Groomsmen = Black Suits, Groom = ???

[Mr.Perdition]

Hello:

I'm going to be a groomsman in a wedding next month and the groom has asked that his groomsmen wear a black suit with a black shirt and a cream tie/pocket square. He is thinking of wearing a tux but to me this would look very odd versus the rest of the party. Am I wrong? He is looking for some advice. What should he wear instead to differentiate himself from the rest of the party?

 

[Ivan Kipling]

Mr. Perdition, my advice would be to start with the groomsmen: black shirt, with cream tie and pocket square . . . looks a little gangster like, to me.

 

[pfr0g]

No offense to your friend but in my opinion the black shirt cream tie ensemble screams TACKY.

 

[Ivan Kipling]

Still, if your friend has his heart set on the groomsmen wearing the black / cream combo, perhaps he could wear a black suit, with a cream shirt, black tie, and a pocket square in a cream/ black pattern??

 

[Mr.Perdition]

No offense taken. Remember, not everybody is sartorially inclined (if you spoke to me 16 months ago before I started reading this forum I would have been quite happy to tell you my polyester Dockers and polo shirts from my vendors were quite nice, thank you very much!) We tend to be a bit insular here since a keener eye for style is assumed.

As such, I can advise something different. The black suits are staying, though. What would you suggest otherwise for the groomsmen and the groom?

 

[Mr.Perdition]

Originally Posted by Ivan Kipling

Still, if your friend has his heart set on the groomsmen wearing the black / cream combo, perhaps he could wear a black suit, with a cream shirt, black tie, and a pocket square in a cream/ black pattern??

This was the original idea, actually! It just sounded a bit bland but for the life of me it was the only idea that made sense given the colors.

The suits are 3-button but if we were to do this I was thinking of recommending 2 buttons suits instead to show more of the shirt for contrast in the party.

 

[JLibourel]

What is this whole "black and cream" business anyway? Why are you locked into this bizarre color combo? I have a sickening suspicion this is somehow meant to harmonize with the bride's gown. Am I correct in this surmise?

 

[acidboy]

Wearing that ensemble, you can't be called groomsmen. Perhaps "crew" would be more appropriate.

 

[Mr.Perdition]

Originally Posted by JLibourel

What is this whole "black and cream" business anyway? Why are you locked into this bizarre color combo? I have a sickening suspicion this is somehow meant to harmonize with the bride's gown. Am I correct in this surmise?

Honestly, it was found in a magazine by another groomsman where it didn't look too bad. If this is too gangster (and I wouldn't know what a gangster looks like unless its either a track suit or a shiny silver suit) what is the alternative?

 

[Jared]

Three-button black suits with black shirts and light ties at a wedding: surely you're trolling, Mr. Perdition? If I could fix only one thing, it would be to switch the tie to black: it's the only acceptable option with a black shirt. If I could change two things, the shirt would be next...

 

[j]

If the black suits are staying, I'd say white french cuff shirts with spread collars and silver ties - and the groom should at least wear a tuxedo.

Something like this (the silver ties):

And white linen handkerchiefs all around.

 

[LabelKing]

Most black suits are anything but elegant, usually bulging about in strange places, attracting lint and generally common looking in an unappealing way. And chances are that the trousers are going to be pooling around the shoes. I also don't like three-buttoned suits so the fact that these three-buttoned black suits are going to be paired with black shirts, cream ties and matching handkerchiefs simply screams juvenile Prom--as does the tuxedo, if it's not an evening wedding.

 

[Lucky Strike]

Charcoal?

 

[pfr0g]

Originally Posted by LabelKing

Most black suits are anything but elegant.


I know you said most, BUT if you are going to do a black suit look at this beauty!

I just love this suit.

http://www.shopthefinest.com/Items/an2714?sck=10192656

 

[Charley]

There have been several pictures on the board in the past week or so showing wedding parties dressed in morning dress or strollers. They are so much more appealing than what you are suggesting - black suit / black shirt. The particular one I'm recalling shows the wedding party with similar, but not exactly matching morning dress. Why don't you try to find that and print it out for the groom to look at as a way of making the suggestion of something else.

Who the heck will be happy to see their wedding pictures in 20 years which show them to look like a bunch of criminals with poor taste at an early age? Whereas the photo, although old, certainly shows people who believe that they are engaged in a momentus happy occasion. JMHO though.