Dapper and dressed to say ‘I do’

STORY: GEORGIA ROSSITER

LOOKING THE PART

WHEN IT COMES TO GOOD GROOMING ON YOUR BIG DAY IT’S IMPORTANT THAT YOU’RE KEEPING UP WITH THE TRENDS OF TODAY, NOT YESTERDAY.

And for those tying the knot in 2021, it’s time to kiss goodbye the ‘casual affair’ of chinos and sports jackets and wave hello to the elegant future of the classic tailored suit and tie.

The return to a more traditional wedding suit is part of a swing in the trend cycle from the casual look from a few years ago. Joe Paul Menswear co-owner Joe Care said most grooms who visited the store did their research (or their fiancée did) before they arrived.

“Whether it’s heavily influenced by their partners, I don’t know,” he said with a laugh.

“I think a lot of guys just tend to Google and see what the latest trends are.”

Two years ago, a combination of tan chinos, white shirt, with a blue sports jacket was the choice “eight out of 10 times”. Now, blue suits are the overwhelming trend for the groom and groomsmen.

“In one weekend we booked in six wedding parties for October,” Joe said.

“And they’ve all been suits, which I was really surprised about.”

The colour palette has been following traditional seasonal trends. Blues and navy are popular choices during the cooler months, matched with tan shoes and a tan belt to tie the outfit together.

For spring and summer weddings, Joe said the preference was for greys and other lighter colours.

“I tend to find greys are more for your summer, and then blues are pretty much all year round,” he said.

These colours tend to be paired with brown or tan shoes. For blue and navy, brown can brighten up the outfit. For lighter colours, the footwear adds definition to the look.

“Black shoes we tend to normally sell with a black suit,” Joe said.

“But if you’re doing a blue suit, you always accessorise with a tan or brown pair of shoes and a matching belt.”

Accessories like ties, cufflinks and pocket squares are where the groom adds the finishing touches to the suit. Ties are still the most popular choice among men to finish their classic look and is the point of difference between the groom and groomsmen.

“If you’re a little bit more braver, you’ll do your bow-tie,” Joe said.

“Groomsmen attire complements the bridesmaid dresses, and then normally the groom will try and work with the bride.”

Tie bars or cufflinks are common gifts for the groomsmen, and they add some personality to the outfits.

“(The gift) kind of resonates with the groom,” Joe said.