Five days before Rosh Hashanah, Yenta Husband Bryan realized he needed a new suit for the holidays. It seems as though pregnancy had added a few extra pounds to both of us (but he’ll lose it fast! Oy! Men!), so we took a trip to Men’s Wearhouse to purchase a new get-up that would be appropriate for the High Holy Days as well as future dressy events like weddings, of course!
We were super impressed with the Men’s Wearhouse outfitters and the selection in store that was ready to wear. My husband is pretty traditional when it comes to suits. Tim Gunn would probably be bored by his taste. And I have a hard enough time picking out which socks to wear on a day-to-day basis, so I’m definitely no expert in the men’s suits department. We both learned a lot about current styles for young men. Ladies, if your groom is clueless about suiting up for the wedding day, here are some things you both should know if you’re going for a classic, modern look.
Eye on Ties
To the untrained eye, ties may all look the same, but since you and your honey are about to tie the knot, it’s only appropriate that he decides exactly how he wants to tie the knot — the tie’s knot!
The size of the knot should increase as space between collar points increases, so the groom should keep this in mind as he decides how he is going to wear the tie. There are three main styles to wear the tie, each with a different level of formality.
The Windsor Knot
The most traditional knot is called the Windsor knot. This style, which is named after the Duke of Windsor looks best for the businessman in a professional environment, but can also be an option for a less formal wedding. The Windsor knot has a triangular knot that’s most appropriate for wide-spread dress shirt collars.
The Half Windsor
The half Windsor piggybacks on the general Windsor look, but has a small triangular knot. Therefore, consider wearing the half Windsor with a dress shirt that has a more regular spread collar. Formal to business casual are good looks for the half Windsor.
The Four-In-Hand
For a quick-to-tie look, this knot is smaller and narrower and looks great for a modern and fashion-forward man who likes to keep up with the most current trends. A narrow collar opening works for this knot and can be anywhere in the range of casual to modern formal.
It’s A Shoe In
When it’s time to step on that glass, you want to make sure that the groom’s footwear is as exciting as the big fat “mazel tov!” that will come from your guests.
Typically, when we think of footwear for formal attire, we think of patent leather shoes. Patent leather is the standard style for tuxedos. These shoes are usually plain toe, lace-ups that look appropriate with a tux.
If patent leather is a little too fancy shmancy for the groom, it’s easy to decrease the formality of the look with a sleek shoe that’s not as shiny.
No matter what, though, dress shoes for a formal wedding should be black, have a plain toe design (which means no wingtips, split-toe, or cap-toe styles), and be able to be shined with high gloss.
The “It” Jacket
Tuxedo jackets aren’t much different than a regular suit jacket when it comes to general fit. First, decide on a single or double-breasted look, and then choose the style of the lapel. Usually the lapel is made out of satin which guarantees a formal and traditional look.
Typically, the lapels are notch or peak styles, but there’s also the classic shawl collar which doesn’t have any notches at all and rounds from the shoulders to the bottom of the chest. A super formal wedding might call for coat with tails or a cutaway, but this isn’t as common and we don’t see a lot of these styles at modern Jewish weddings. However, you as a couple must decide what works for you! You two make the rules!
Rent or Buy?
It may take a toll on a wallet, but if there are a lot of upcoming formal events that would require a tuxedo, it’s usually more economical to buy a tuxedo. Typically, buying a tuxedo saves money in the long run — same reason we buy in bulk, right? — and it’s always nice to know that there’s something tailored and ready to go hanging in the closet for each occasion to come.
Arranging rentals for the wedding party is easy! Visit Men’s Wearhouse or your local tuxedo shop to pick out favorite styles for the VIP guys of your wedding. You’ll want to decide if you want the look to include vests, suspenders, cufflinks, bow ties or long ties, shoes, and the pattern on the pants and coat. Have your groomsmen send you their sizes to liaise with the rental vendor who will reserve the tuxedos for pick up before the wedding. Remind the guys to try them on before leaving the shop to be sure everything fits, but they shouldn’t have to do much work beyond that. Easy!
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