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Groom in blue evening sport coat but what should groomsman wear

shastin1shastin1 member
Second Anniversary First Comment
in Attire & Accessories Forum
Hello Everyone!  Looking for some help figuring out what the groomsman should wear.  My finance will be wearing the attached evening sport coat, but he wants the groomsman to wear something a little more casual (maybe no coat).  Any suggestions?  The bridesmaids are wearing simple black dresses.
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Re: Groom in blue evening sport coat but what should groomsman wear

  • CMGragainCMGragain member
    10000 Comments 500 Love Its Fourth Anniversary 25 Answers
    edited June 2015
    Honestly, I have never seen anything like this!  There is no such thing as an "evening sportcoat", and this does not look like a sportcoat to me at all.  Please reconsider!  A two piece dark suit would me much more appropriate for an evening wedding.  You will be much happier with your wedding pictures twenty years from now.

    The rule is that the groomsmen should wear the same as the bridegroom.  I know my DH would flat out refuse to wear this thing.
    httpiimgurcomTCCjW0wjpg
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  • LulawifeLulawife member
    Tenth Anniversary 100 Love Its 100 Comments Name Dropper
    My wedding photographer just posted pictures yesterday of a groom wearing that exact same jacket. He had the matching blue pants on and his groomsman all wore regular black suits. They looked very nice, IMO. I agree that the blue is trendy (it's all over the red carpets) but if that's what your FI wants to wear, he should!
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  • Maggie0829Maggie0829 member
    Eighth Anniversary 10000 Comments 500 Love Its 25 Answers
    If your FI is wearing a coat then the GM should be wearing a coat.  Everyone in the wedding party needs to match the same formality level.

    I am not a huge fan of the blue coat, but hey, if that is what your FI wants to wear then that is all that matters.  I think, like PP said, the GM should wear black suits.

    When it comes to fashion, there are "rules" but if you break those "rules" you aren't hurting anyone or breaking any etiquette.  What it comes down to is if you and your FI are happy with your attire on your wedding day.

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  • mikenbergermikenberger member
    1000 Comments 500 Love Its First Anniversary First Answer
    If your groom is going to wear a coat, the groomsmen should follow suit (heh. puns.). Everybody in the bridal party should have the same formality as stated by the other PPs. Black would look fine. As long as you two are happy with your attire, don't reconsider. This is not something that is going to offend the general masses. Only those that are constant pearl clutchers and stuck in the 1950s.

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  • RezIpsaRezIpsa member
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    I love men's fashion and follow it quite a bit, so here is my two cents.

    Your groom should wear it if he likes it. However, it is very "trendy" bad fashion that is going to date immediately and poorly (see: giant mutton chop sleeves on late 70s and 80s brides). The blue is a riff on the midnight blue tuxedo, which is a classic.

    Black suits really aren't suitable for anything except funerals. Go with dark grey or a navy blue for the groomsmen. If your bridesmaids are in black, I would go with grey. If your partner is wearing a jacket, your groomsmen should be too. That way they all look like they are going to the same event. It has become popular recently to do the exposed vest, "paperboy" look. Suit vests are really not meant for that, and should be worn with a jacket.

    Definitely not a pearl clutcher about all this, and definitely not mired in the 50s (although there was some tip top fashion during that era). For some reason, bad fashion for men seems to abound in weddings, particularly with fit. Make sure whatever all the guys wear is tailored properly. It's better to wear a really perfectly tailored grey suit than a sloppy and ill fitting tux.
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  • mikenbergermikenberger member
    1000 Comments 500 Love Its First Anniversary First Answer
    Maggie0829 said:
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    What?
    So men that wear black suits to work are going to their funerals? Or wear them to court?...

    Makes sense to me.

    image
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  • FiancBFiancB member
    1000 Comments 500 Love Its Second Anniversary Name Dropper
    It's kind of out there, but not everyone likes to play it safe with attire. If he likes it, go for it. I wore a very trendy dress and I know that 20 years from now it will be ridiculous and dated and people will be able to tell pretty much exactly when our wedding was, but who cares. 

