and cuffs should be french cuffs or button cuffs.

Shirtmakers

There are literally hundreds of options, but I'll list a few popular options here, including some MTM:

• Brooks Brothers

• Charles Tyrwhitt

• Luxire (MTM only)

• Modern Tailor (MTM only)

• Proper Cloth (MTM only)

• Ledbury (MTM only)

• CottonWork (MTM only)

• TM Lewin (Budget Option)

Shoes

/r/mfa's shoe guide

Shoes follow the same trend as the shirting, basics that help blend the entire ensemble together. This translates roughly to black cap-toe balmorals/oxfords. These are a classical men's dress shoes that should be in every man's wardrobe. Variations from this should be done only when considering other factors. For example a wedding in the countryside could warrant changing from black to brown shoes. Semi-brogues or half-brogues should be given the same considerations, i.e. only if appropriate for your occasion. I would recommend staying away from alternative leather options (suede, pebble-grain, etc) as they can detract too much visually from the rest of the ensemble. Similarly, try to avoid flashier styles such as wingtips, full-wings, double monk straps, to name a few.

AVOID NON-DRESS SHOES, such as sneakers on your wedding day, please.

Places to shop

Many quality dress shoe makers exist. I'll list some popular options here:

• Alden

• Allen Edmonds

• Meermin

• Andrew Lock

• Kent Wang

• Florsheim (Budget option)

Wedding Ties

Visual of some wedding ties - an album

Style Forum read concerning wedding ties

A Suitable Wardrobe post on wedding ties

Traditional wedding ties are silver in color and feature a shepherd's check, macclesfield or glen check pattern or some variation of this. Deviation from these patterns is acceptable though. Your tie should have some substance and but not be overly flashy. The pattern should be elegant and often subtle. Patterns such as repp stripes, paisleys, or contrasting plaid patterns should be avoided. They may be great ties, but they often do not convey the formality of a wedding. Many brides insists on their grooms choose colored ties to match their wedding colors. This should be avoided to an extent. Pale blues, purples, pinks, or gold can work well. But keep in mind that saturated colors may look out of place next to a women wearing only white. AVOID SATIN SILK TIES, these are reserved for high school proms.

Bow ties follow the same rules as long ties. Keep them appropriate for your wedding. Self-tied bow ties are preferable.

Places to shop

There are many fine tie makers; here are some of my favorites to consider:

• Kent Wang

• Sam Hober (MTO only)

• Drakes of London

• Vanda Fine Clothing

• Howard Yount

• The Knottery (Budget option)

• The Tie Bar (Budget option)

Optional accessories (boutonnieres, pocket squares, cufflinks, etc.)

It's easy to get carried away with accessorizing an outfit. Often times the "less is more" approach works wonders. Whatever accessories you choose, make sure the overall ensemble is cohesive and reflects your wedding.

It's traditional for the groom to wear a white boutonniere on his wedding day. This can help set him apart from his groomsmen and his guests. It's a distinguishing element that generally only the groom will wear. Selection of the flower is often a rose or small carnation, though these can vary. White is traditional, though wedding colors can be incorporated here easily.

Pocket squares should be chosen (if at all) to compliment the existing elements. The safest approach is a white linen, white silk, or a cream silk square folded as a presidential fold or a simple puff. Choosing a patterned or colored pocket square risks the entire ensemble of becoming too busy. DO NOT MATCH your pocket square to your tie. If you're unsure about this desicion, it's the easiest element to discard. Here's a link to /r/mfa's guide on pocket squares.

Most men's accessories ARE NOT RECOMMENDED for wear on your wedding day. Collar pins, tie bars or other paraphernalia will not add to the overall outfit and should be avoided. Watches are generally frowned upon within formal wear and I'd advise you to forgo it altogether, yes, even your dress watch. Cufflinks are an exception and often a welcome addition to your outfit (assuming of course your shirt has french cuffs). Choose cufflinks that work well with your outfit and wedding. I'd recommend mother of pearl, sterling silver or silk knots in a simple design.

Some men decide that their wedding day is the day to show the world: "I like quirky socks!" I strongly recommend that you resist this urge. A simple ribbed knit, pin dot, or herringbone in a color matching your pants will work just fine.

