Suit Up! - Chris talks suits (Guest Groom post)

Weddings are driven by fashion. A bride will spend a lot of effort on her dress - so what can the Groom do in the meantime?

SUIT UP!

Few things are timeless like Men in Suits. At first suits seem simple; just a jacket, shirt & tie, trousers and shiny shoes. But there are actually a lot of options and detail involved with finding the right outfit.

For our wedding I decided to hire suits for myself and the groomsmen. A decent looking suit can be bought from Hallensteins for not much less than the cost of hiring, but hired suits are generally better quality at this price level.
I went through Van Meer for the rentals, who have agents nationwide. Dragging the mates out to try on clothes isn't something we do very often at all!
We got measured up and tried on everything that took our fancy. My initial ideas were for a super formal Morning suit, maybe with a hat and cane to class it up.
The trouble is, jackets with tails look very retro, and make most men appear short. For example, this fellow -whoever he is, the first result on google images - is obviously tall and handsome, but seems to have borrowed his grandfathers church outfit.

Lookin' fine, Grandpa.

Whereas I looked like a small child wearing playing dress-up in Dads office clothes.

Short me is short.

The 007 look in a dinner suit was the next option. This did look much nicer than the Morning style. I really like the classy, understated elegance of the dinner suit and bow-tie.

His glass is probably filled with Murder.

The Dinner option was feeling pretty good. But then we thought - is this suit SHINY and AMAZING enough to wear on my wedding day?

Come with me if you want to Dine.

 The decision was, no, it is not fancy enough. After trying a few other styles, this is what we picked out - modest pinstripes, slim cut, charcoal, with waistcoats. Any Hot Young Bods are enhanced with the right suit!

While the girls were getting makeup and hair done, we probably had a shave.

I must recommend waistcoats. You can take off your jacket on a hot day, and still look mighty suave. Plus, the wearing of a waistcoats says, "I'm styling it up, and still keen to party!"
The ties were handmade by Italian artisans, from the silken wings of three thousand butterflies. At least, one would think so, judging by the price. The "Euro" style ties used the same material as the bridesmaid dresses.
My tie was ordered as a Euro Ivory to match Erins' dress - but it didn't get shipped with the order. Luckily Ben had a white tie I could wear.

Our suits were a great choice. The photos came out awesome, we were comfortable, and felt supremely dapper.

Here are a few things to think about when choosing a suit.

• Get the measurements done by a PROFESSIONAL, not your wife/friend/cat! ;-)
• On delivery, check that all the pieces that are expected are included ie Grooms ivory cravat tie!!!
• Personalised cufflinks can look boss, but some shirts don't need them
• Are you Michael Jackson? No? Then wear black socks.
• The bridal party must stand out from the guests. Get suits that have flair.
• Beards. Your kids will look at the wedding photos and praise your epic beard in twenty years, and also ask "Why do they let homeless people get married?"
• The type of ceremony and reception can reflect on the style of suit. Formality is key.
• A summer wedding? Gonna be hot. Have hip flasks handy at all times!
• A nice wristwatch is worth showing off
• Shine those shoes!
• Boutonniere or pocket square? Details, details...
• Having the shirt cuffs exposed is fashionable, and can show off cufflinks and watches.
• Contrasting colours are good, but don't take it too far.