    I didn't really know it was a thing to be sure that the groom and GMs match exactly. I figured if the bride gets to stand out, why not the groom? DH wore an inverse colored tie and shirt from his GMs. My wedding was not legitimate. 

    We also considered him wearing a coat and the others not but in the end we decided to just ask everyone to wear a gray suit and a specific shirt and we provided ties. One did show up in a dark gray suit with everyone else in light gray. No one died. 
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  • ohannabelleohannabelle member
    2500 Comments 500 Love Its First Answer First Anniversary
    RezIpsa said:
    I love men's fashion and follow it quite a bit, so here is my two cents.

    Your groom should wear it if he likes it. However, it is very "trendy" bad fashion that is going to date immediately and poorly (see: giant mutton chop sleeves on late 70s and 80s brides). The blue is a riff on the midnight blue tuxedo, which is a classic.

    Black suits really aren't suitable for anything except funerals. Go with dark grey or a navy blue for the groomsmen. If your bridesmaids are in black, I would go with grey. If your partner is wearing a jacket, your groomsmen should be too. That way they all look like they are going to the same event. It has become popular recently to do the exposed vest, "paperboy" look. Suit vests are really not meant for that, and should be worn with a jacket.

    Definitely not a pearl clutcher about all this, and definitely not mired in the 50s (although there was some tip top fashion during that era). For some reason, bad fashion for men seems to abound in weddings, particularly with fit. Make sure whatever all the guys wear is tailored properly. It's better to wear a really perfectly tailored grey suit than a sloppy and ill fitting tux.

    *******BOX*******

    You win the award for the Absolutely Most Incorrect Statement Of The Day.

    A black suit is the most classic choice of all men's evening wear. Also perfectly appropriate for business.
    To say otherwise is like saying a little black dress is only appropriate at funerals. Wrong, wrong, wrong. I don't know where you're following men's fashion, but you've got some really weird information.
    (When did blue tuxedos become "classic?" This is also news to me.)
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  • pinupbride6189pinupbride6189 member
    500 Love Its 100 Comments First Anniversary Name Dropper
    We're going to be committing the fashion crime of doing suit vests with no jacket and rolled up sleeves. This is because I'm having a hard enough time convincing FI that it would be nice if he wore a tie. He hates anything on his forearms and wouldn't make it through the ceremony in anything past his elbow. Some people will side-eye, I'm sure, but they'll still have a place to sit, no gap between ceremony and reception, and properly hosted food and drink. Other than having their eyes assaulted by FI's choice in attire, they're comfort is very much our priority. So I say, if that's what your FI wants to wear and feels comfortable in, go for it. Just realize that it might date your wedding and that 20 years from now your kids might giggle about it.

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  • doeydodoeydo member
    Seventh Anniversary 5000 Comments 500 Love Its 5 Answers
    The groomsmen could wear suits, perhaps in the colour of the pants that the groom will be wearing, which might look something like this:

    Or they could be in the same or similar pants and with button downs and sweaters or something instead of a jacket, which might look something like this:
    image
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  • RezIpsaRezIpsa member
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    ohannabelle said:
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    (When did blue tuxedos become "classic?" This is also news to me.)
    ____________________________________________
    http://www.blacktieguide.com/Classic/Classic_Tuxedos.html

    This is a pretty good summary of the midnight blue tuxedo.

    I will leave the black suit issue alone. If anyone is interested, I am sure a little googling will suffice.
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  • pinupbride6189pinupbride6189 member
    500 Love Its 100 Comments First Anniversary Name Dropper
    I think the idea in @doeydo 's first link would look nice.

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  • hellohkbhellohkb mod
    Moderator Sixth Anniversary 2500 Comments 500 Love Its
    I absolutely love that jacket and showed a similar one to FI since he wants a grey jacket with a black lapel. I agree, @doeydo 's first link is really nice (IMO).


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  • ohannabelleohannabelle member
    2500 Comments 500 Love Its First Answer First Anniversary
    RezIpsa said:
    show previous quotes
    ____________________________________________
    http://www.blacktieguide.com/Classic/Classic_Tuxedos.html

    This is a pretty good summary of the midnight blue tuxedo.

