Dressing well for a wedding is important. You’re close enough to the engaged couple for an invitation to this momentous day. And you will be immortalized in the canon of family memories.
But it’s also important to never out-dress the wedding party. “But Tip Top, won’t I be wearing a suit? Isn’t there always going to be the chance to upstage the newlyweds?”
Yes and no. If you’re attending a western-themed wedding, and everyone's expected in jeans and boots, but you show up in a suit - you’re overdressed.
If you show up to a semi-formal wedding in a suit, you’re perfectly fine. But if you use this opportunity to impersonate James Bond - then the wedding party may question their relationship with you.
Understanding the dress code is step one in figuring out what to wear. Step two is looking great.
Staying within the dress code keeps the spotlight on the couple - the couple that’s been planning for months, maybe even years. This is why upstaging the groom, and maybe even the bride, is rude and disrespectful.
To maintain your reputation, while keeping your charm intact, here are a couple tips to look great, and not distractingly great.
“You're too loud, you're making too much noise. Listen to me, the loudest one in the room is the weakest one in the room.”
- Denzel Washington as Frank Lucas, American Gangster -
Best Wedding Guest Suits (and Non-Suits)
For most weddings, suits are more than appropriate. Staple dark tones, such as black, charcoal, or navy, will be perfect for the occasion. If the wedding is in the spring or summer, tans, light blues, and greys will also look sharp.
But do not wear your electric blue or maroon suit. Yes, we know we sell them and they are incredible-looking suits. But this is not the time to be taking gravitas away from the stars of the wedding.
If the wedding invitation says “dressy-casual”, “suit-optional”, or anything of the sort, that gives you some wiggle room to dress down a bit. Try a sport jacket and a pair of chinos. Maybe a suit without a tie.
But still, this is not an open door to start wearing jeans and sneakers. Keep it classy - underdressing is even more distracting.
Best Wedding Guest Shirts
When getting dressed, stay away from your boldest shirts. Look for more muted tones that are pleasant on the eyes but not screaming for attention. That way if you’re trying to start up a conversation during cocktail hour, you’ll still make an impression.
The same goes for patterns; look for simple patterns that are less psychedelic. Try uniform patterns like polkadots or jacquard.
Best Wedding Pants
If you’re going to a more casual wedding, chinos make a great dressed down pair of trousers. Not only can you wear them with a blazer or sport jacket, but they also makes for a spruced up pair of pants on their own.
Plus, chinos are the perfect all-around pants for everyday life. Talk about getting the most out of your clothes!
Speaking about getting the most out of your clothes, feel free to just wear the pants of your suit on their own, without the jacket (again, depending on dress code).
But the most important part about this decision is making sure that you can dance in them! Look for pants with a touch of elastane or another stretchy fabric. Our dress pants are made for dancefloor supremacy to break it down without breaking a seam!
Best Wedding Guest Accessories
Your wedding outfit is almost ready; it’s time for the finishing touches. Accessories complete the look - but refrain from anything over the top, like a gaudy watch or disfigured tie.
And many accessories are already perfectly paired - like the soon-to-be newlyweds.
Match pocket squares with ties. Tie bars. Coordinate your belt with your shoes. Feel free to sync up your wallet, watch, and bracelets.
"Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication."
- Leonardo Da Vinci -
Looking Your Best as a Wedding Guest
Yup, we know. It can be a little difficult to navigate the confines of being a wedding guest but at least you didn’t have to coordinate catering, rent a venue, put together a guest list, find a dj, sort out last-minute cancellations, have to look for a afficionading body, or, ya know, get married.
So if you need help putting together an outfit that will break the ice and not the bank, swing by one of our 80+ locations. Our staff is always ready to give you the advice you need for any wedding dress code.