Choosing a groomsmen suit doesn’t have to be the first—or most difficult—part of your wedding planning process. And if you do it right, you won’t have to think about your groomsmen attire again until the best man has lost his tux shirt at the afterparty. We’ll show you how to make them look right without the drama.
Table of Contents
Ideas By Wedding Style
Formal Ideas
Casual Suits
Fashion-Forward Suits and Tuxedos
Ideas By Season
Spring and Summer Suits
Fall Suits
Winter Suits
Groomsmen Suit FAQ
Q: Does the groomsmen suit have to match the groom’s suit or tuxedo?
A: No, but try to keep the outfits in the same “formality” ballpark. That is, if the groom’s wearing a suit, his groomsmen would steal his thunder if they were all wearing a tux. The suits or tuxedos can be different styles, but the outfits will make more sense together if they’re either all suits or all tuxedos.
Q: Should the groomsmen outfits match the bridesmaids’ outfits?
A: The short answer is: no. When the outfits match too perfectly, the resulting vibe is very '90s prom. If your wedding theme is Saved By the Bell, you can ignore this advice (and also, cool). Otherwise, coordinating colors is a better idea. Work your wedding colors into the outfits in low-key ways that complement each other.
Q: Does each groomsmen suit have to be exactly the same?
A: Not exactly the same, but there should be a common thread—if that’s not clear enough, we’ll help you pun-derstand with a few examples. Say you want your groomsmen to wear black ties with or without a pattern. They could wear a polka dot necktie, a pin dot bow tie, a striped necktie or bow tie, or a solid black tie, giving each outfit its own style.
When it comes to the actual suit, creating that variety is usually too complicated to justify. One simple variation: add a vest to some of the groomsmen suits. A riskier move is dressing groomsmen in 2 or 3 shades of the same color: navy and blue suits, or grey, charcoal, and light grey suits. However, getting the balance right is difficult, even when you’re working within one color family.
Q: There are too many groomsmen tux and suit options. Where do I start?
A: It helps if you already know what the groom will wear, but if you haven’t decided yet, use the season or your wedding style to help you choose the groomsmen suit. Read on for our recommendations for each.
Groomsmen Suit Ideas by Wedding Style
Some weddings have a specific theme (rustic/barn, nautical, etc.), but virtually every wedding (including yours) falls into one of three style categories: formal, casual, or trendy and fashion-forward. You’ve made it this far into your wedding planning that you’re picking out a groomsmen suit, so you probably already have a good idea of where your wedding vibe is heading. Below you’ll find inspiration and advice for each wedding style.
Formal Groomsmen Suit and Tux Ideas
The tuxedo is basically the mascot of men’s formal wear, and choosing a tux for your groomsmen is sort of a no-brainer if you’re planning a formal (possibly traditional) wedding. But that doesn’t mean everyone should phone it in with the first, most obvious option.
Black peak lapel and shawl collar tuxedos are the classic, and because of their single-button closure, the most formal choice for groomsmen (short of full-blown tailcoats). The later in the day your wedding starts, the better this option becomes.
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Wear the midnight blue tuxedo for the same events you would a black tuxedo. Midnight blue tuxedos are more than just a trend or niche style—they’re the original substitute for the classic black tuxedo, and an excellent choice for your groomsmen if blue is one of your wedding colors.
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Formal Groomsmen Suit Accessories
Simple accessories (black and white) are best for a formal groomsmen tux, with a crisp white dress shirt and black patent leather shoes to keep the look minimal and elegant. We recommend a bow tie with one of these looks, with a black and/or white pocket square.
Casual Groomsmen Suit Ideas
If dressing to the nines means “full tuxedo,” try to dress your groomsmen to the sixes or sevens for the perfect casual groomsmen suit. There’s the high end of casual and the relaxed end of casual—we’ll help you create both and choose the right fit for your wedding.
Dark suits in navy and charcoal are the most dressed-up suiting options, so this is the right choice if you want a traditional/formal look, but not tux-level formal. And unlike that formal tuxedo, you have more wiggle room with details like the shoes, shirt, or tie style.
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Tan and light grey suits are versatile. They give any look a relaxed quality, which is why they fit well at the most casual beach weddings, but these suits are definitely not limited to the sand and surf. If you could describe your wedding vibe as “whimsical,” the light grey suit is for you.
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Casual Groomsmen Suit Accessories
Punch up any solid-color groomsmen suit with low-key pattern and color in the accessories. You can also work texture into the outfit with a pair of brown shoes or a linen tie. Having trouble picking out a tie and pocket square combo? One shortcut is to coordinate in the same color family without matching the tie and pocket square perfectly.
Fashion-Forward Groomsmen Tux Ideas
Your wedding is going to have everything: Freaks, a cat from a bodega, freezing cold air, Furbies, and an old lady wearing Kid ‘N Play hair. So it’s understandable that the standard black tuxedo just won’t cut it for your groomsmen. At the same time, the groomsmen suit should still leave some room for the groom to flex. Here are a few of our favorite fashion-forward looks.
The more traditional midnight blue tuxedo is interesting in a low-key way, but for a little extra flair, try this deep blue dinner jacket look with a simple pin dot pattern.