    I will leave the black suit issue alone. If anyone is interested, I am sure a little googling will suffice.


    Because someone said it on the internet. Bonjour. It must be true. 
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  • VulgarGirlVulgarGirl member
    2500 Comments 500 Love Its First Anniversary Name Dropper
    Regarding blacksuits, the Huffington posts says:
    Yes, wearing black. You may have gotten a spiffy black suit for your Bar Mitzvah, and you may have seen your father rock a black suit to the office. But black should generally be reserved for funerals and weddings -- for daytime wear, stick with a classic navy or charcoal gray suit, paired with shoes in brown hues. Bonus: There are almost no color shirts that don't match navy or gray.

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  • RezIpsaRezIpsa member
    250 Love Its 100 Comments Name Dropper
    Re: the Huff Po. Yes, this is a common statement about black suits. The majority of menswear designers, stylists, etc. agree that black suits are not recommended for weddings.

    @ohannabelle: if you have a resource that says something substantially different, I would love to read it. The Black Tie Guide is kind of like miss Manners for etiquette, reliable and concise. I posted it because it is a good summary, not because one source makes it true.

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  • ohannabelleohannabelle member
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    Your source never said "Black suits aren't suitable for anything except funerals." Not even. What utter nonsense. 

    Which menswear designers are you referring to? Which stylists? If it's a majority, please list a few. 

    My resource is called the big book of common sense. Do you also want a citation that the sky is blue? 
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  • RezIpsaRezIpsa member
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    What's up with the rudeness? It's unnecessary.
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  • ohannabelleohannabelle member
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    So, no majority of menswear designers or stylists?  That's what I thought. 

    Miss Manners says any dark suit is appropriate, unless black tie is specified, in which case it should specifically be a dinner jacket. I trust Miss Manners. 

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  • RezIpsaRezIpsa member
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    The Miss Manners rule is generally correct. Charcoal, navy blue, etc. are appropriate usually. But if that is the only rule that means that a light grey, seersucker, or off white linen suit would never be correct. That is obviously false. All of those could be fine (as well as a white dinner jacket) depending on variables like temperature, venue, formality, and what the bride is wearing.

    I'm still getting a lot of rudeness and hostility from your posts, which puzzles me when the subject is something so ultimately frivolous and subjective as fashion. Maybe it's just because tone is hard to account for online.

    I will be happy to put together a list of sources, but since I am not writing a dissertation on men's classic fashion I have not kept track of cites over the last several years I have been reading about it. So it will take a little time, especially since I have an OOT wedding this weekend and the Hawks are in the playoffs. Watching the game right now in fact.

    For anyone else that is interested, styleforum is a decent resource. A community of people who care about men's fashion they same way this community cares about gracious weddings.
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  • huskypuppy14huskypuppy14 member
    2500 Comments Fifth Anniversary 500 Love Its First Answer
    edited June 2015
    RezIpsa said:
    The Miss Manners rule is generally correct. Charcoal, navy blue, etc. are appropriate usually. But if that is the only rule that means that a light grey, seersucker, or off white linen suit would never be correct. That is obviously false. All of those could be fine (as well as a white dinner jacket) depending on variables like temperature, venue, formality, and what the bride is wearing. I'm still getting a lot of rudeness and hostility from your posts, which puzzles me when the subject is something so ultimately frivolous and subjective as fashion. Maybe it's just because tone is hard to account for online. I will be happy to put together a list of sources, but since I am not writing a dissertation on men's classic fashion I have not kept track of cites over the last several years I have been reading about it. So it will take a little time, especially since I have an OOT wedding this weekend and the Hawks are in the playoffs. Watching the game right now in fact. For anyone else that is interested, styleforum is a decent resource. A community of people who care about men's fashion they same way this community cares about gracious weddings.
    Are black tuxes acceptable, or is it just black suits? We question things all the time ,and saying google it, isn't sufficient evidence that what you say is true. That is all ohannabelle was saying.
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    image

