Welcome back to the Gentleman's Gazette!
Today's video is about the beach wedding or the beach formal dress code for men.
There are very few reasons to dress formally at a beach except for a wedding.
So let's assume you've traveled very far you got to your resort and you assume you can
buy your attire there, that's not the case.
Usually you'll find shorts and flip-flops not something that would be appropriate for
a wedding.
So plan ahead and bring the right stuff because a business suit or regular tuxedo is simply
over the top.
So first of all what is Beach formal or Beach wedding?
It's typically used for beach weddings and it's comprised of the most formal things you
can wear at the beach without looking totally out of place.
It's quite similar to resort attire in the sense that it has lots of lighter colors,
open weaves, springy or summery colors that are well suited for a tropical climate.
However before we dive in in what Beach formal and Beach wedding specifically means - including
all the different colors and options you have.
Let's talk about what not to wear.
First, never wear any sandals with a suit.
It just doesn't go together.
If you wear long pants, you could just take off your shoes, take off your socks and roll
up the hems.
That way it works with the beach wedding theme.
Because it's warmer outside, some may want to skip the jacket and go maybe with a vest
and matching pants instead.
I think it's an awkward look and if you're really fair it's not really much cooler than
if you were a lightweight open weave jacket.
Also don't wear a suit jacket or a blazer with shorts.
That's maybe a look that is originally from Bermuda and they wear it with over the calf
socks.
You show up like at a beach wedding it just looks awkward and it draws too much attention
to yourself which is not the point.
You want to have the bride and the groom be the center of that day.
Avoid bringing short-sleeved shirts because either you go a little more casual and have
a polo shirt with short sleeves or you take a long-sleeve shirt and if it's quite warm
you can simply roll up your shirt sleeves.
It will always look better than a short sleeved shirt.
Short-sleeved shirts are particularly bad when worn with a jacket or a sport coat.
One thing I've seen recently at the beach wedding that was quite awkward was a suit
with a shirt that was untucked.
Someone tried to be more casual and relaxed but it just looks weird.
I know Justin Timberlake wore it at the Super Bowl halftime show but it was a camel suit
with a bandana and overall it had nothing to do with classic style.
Another thing to avoid is a monochromatic look.
By that I mean a pants or a jacket or shirt and even a tie all matching in the same color.
It lacks contrast and overall monochromatic outfits are never flattering.
Likewise, you should skip bold or any whimsical patterns because huge Paisley's or Hawaiian shirt style suit
jackets or pants are simply not appropriate.
Some people like to wear suspenders but if you do so I suggest to work at least a vest
or a jacket.
If you just have it on top of a shirt it looks weird.
Likewise it's a beach wedding so you shouldn't bring any kind of formal accessories such
as black shoes or black belts.
It provides too much of a contrast to your lighter colored pants and it's overall out of
place.
So what should you wear?
First of all, if you think you don't have anything in your current closet it's better
to buy something than to rent something because you can always wear it whenever you travel
into warmer climates.
If you are part of the wedding party you simply don't have a choice.
Simply go along with what the bride and groom have planned for you.
It's their day and you just have to accept it and go with the flow.
So what are the items you should invest in?
First of all, a pair of more casual closed-toed shoes.
If you're often in warmer climates I suggest thinking about a perforated leather shoe because
it's something that keeps you cooler and it's definitely more casual than a regular leather
shoe.
At the same time it's still classically stylish.
If you like it bolder, you may be able to pull off a spectator shoe but always keep
in mind you never want to overshadow the bride and groom because it's their day.
If you want to invest in something that you can wear at home, I suggest to go with a loafer
either a penny loafer maybe a tassel loafer in a light tan color because it's versatile
and you can just wear it at the beach or at a beach wedding but also to the office or
casual Fridays.
Other colors that work well are tan and even white buckskin shoes because in the tropics
or the beach wedding it's an appropriate look.
If your pants have belt loops you want a belt such as the ones you can see here.
Just make sure it picks up some colors in your outfit.
Definitely don't show up in shorts unless the bride and groom have specifically asked
you to do so.
When it comes to shirts, cotton or linen are king!
Linen breathes a little more heavily but in any case you want something with an open weave
so you can really feel the breeze at the sea.
