12 Wedding Suit Style Rules for Dapper Grooms

The Groom

There’s a bit more to choosing a suit than meets the eye – the fit has to be just right and there are a few dos and don’ts you should probably take heed of as well when it comes to cutting a dapper figure on your Big Day! From how many buttons to close on your suit jacket, to where your tie should end, these little things may seem trivial but they’ll make all the difference and will ensure you look  the part on your wedding day, especially with all eyes on you. Check out 12 cardinal rules of suit wearing below…

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1. Your suit should be the perfect fit

It’s all about the fit – make sure to invest in good tailoring. Your trousers should sit nicely on your shoes, you don’t want tons of excess fabric so it’s a good idea to bring the shoes you’ll be wearing on the Big Day to the tailor so the length is just right. They should also feel comfortable when sitting and standing. Your suit jacket should also be the perfect fit and should hug your shoulders – if it’s too big, it will fall off them.

2. Keep things coordinated

Your belt should always match your shoes. The team at Collar & Cuff say it’s best to stick with the same shade; “Always remember BROWN shoes BROWN belt or BLACK shoes BLACK belt, TAN shoes TAN belt etc.” Generally the rule is if you’re wearing a black suit, opt for black shoes; brown shoes work really well with navy and blue suits while grey suits will go with either colour.

3. Keep things neat around the collars….

There should be no gap between the collar of your shirt and your jacket collar. And if you are going the bow tie route, make sure it fits snugly around the collar!

4. Your shirt cuffs shouldn’t be too long

The folks at Collar & Cuff advise to show half an inch of your shirt cuff peeping down beyond the sleeve – if in doubt it should be no more than the width of you little finger.

5. Button up your jacket (unless you’re sitting down)

There are some dos and don’ts when it comes to buttoning your suit jacket. The general rule is ‘button up unless you’re sitting down’ – suits are designed to be closed while standing so that it looks sharp, falls nicely and fits you well. If it’s a one, two or three button jacket, follow these guidelines:

One Button: If you’re wearing a one button jacket, keep it closed.

Two Buttons: Close the top button and keep the bottom undone when standing.

Three Buttons: Button the middle button (and the top one if you like) – always leave the bottom one undone.

6. And when sitting…

ALWAYS open your jacket buttons – it gives you a bit of room to breathe (particularly come dinner time) and prevents creasing and the buttons from popping! And if you plan on busting some moves on the dance floor, it might be a good time to open the buttons too.

7. If you’re wearing a waistcoat, always leave the last button open

If you’re wearing a waistcoat, close all the buttons except the bottom one! It should always be left open. And experts suggest leaving your suit jacket open to show off your stylish waistcoat underneath (but if you prefer to close the jacket even with a waistcoat on, that’s fine too)! If you’re wearing the waistcoat as part of a three-piece suit, make sure the V of the waistcoat is small enough that it’s visible under the jacket.

8. Ditch the belt if you go for braces

Lots of grooms don some dapper braces to set themselves apart from the other lads – if you are wearing braces, make sure to leave the belt aside as braces do the same job for you.

9. Your tie should end at your belly button

The team at Collar & Cuff  say the bottom tip of your tie should fall in line with your nape (belly button). It should never be longer than your belt when you’re standing!

10. If you’re wearing a tie bar… 

… make sure it’s in line with the breast pocket on your jacket.

11. Cut your threads

Don’t forget to cut the threads on your suit pockets and vents before the wedding day! Their purpose is to keep the suit’s shape when people are trying it on but should be cut before you wear it so that the suit hangs as it’s meant to.

12. Your socks should always cover you legs

Fun socks are all the rage and whatever style you opt for make sure they’re long enough! Your socks should be long enough to cover the bottom of your legs, even when sitting!

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Photo from Sarah & Lorcan’s real wedding by Eric Molimard Photography