    image


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  • RezIpsaRezIpsa member
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    Black tuxes are 100% acceptable. Obviously it has to be an appropriate occasion, so evening and formal wedding. White dinner jackets also acceptable in the same circumstances, it just has to be warm weather.
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  • CMGragainCMGragain member
    10000 Comments 500 Love Its Fourth Anniversary 25 Answers
    edited June 2015
    The tuxedo site is an excellent one, but it is British.  There are a few minor differences is customs, and perhaps this is one of them.  DH wears a charcoal pinstriped suit when he needs to wear one.  DS's first good suit was navy.  There are a lot of black suits sold in the USA, and I don't think they are all for funerals. My only opinion is that cat hair shows up on solid black more than a dark charcoal!
    This proves nothing, of course.  There were a lot of powder blue tuxedos rented in 1976, too.  Ugh!   This is why I urged the OP to choose a nice dark suit instead of that very blue jacket.  (I googled it.  It is from Kenneth Cole and it is expensive.  For shame!)
    httpiimgurcomTCCjW0wjpg
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  • Maggie0829Maggie0829 member
    Eighth Anniversary 10000 Comments 500 Love Its 25 Answers
    mikenberger said:
    show previous quotes
    What's wrong with an expensive jacket?

    Y'all are pearl clutching over a blue jacket. A BLUE JACKET. 
    This.  Now we are judging the price of something?  You aren't the one buying it so what they hell do you care what it costs?

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  • emmaaaemmaaa mod
    Moderator 2500 Comments 500 Love Its Fourth Anniversary
    DH wore a blue suit. He told his GM to wear any blue suit (the shade didn't matter) and one guy had a black tux and couldn't afford to buy/rent anything and it looked nice.

    image

    Like PP's said, if your DH wants to wear a jacket, then the GM need to also. I think GM in black suits would look fine next to the jacket you posted.




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  • hellohkbhellohkb mod
    Moderator Sixth Anniversary 2500 Comments 500 Love Its
    edited June 2015
    mikenberger said:

    show previous quotes
    What's wrong with an expensive jacket?

    Y'all are pearl clutching over a blue jacket. A BLUE JACKET. 

    --


    Exactly. It's not like it's a bright orange paisley print, it's pretty much a solid blue. Maybe I'm extra confused because I genuinely love the jacket.


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  • PrettyGirlLostPrettyGirlLost member
    5000 Comments Fifth Anniversary 500 Love Its First Answer
    edited June 2015
    You ladies all know that most sartorial "rules" are arbitrary bullshit and that the "experts" are never quite in agreement and often tell you that breaking the "rules" is just fine, right?


    RezIpsa said:
    The Miss Manners rule is generally correct. Charcoal, navy blue, etc. are appropriate usually. But if that is the only rule that means that a light grey, seersucker, or off white linen suit would never be correct. That is obviously false. All of those could be fine (as well as a white dinner jacket) depending on variables like temperature, venue, formality, and what the bride is wearing. I'm still getting a lot of rudeness and hostility from your posts, which puzzles me when the subject is something so ultimately frivolous and subjective as fashion. Maybe it's just because tone is hard to account for online. I will be happy to put together a list of sources, but since I am not writing a dissertation on men's classic fashion I have not kept track of cites over the last several years I have been reading about it. So it will take a little time, especially since I have an OOT wedding this weekend and the Hawks are in the playoffs. Watching the game right now in fact. For anyone else that is interested, styleforum is a decent resource. A community of people who care about men's fashion they same way this community cares about gracious weddings.
    Yep, and there is no consensus there on the appropriateness of a black suit worn in the office.  That's mostly what they seemed to be concerned with wrt black suits, whether they are office appropriate.

    Most of the comments I read there state that black suits are more suitable for funerals, weddings, and nights out- more formal occasions.  No one there that i found said black suits were only suitable for funerals.  And many people also said that black suits are appropriate for the office, and that you shouldn't give a fuck and just wear what you want to wear, provided it's well tailored.

    "Love is the one thing we're capable of perceiving that transcends time and space."


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