You may be tempted to go with silk because it is often very lightweight and has a nice
touch but it is in fact quite insulating and so I suggest not to wear it.
Skip the French cuffs and cufflinks rather go for buttoned barrel cuffs because it's just
one layer of fabric and if you're really overheating you can even unbutton the shirt button on
your cuff.
Because even a beach wedding is more formal than regular outings at the beach it's okay
to wear a suit.
If you do so, go with something lighter colored maybe a seersucker suit or a lighter suit
maybe in khaki or tan or you can go with a combination of let's say seersucker pants
and a lighter jacket like just the one I'm wearing here right now.
Lighter colors have the advantage because they reflect the sunlight and so you stay
cooler.
Definitely skip navy or gray colors because they're simply out of place at the beach.
Fun colors such as lighter greens maybe petrol are perfectly appropriate.
In terms of fabric choice, you can go with wool especially if it's an open weave like
a tropical fabric.
You can also go with cotton, linen or blends thereof.
Make sure to stay clear of polyester or nylon because those fibers will just make you sweat.
Likewise your jacket should be made of a lighter material but what's even more important
is that it has an open weave and a sewn canvas.
If it's glued which is something you usually find on less expensive suits it's more insulating
and you'll stay hot at the beach.
To learn more about the differences of suit construction, please check out this video.
And differences between $100 and $1,000 suits can be found here.
Definitely opt for more casual details in your jackets which means notch lapels or patch
pockets rather than peak lapels and jetted pockets.
In terms of accessories, it's okay to go without neck wear because it is warm.
However it's a wedding after all and you want to put your best foot forward.
I suggest to either go with a knit tie because it has an open weave or maybe a bow tie because
it's lighter in weight.
You can also have bolder colors or summery colors and you can look for fabrics like this
shantung silk here which is more knobby and more casual than a traditional wedding tie
or an office tie.
For a full selection of different knit ties, bow ties and ties you can wear to a beach
wedding, please check out our shop here.
Even if you decide against neck wear I always suggest you go with a pocket square because
it quickly elevates your outfit in just very simple steps.
We even have instructions on how to fold them here.
Of course you can also find a wide selection of pocket squares here.
On top of that, a little boutonniere in your buttonhole can be a nice addition.
However sometimes that's reserved just for the wedding party so when in doubt I'd rather
skip the boutonniere and normally go with a pocket square.
So you go with shoes do you need to wear socks?
Basically I always like to have over the calf socks that will take off.
If that's too much for you maybe go with pair of no-show socks so that way you have that
beach look but you still have shoes on and you're not sweating or you don't get blisters
inside your shoes.
In today's video I'm wearing a typical outfit that I would wear if the dress code asks for
beach formal or beach wedding.
It consists of an off-white or cream-colored jacket.
It's single breasted so it keeps me cool.
It reflects the sunlight.
I wear it with a light colored, light blue shirt with an open weave so I stay cool.
I combine it with a pair of seersuckers which are very lightweight and perfect for summer.
And the shirt ties together the jacket and the pants quite well.
I wear it with tan woven leather wingtips which are more casual.
I'm wearing it with a matching leather belt and my pocket square picks up the brown tones
of the shoes and the belts as well as the blue of the shirt and the seersucker pants.
My bowtie on the other hand is a little bolder.
It's a green Shantung silk stripe tie with a dark purple stripe.
And, I combined it with a pair of dark green socks so everything is harmonious.
At a regular wedding, I would never wear a white or off-white jacket but because it's at
the beach it's perfectly fine.
For the alternative outfit, I simply swapped a green jacket for the green fresco one.
Fresco is a nice wool fabric with an open weave so you really feel that breeze.
I also exchanged the bow tie for a knit tie in a mottled orange tone which is very summery
and perfect for a beach wedding.
I also swapped the shoes and socks for a pair of tassel loafers in green so it goes with
the entire outfit.
Of course at the beach it's bright and warm so a Panama hat may be exactly the right thing
to bring.
If it's still to bright bring a pair of sunglasses and combine it together.
If you don't like the hat you can also just go with sunglasses, no problem!
Both sunglasses and Panama hats are always good stylish things to bring along with you
for a beach wedding.