Places to shop

As stated before there are numerous places to find quality accessories; here are some recommended retailers:

• Kent Wang (PS & cufflinks)

• Brooks Brothers (PS & cufflinks)

• Vanda Fine Clothing (PS)

• A suitable wardrobe (PS)

• Sam Hober (PS) (MTO only)

• The Knottery (PS & cufflinks) (Budget option)

• The Tie Bar (PS & cufflinks) (Budget option)

• Dapper Classics (Over-the-calf Dress socks)

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How to properly interpret the ambiguous dress code? These days people don't abide by the traditional phrasing of formal events. It used to be that: Formal = White Tie, Semi-Formal = Black Tie, Informal = Suits. As casual has become the norm and formal events have become rarities this nomenclature is no longer held to such strict standards. Nowadays: formal = suits, semi-formal = business casual, informal = casual. If this wording is seen on your invitations, make sure you've properly interpreted the meaning. Invitations may not explicitly state the dress code. Oftentimes they'll use buzz-words and adjectives to describe how to dress. Your task is assigning their made-up dress code into an easily digestible set of guidelines. The following list is from most to least formal and should encompass nearly any wedding's dress code. Try to categorize the wedding you're attending onto this list to give you a basic starting point of wardrobe options. Black Tie Required - Tuxedos are required, if you don't own one, rent. Black Tie Optional - Try your hardest to rent, borrow, or buy a tuxedo. If all else fails, a dark (read: black, midnight, or charcoal) suit with black neck-wear and black shoes is acceptable. Suit Required - Wear a suit with a tie. If you don't own one: buy, rent, or borrow one. Jacket / Tie Optional - Wear a suit if you can, wear a blazer and tie as the second option. A sweater/cardigan with a tie (weather permitting) is next. Try your hardest NOT to wear a dress shirt and tie WITHOUT a jacket. Leather dress shoes are a must. Cocktail Attire - A more formal and celebratory business casual. Jacket and ties may be required. A suit may be considered. Leather dress shoes required. Business Casual - The entire range of business casual is allowed. Try to stay on the more formal side of things with a sport coat and tie. You can go as casual as khaki chinos, an OCBD, and boat shoes. No sneakers, no jeans. On the flip side, you don't want to be the only attendee wearing a a full suit. Country Casual - Jackets aren't recommended, but if you must, wear linen, tweed, or another casual fabric. Chinos, a button-up, and casual leather shoes are recommended. Jeans and more casual shirts (read: plaids or chambray) are acceptable. Shirt should have a collar. Preferably, no sneakers. California Casual - Anything goes really. Shorts, tee shirts, and sneakers are all acceptable. I'd still recommend something respectable for the occasion such as chinos, a button-up shirt, and some casual leather shoes. Feel free to wear something much more akin to your personal style though. Beach Casual - Vacation wear is recommended. Linen pants, floral shirts, and sandals are all good options. If you're unsure about the formality of a casual wedding dress-code, err on the side of business casual and bring a jacket and tie, you can always remove them if you feel over-dressed. A note on matching your date. You DO NOT need to color-coordinate EXACTLY with your date. It would be nice if you complimented each other. It would be smart not to clash. There's nothing stipulating that you Hhave to match though. This isn't your high-school prom. If your S.O. is a part of the wedding party you need to worry even less about matching considering their outfit was chosen by the bride/groom. If YOU are in the wedding party and the Bride or Groom hasn't told you what you should wear, please reach out to them and ask. A note on asking for help on r/mfa concerning wedding attire. It's nigh impossible to properly describe every scenario one might encounter for a wedding, so asking for advice is always a good idea. I would like to recommend that if you're going to ask r/mfa , please provide the following: Adequate details of the wedding: time, date, location, formality/dress code (if known) Photos of your clothing or examples of clothing you've considered thus far A BUDGET you're trying to work within And please give yourself more than a week to get stuff done. This will help MFA members give more sound advice and it'll show that you've put forth some effort as well. Thanks, -dav p.s. This isn't a buyer's guide because, IMO, you shouldn't have to buy new clothing every time a wedding comes up. This is a guide to figure out what's in your wardrobe that will look great. If you're looking for some places to buy some suits/shirts/ties, read the sidebar, particularly: Guide to Weddings MTM Shirts Overly Long List of Resources Put This On's guide for wedding guests PTO's guide to summer weddings A Suitable Wardrobe's guide for wedding guests ASW's guide to black tie weddings The Silentist's tagged "wedding attire" posts A Permanent style's wedding guest suggestions Style Forum's mangum opus: Practical thoughts on coherent combinations for beginners Black Tie guide to weddings MFA's Putting together a balanced and tasteful outfit MFA's Basic blazer/trouser combinations MFA's British formalwear Search link to MFA tagged "wedding" More on reddit.com