Last minute wedding outfits
How to cover a whole wedding weekend without buying a new wardrobe, vintage suits, and brands having 50% off your next wedding fit.
Make sure you read my past guide on getting dressed for a wedding here. Lots of relevant information on brands, looks and accessories that you can wear to elevate your look.
Most of the time when I talk to someone about their summer plans they mention that they have some sort of wedding they have to attend that they aren’t really prepared for.
A lot of men seem to be stuck: getting a new suit every time you have a wedding isn’t sustainable, and re-wearing a fit you wore to another wedding isn’t a vibe either. The mistake isn’t spending money on a wedding fit, it’s spending it wrong. Buying something disposable you’ll wear once and resent. The move is putting that money into a few pieces you’ll actually reach for again.
You can update your look by refreshing a few items like a new shirt or a new pair of shoes. It’s a more budget friendly fix that doesn’t require you to get an entirely new fit, but you risk the chance of the look falling short when paired with past items you’ve worn to other weddings.
It’s a vibe thing. Weddings are the place to go bolder and even a bit crazier with your fit. It’s the perfect occasion to assume a character that you’ve always wanted to be by wearing an outfit they would if they were in your shoes. But doing that requires full commitment in finding a fresh new outfit — yeah it’s going to be more money, but you’re going to look and feel that much better.
I’ve never had a conversation where someone told me that they regretted wearing a really nice outfit to a wedding. Most of the time, even if the look was expensive, you tend to forget about the financials after you realize how that outfit made you feel at the time.
In today’s letter we’re talking about last minute wedding outfits: how to build a few looks from less clothing to have you covered for each of the different stages of a wedding weekend, tips every man should know to make themselves look sharp, going vintage over new, and brands that are having sales on elite shirts and suiting right now.
ALL YOU NEED IS A FEW LOOKS
Ok I know it’s funny to say, oh all you need is just three looks. No problem, buddy! But the question you have to ask yourself is: are you trying to look good, or not? Sadly, there isn’t a cheat sheet on how to look exceptional without spending money. It’s also one of those things that I recommend spending a little bit more money on in order to get the results you really want — a cheap wedding fit will make you feel cheap.
Be smart with your purchases. Spend a bit more on stuff that you can rewear on other special occasions, to work, or even casually when styled right. Plus, if you’re spending money, you might as well get an item that gives you more opportunity to rewear it later while still being excited about it.
A lot of people just buy a new white shirt and rewear the same pants and shoes they’ve worn to multiple special occasions. Nothing wrong with that, but there’s a reason why you aren’t feeling as sharp in a fit you’ve rinsed multiple times.
The magic is gone.
Ideally, you have a fit for the welcome/rehearsal dinner. This look can be more casual, lose the blazer and just wear a nice button-up with a pair of clean trousers or even jeans and some nice leather shoes — this is where you can maybe get away with wearing your suit bottoms and the footwear you’re going to wear to the ceremony. Just make sure the shirt is the main item here.
Acquire a really sharp button up to take away from the fact you’re planning on re-wearing the same bottom fit to the ceremony — nobody is going to notice. You are more than welcome to bring multiple pair of shoes, but one good leather shoe is worth a thousand b*tches, or however that song goes. Just make sure it’s a pair that’s comfortable.
The ceremony requires a suit. It’s annoying, but it has to be done. Depending on the dress code you could get away with a nice crisp tee underneath a blazer, but it has to be new and has to be steamed. But I think you should go the distance by wearing a classic suit with a tie. I’ll have some specific recommendations on these down below for vintage options that doesn’t require you to spend an arm and a leg.
Last but not least, the after party is where you have more options. Some weddings don’t have time for a fit change, so you can lose the blazer and tie and you’re ready. If you can change, then you can really wear whatever you want as long as it looks crispy.
BRANDS TO SHOP FOR WEDDING FITS
Here are some brands that I like to start with when re-upping on that perfect wedding attire.
Ecole de Pensee is currently having 50% off some great button ups, trousers and belts. Honestly great spot to get your entire wedding look figured out. If you’re in Montreal, their made-to-measure program is really great. I have a full suit from them, which is probably one of the best ones in my closet.
New Sunflower just dropped a bunch of more casual, yet sharp button ups here.
Paracia is having a sale on Italian-made leather footwear over on their site.
Another Atelier is Another Aspect’s solution to easy wedding attire. They have it all.
Los Angeles-based Goofight offers custom made-to-measure suits at their store in Westlake. They have a great variety of wedding-ready trousers that are worth looking at.
NN.07 is probably the best bang for your buck in Europe. Double breasted linen suits, lots of dress pants and a variety of linen shirts in great colorways.