5 Fashion Faux Pas for the Groom

At a wedding, everyone talks about the wedding dress. The guests praise the dress’s cut and the bride’s complexion. But the bride will shine just a little bit brighter—if the couple has also paid attention to the groom’s outfit details. This creates a beautiful, atmospheric look in photos, during the ceremony, and during the first dance. Here are 5 fashion faux pas you should avoid so that you’re both sure to get the “oohs” and “aahs” as you walk down the aisle.

No-Go No. 1: Everything in the Same Color

If your suit and tie (or bow tie) are both exactly the same shade, the look can quickly become boring. Small variations in shade within the same color family, on the other hand, look very elegant and interesting. Finding the right combination is quite easy: Choose a solid-color suit and a tie in a shade that’s slightly darker than your suit. Example: Is your suit a light shade of gray? Pair it with a dark gray tie! Do you like colorful outfits? That works, too, of course. Just make sure that if you’re wearing a bold suit, your shirt takes a back seat. Example: A midnight blue suit with prints, paired with a light blue shirt!

No-Go No. 2: Mixing Styles

The chemistry between you and your future wife is there—that much is clear. But do your outfits go well together, too? You don’t have to coordinate 100 percent, but you’ll look even better as a couple if your outfits complement each other a bit. Here’s an example: Your wife chooses a very classic waterfall wedding dress—but you’d rather wear colorful socks, suspenders, and sneakers? In that case, it’s a good idea to talk it over again—you’re sure to find a compromise. Maybe you can ditch the polka-dot socks, but keep your white sneakers. And what if your wife adds a floral wreath to her hair to lighten up her outfit?

If you don’t want to discuss every detail because you want to surprise each other with your outfits, just talk about what’s off-limits and agree on a few color accents.

No-Go No. 3: The Black & Brown Combination

Here’s another color theme: When it comes to color combinations, you as the groom have a slightly harder time than the bride. That makes sense, since the focus for the bride is often on shades of white. Of course, there are some important dos and don’ts to keep in mind there as well. We’ll cover that another time.

Today’s question is: Can you wear a black belt with brown shoes? We stick to the etiquette rule, which states: A black belt goes with black shoes, and a man with good style wears a brown belt with brown shoes. This creates a harmonious look. By the way: If you pair brown accessories with a dark blue suit, you’re doing everything right!

No-Go No. 4: Being cool is everything

There’s no reason not to wear sneakers or loafers with a suit. It can actually look really good! The trick is simply not to try too hard to look “cool,” but to blend elegance with a casual vibe. Do you often wear stylish turtlenecks and sometimes loafers? Well then, go for it! In this case, the shoes can be sporty and eye-catching in style, but when it comes to colors, the same rule still applies: gray, black, and white! If you don’t usually pay much attention to fashion in your everyday life, you might feel like you’re dressing up too much in a fashionable look with white sneakers—in which case, you’re better off sticking to the safe option of a classic suit and elegant leather shoes.

No-Go No. 5: Ignoring the rules of vest etiquette

If you watch Gabriel Macht, aka Harvey Spector, in the Netflix series *Suits*, you’ll see how it’s done: Mr. Spector wears his single-breasted jackets with just one button in great style—and, as is proper, unbuttoned. In contrast, with single-breasted jackets that have two buttons, he fastens only the top button. And the same goes for vests! The exception is jackets and vests with stand-up collars and lots of buttons. In that case, everything stays neatly buttoned up.

Open & Closed – Why Is It So Complicated, Anyway?
The question can’t really be fully answered anymore; it probably had something to do with horses as a means of transportation back in the day—riders would unbutton their jackets while riding to allow for more freedom of movement and all that… By the time the wedding cake is served, at the very latest, you’ll be thanking your ancestors in the saddle for this rule and for a little more freedom of movement in your jacket!

We hope these five no-gos will help you feel more confident when choosing your wedding suit. And don't forget: Only those who know the rules are allowed to break them once in a while …

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