Reader Question: Wedding Planning

Reader:

Hello Dan,

How've you been? Congrats on the Esquire award and on the blog!

My question is: do you think it is acceptable to dress like this [below] (like Bradley Cooper, on the left, I mean) for a wedding at night? It's now spring time here in Brazil so I thought of maybe giving the style a chance and try something 'lighter' as opposed to a black suit+white shirt+skinny tie combo, which i find really cool, but we know will be every other guy's choice.

Thanks!

SB:

Hey. I'm great! Thanks.

I understand why you'd want to look like Bradley Cooper, but this photograph is from a black tie event (i.e. tuxedo time). A wedding is not time for a tux for those attending as guests. I wouldn't wear black to a wedding either, it's a little too serious (and has a funeral vibe which can kinda send the wrong message). A wedding is a celebration, not time for mourning (regardless of how great you and your friend's bachelor days were).

Since the wedding is at night, you should go with something on the darker side. Alot of guys will be wearing black and navy, so if you want to stand-out from the crowd a little, go with a medium gray or even brown. Since it is spring down there, I would keep the shirt crispy white, leave the tie and socks at home, and throw on your most comfortable dance-friendly lace-ups. Have fun!

For the record, I don't agree with Coopers' going tie-less with a tux, or the black shirt for that matter...when wearing a tux you should be at your best and keep it simple, don't mess with it. Fun fact: the traditional reason why a tux is so "standard" (simple, no frills, black and white) is so that men can blend-in and let their women shine brightly in their dresses. But that's neither here nor there, and subject for a separate post.

Hope this helps! Yours in style, SB