.GIF)
Fashionable Fellas
A bride may take center stage on her wedding day, but she’s still sharing the limelight with her partner. So, for grooms who want to look sharp in those keepsake photos here are a few modern style trends.
Suits Are So In
“The biggest thing we’re seeing is that grooms aren’t wearing traditional tuxes. Instead, they’re opting for suits as something they can purchase and wear beyond the wedding,” says Aaron Cordell, retail sales director for Klein Epstein & Parker in West Hollywood. Cordell says it’s all about body-conscious fits that create more flattering silhouettes.
Fabrics range from lightweight wool for indoor weddings to cotton/linen blends for beach venues. Stick to three-piece suits with one- or two-button jackets, he advises.
“Grooms can wear the vest at the reception and take the jacket off,” Cordell says. “He’ll still look put together and unified. There won’t be a moment in the wedding pictures that he’ll look like he’s in a state of undress.”
A Bow Tie Finish
Whether you’re donning a tuxedo or suit, top it off with a snazzy bow tie. Go bold with patterned looks like plaids or stripes or keep it neutral if your suit is flashier or pick a hue in line with their wedding colors. A super popular combination among customers at Bowties Tuxedo in Las Vegas is a navy suit with a blush tie.
“Bow ties are about 90 percent of what we do,” says Jason White, manager of Bowties.
Bear in mind that fit is important: Make sure the bow tie is proportionate to your face. Smaller bow ties work with smaller faces and the wider the face, the wider the bow tie.
Don’t Shy Away from Color
Black isn’t your only option anymore. Retailers say bright blue is on the verge of becoming the “it” color as celebrities push boundaries, including Mario Lopez who wore a navy blue suit to the Emmy awards in September. Greys, both charcoal and silver, are also topping customer requests.
Shirts are also becoming more colorful. Ivory is taking over as the go-to shirt choice as brides elect to marry in non-white wedding gowns.
“Shirt colors are just beginning to hit,” White says. “We’re seeing demand grow for shirts in blue, pink, silver and lavender, especially when paired with grey suits.”
Stand Out From The Crowd
Grooms should try to differentiate their look from their groomsmen. Matchy-matchy ensembles are on the outs these days. If the lucky guy opts for a charcoal suit, then his supporting cast can wear suits in a lighter shade.
Or, the groom can always don a different colored tie than his wedding party, says Ashley Pluger, tuxedo manager at New York Bride & Groom of Raleigh in Garner, N.C.
For example, a recent wedding overseen by Kristin Banta Events involved two grooms wearing white tuxedos and their groomsmen in black tuxedos with gold lapels.
“I don’t think groomsmen should match because the same outfit looks like pageantry,” says Kristin Banta, owner of her eponymous event firm in Studio City, Calif. “People have different body types so it’s hard to achieve the right look. Cohesion is what we’re after.”
Do It Your Way
Personalization is what it’s all about these days. Banta said one of her clients incorporated a Batman theme into his wedding day attire, including wearing Batman cufflinks and a jacket lined with inscriptions related to the comic book hero.
At Klein Epstein & Parker, which offers about 100 different suit linings, customers can create a really personal outfit by embroidering a wedding date, location, initials or a special message to the bride on the suit jacket, Cordell says.
The one caveat? Aim for understated rather than extravagance. “Just remember that 20 years from now, you’re going to look at pictures of yourself,” says Joseph Abboud, designer and chief creative director at Men’s Wearhouse. “So, you want to try to always do it in good taste.”
© Brides 365