Some people love a wedding, the love in the air, or stress, the flowers, the food, the drinking and dancing, me, not so much. I just want the bride and groom to have a good day, but you could do it without me, I wouldn’t be offended. Weddings are expensive and the more people you have attending the more money you need to hand over. I am also not ungrateful for the invites, it is a special day for the happy couple and of course I am flattered and honoured to anyone who would like me there. Many weddings we attend in our lives we feel obliged to go to, so then you are in the dilemma (especially when there are four of them and especially when they are spread out across the year) of what to wear to each one.
The simple question is a suit, but what suit, colour, material, weight? So many options that need to be versatile. Do you go for summer separates, a jacket and chino for the win, the perfect smart casual affair or a full three piece number. I have a few suits, but this was a good excuse to get a new one, a suit that was for all seasons and can be mixed up with different shirts and ties. The hunt began to find the suit and I realised very early on that there are some absolutely terrible suits out there in the world when off the rack. One major so-called good simple suit seller had hundreds of horrible, overly boxy styles, like something from the 90’s to very over-styled garments with a trouser width that I could barely fit my bicep let alone my calves. I also found a slim fitting suit that looked like I had sprayed it on. I’m not sure anyone could have worn this suit, especially a slightly overweight person in their early forties, it was my size and not skinny (apparently), but slim cut it was not. I saw folds I didn’t know I had.
I do usually rely on the “get what you know” form of shopping. I am happy to experiment with style but if you know a style then go to that store and shop the style. I relented and went to my usual suit shop and within minutes had taken over and was trying on suits all over the show, narrowing it down to two. I went with a lighter grey three piece, not that the waistcoat will get a look in, I am not a fan of double breasted though I may try eventually. An extra was the side adjusters but also belt loops, because at weddings there is always some over indulging so a way of expanding the trousers as I indeed expand is a design I can live with, and possibly never without again. It was a mid-weight wool blend in a simple tailored fit and is heavy enough for evenings but light enough to survive some time in the sun, its lighter colour also helping with this. But do I want to wear it to all the weddings this year?
I could, they are all different groups of people with no crossover, a bonus on wedding outfit terms. And it will be nice not to be part of the sea of blue slim fitting suits. But I like to change things up, so I have planned for two new suit outings and then two separate chino blazer ensembles. Just to make things interesting, mixing up pocket squares and ties and colours to keep myself amused as I negotiate the limited wedding bars and random food choices.
The season began in April, so obviously it was wet and there was a little chill in the air but it was the first outing for the suit. It was the more formal of the years weddings and with the bonus of staying at the venue, I could indulge, which I did, even getting the barman to make me Negronis for the evening, in a venue that I was advised “we are not allowed to do cocktails” well you either give me three shots and a glass with ice or you put it together and stir. Easy win for me.
The following month was wedding number two, and with a new tie and pocket square in my grey suit I was ready to go, though my tie knot of a single knot was a mistake and annoyed me all day. But the tie was removed later in the day anyway to the chorus of pop punk covers, a highlight of the day. More Negronis were drunk, this time on the menu. I have at time of writing five months later only just been charged for the drinks, bad form by the venue and a shock on the credit card that was for sure. The suit had had its outings. So when we got to the much hotter part of the year in July I needed a change up. And at a wedding where someone actually wore shorts (yes I know), I for one was glad I didn’t wear a full suit.
I had never dressed up chinos to the point of separates and after some internet sleuthing, I made a note of not using the internet and just tried a couple of things to get it right myself. And now I have my go to wedding attire, what a great look, smart but modern, no outdated looks here. And once again you are away from the sea of blue suits (of which I use mine for dinners and work meetings only).
The final wedding of the year, which landed on my own wedding anniversary, I simply moved the attire around, colour wise. For the last wedding I went with cream chinos and blue cotton jacket, and this one went with blue chinos and cream linen jacket and from this point on separates are the key but you also can’t go wrong with a suit, just match it to the couple.
Before I really knew it, the year of weddings was over, the diet began and I took a deep breath just as an invite for a wedding in 2025 dropped through the door.