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This look leads with a bold rose jacket, which leaves the door open for the groom to keep his look classic for a big impact.
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While this tux might look the part of the traditional groomsmen outfit, it has an edge to it. The notch lapel tuxedo is the least formal of the classic three, making it easier to rock a necktie, a black tuxedo shirt, or no tie at all.
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Stylish Groomsmen Suit Accessories
If you're going to create an unexpected groomsmen outfit (and not a distracting one), the accessories will make all the difference. For example, with a unique dinner jacket, your best bet is to keep the accessories black and white. Look for patterned bow ties or neckties, unique pocket square prints, and dance floor-ready loafers (because dancing is one of the groomsmen’s most important jobs).
Groomsmen Suit Ideas by Season
Two highly underrated aspects of menswear are color and texture, and when you’re using seasonality to choose groomsmen suits and tuxedos, you’ll need to harness both. Follow the season's lead to choose between a bold and bright or subdued palette, decide if the time is right for a crisp, lighter look, or know when it’s time to pull out the heavier fabrics.
Spring & Summer Groomsmen Suit Ideas
Spring is a wily mistress, but it’s rarely so cold that you’ll regret choosing a light-colored groomsmen suit. But summer? Do your groomsmen a favor, and choose a light suit color. This advice also applies to weddings in tropical climates.
Light grey, and light blue are great color choices for both spring and summer suiting, while a tan suit is a classic summer move for groomsmen.
Aiming for a slightly more formal wedding party look? A chambray tuxedo side-steps the summer sun magnet of a traditional black tuxedo; the perfect color for an outdoor summer wedding.
Spring & Summer Groomsmen Suit Accessories
“Light” is the name of the game, and that also applies to accessories. Spring and summer months are prime-time for linen, seersucker, and all varieties of cotton. And if you love bright colors, you’ll be glad you’re getting hitched in warm weather. Go ahead, peacock it up with a pink shirt or pocket square. A black leather shoe will contrast nicely with any of the suits above, but try this style with a wood sole in the summer.
Fall Groomsmen Suit and Tuxedo Ideas
With temps ranging from zero to everything, fall can make your teeth chatter in the A.M. and grown men cry in the sweltering afternoon. An easy solution is layering, which means your groomsmen suit should include a vest—even if the groomsmen never put the thing on. Make it optional. If it’s hot, they can lose it. If it’s cold, they’re covered.
The best option for unpredictable weather is the grey suit, and as we mentioned above, it’s versatile. Dressed up, dressed down, vest or no vest, you can build out a groomsmen outfit for any wedding with a medium grey suit.
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Brown suits are the ultimate fall groomsmen suit option. They won’t absorb as much heat as a darker navy or charcoal, but still hold up for unexpectedly cool weather.
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For formal autumn weddings, consider a midnight blue tuxedo for your groomsmen. This should help you avoid the full-on heat magnet of a black tux. Plus, both of these groomsmen tuxedos can be worn with a hidden vest that only appears once everyone hits the dance floor.
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Fall Groomsmen Suit Accessories
Mother nature will have color covered in the autumn, so harmonize with those hues in brown leather shoes or a wine stripe tie. Or for neutral groomsmen suit accessories, try a grey flannel tie or a white shoestring pocket square. And don't forget the cufflinks.
Winter Groomsmen Suit and Tuxedo Ideas
With so many suit and tuxedo options for winter weddings, your groomsmen should only get a cold shoulder if they forget your wedding gift. Winter weddings tend to be a little more formal to begin with (think New Year’s Eve), but not all of our recommendations are black. ‘Tis the season for tartan and velvet.
Velvet is a classic winter textile, and our plush velvet jacket tuxedo is a great option that is both formal and seasonal. Paired with black wool tuxedo pants, the look brings texture and variety that breaks up the black on black color scheme.
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Designed with fine merino wool, a grosgrain ribbon edging the jacket, and a wide grosgrain stripe down the legs of the pants, this is a seriously versatile tuxedo—not overly formal, but still buttoned up.
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Winter Groomsmen Tux Accessories
The holidays shouldn’t dictate your winter wedding color palate, but if they happen to align, don’t fight it. A velvet bow tie or velvet slip-on shoe will give your groomsmen outfit the heavier texture a winter wedding demands, or add a tartan pocket square to an otherwise formal look for a festive feel.
How to Choose a Groomsmen Suit When You Live in Different Places
Choosing a groomsmen suit is only half the battle. We all have friends that are genuinely good people, but fail at tackling simple tasks and managing time. Ask them to get measured for a groomsmen tux, and you might as well be demanding they explain String theory.
That’s why we've simplified the process of renting groomsmen suits. Instead of begging your friends to go get their measurements taken, we can use our sizing technology to fit groomsmen without a trip to the tux shop. You can assign outfits, check on their order status, and manage your wedding party’s outfits entirely online. And instead of asking groomsmen to pick up their tux a few days before your wedding, we send their suits early to make sure the fit is just right.
Like the idea of visiting a store to get fit? Book an appointment or group fitting at one of our showrooms.
