What to wear to a wedding: How to be the second-best dressed man

Picture this: You walk out to your mailbox (an inexplicable venture in the year 2024, and yet, our habits are our habits), and you find something addressed to you in a small envelope. Inside, you find a “Save the Date” from a friend. Maybe you have seen them recently, maybe not, but either way, you now have a wedding to attend.

You aren’t a big fan of weddings. Receptions, absolutely. But the wedding part can’t get over fast enough. Besides, what to wear to a wedding is the next thing you’ll have to figure out. You don’t want to be overdressed, and you definitely don’t want to be underdressed. The problem is, you never know until you get there.

Don’t worry, you aren’t alone. For some reason, guys never get excited about dressing up for a wedding. Either they aren’t sure what to wear and how to strike that balance between overdressed and underdressed (like a matrimonial Goldilocks), or they’re just looking forward to ditching all but the shirt sleeves to get down on the dance floor. Either way, that’s only on the other side of the ceremony, so we will help you figure out what to wear. But first, here are some tips for you to know.

Always wear a jacket, never wear jeans

That is right. The very first tip for you is probably the most important. No matter when, where, what, or who the wedding includes, you cannot go wrong if you ditch the denim and find some elevated pants. And don’t be the guy in the button-up tucked in; you look like your mom dressed you for the wedding. Are there exceptions? There are exceptions to virtually every rule in menswear, but there are so few exceptions to wearing jeans to a wedding that it almost doesn’t matter for the purposes of this article. Here are a few more tips to help you figure out what to wear.

1. Take your cues from the groom. We know what you’re thinking: He doesn’t care what I wear. That may be. But when you call him up and ask him what the dress code is for the wedding, make sure his future wife is in the room for the answer. He may not care what you wear, but she probably does.
2. Scout the venue. The venue can make a lot of difference about what you wear to a wedding. If it is an indoor wedding, then you should be in your best dress for the occasion. If it is an outdoor wedding, then you need to dress for the weather.
3. Consider the season. Look, indoor, outdoor, day, night — all make a difference. The season may tell you what color and what fabric you should focus on. More on that in a sec. Winter weddings will command thicker and warmer weights while summer calls for some light linens.
4. Black tie isn’t just black tie. No, that doesn’t mean just wear a shirt with a black tie. That means a tux. That means the wedding is likely after 6 p.m. and they went all out for the ambiance of a royal gathering. Don’t ruin the vibe; wear the tux.

Now, here are some ideas for what you should wear for the different types of weddings.

Spring/summer outdoors

Here is the one that is difficult for most people. The summer wedding is already rough, but every year, someone gets ambitious and wants to have the event outside. Despite their best intentions, it always seems to be the hottest day of the year. So, how do you navigate this kind of event? Here are the things to keep in mind.

• Fabrics: The day is likely going to see you under the sun. You will struggle to maintain composure if you’re sweating bullets. So, opt for a linen suit or a light cotton one. These fabrics breathe and are designed specifically to be worn when it is stifling outside.
• Colors: Light, light, oh, and in case we didn’t mention it, light colors. If you are wearing a linen suit, you likely found yourself a tan linen, and that’s perfect. For the shirt, you can’t go wrong with a light blue or a white. And if you are wearing a tie (here is where the dress code comes into play), then go with something lighter like a blue or gray.
• Shoes: When you’re wearing a linen suit, nothing beats a good pair of suede drivers. Wear these with no-show socks for the full effect, and get some air on those ankles.

Spring/summer indoors

Heading indoors is the best thing that ever happened to a summer wedding. Spring is a little better, but with the excess of rain, it isn’t a mystery why many brides and grooms choose to take their nuptials under a roof. Once you are indoors, the more casual options of a linen suit and drivers should go away. Here is what you should consider for the indoors:

• Fabrics: You can still go with lighter weights, but most linens won’t have the greatest structure appropriate for an indoor wedding. Instead, look for a summer weight wool or a cotton with a half canvas jacket to keep you looking great.
• Colors: Our favorite color for a spring/summer wedding is always going to be light gray. It’s the blank slate, which means there is really no shirt and tie combination that won’t look good with it. For the shirt, a lavender, pink, or white look fantastic for the season.
• Shoes: Break out the dress shoes. Wear something with a little more class when you take the wedding indoors. If you want to add a little flare to the light gray suit with the pastel shirt and tie, get yourself a pair of cordovan double-monk dress shoes and let them speak.

Fall/winter outdoors

If you are lucky, the bride and groom aren’t crazy enough to have a winter wedding outside. Unless, of course, you live in California, then all bets are off anyway. But an outdoor autumn wedding is very demure (is that how the TikTok trend goes?). This is the kind of wedding that will require you to layer to dress for the weather. It could be freezing, or unseasonably warm; just be prepared.

• Fabrics: You want to go a little heavier for this event. Break out the tweed or the cashmere for something that will break the wind. Lucky for you, this is also a very stylish look, and may even make you feel a little Stars Hollow.
• Colors: Earth tones are the way to go here. Browns, olives, navy shades, and medium grays will go a long way to keep you in season. When you start shopping for the shirt, pick up an ecru dress shirt and grab your burgundy tie off the shelf.
• Shoes: This is the place for your dark brown dress shoes. The tan dress shoes will work if you’re going with an ecru shirt, tying the whole thing together, but darker brown is always the best here. If you want to really add some James Bond style to the look, opt for a pair of chocolate brown suede chukkas.

Fall/winter indoors

Last but not least, the winter indoor wedding. This is likely going to feel a little more formal. What with the Christmas-esque decorations and the shorter revolution of the sun leaving the ceremony in the darker part of the day, it will feel more like an after-6 p.m. wedding, even if it’s earlier in the evening or later in the afternoon. Because of that, let’s go a bit more formal here.

• Fabrics: This is where your nicer, heavier-weighted suit comes in handy. It doesn’t need to be tweed or cashmere, like the outdoor suit, but something with a little heft and luxury is going to work here. Your Super 150s or Super 180s will fly quite well here.
• Colors: Darker means more formal. Since this feels more formal, you should stick to your deep navy or charcoal suit for this occasion. If it is after 6 p.m., then you can opt for a black suit. For the dress shirt, it is a bit of a clean slate, but the safe white is always the most classic. If it is after 6 p.m., elevate it a little with a black dress shirt.
• Shoes: No matter what you wear here, you can really dress the entire look up with a great pair of black dress shoes. If you’re wearing navy, it’s better to go for cordovan shoes, but if it’s a bright enough navy, black can work. Make sure your shoes keep the whole look elevated instead of dressing it down.