Well Groomed: The Beach Wedding

Happy Saturday y’all! It’s been a week of hectic jetlag and post-travel lurgy for me, but before I move on to next week’s loveliness (and some exciting reveals!) I wanted to share a bit of beachy inspiration with you all- and this one’s for the boys. The fact is, beach weddings can be a difficult dress code to crack, both for grooms and their parties (and even for male guests).  A suit too smart for sand? Shorts too casual for an important occasion? It’s hard to find the right balance, but fortunately there are lots of stylish grooms both in our own archives and across the web to give the lads some inspiration. I’ve noticed that it really comes down to personal taste – for example, some grooms go all out and take their black tie to the beach, while others jump at the opportunity to wear shorts and sandals. As with all the best groomswear, I think it comes down to personal taste – a little tweak on a favourite summer look – but with a bowtie here and a well-cut open shirt there, just about any combination can be made to work handsomely. And when in doubt, a light linen trouser and white shirt will never serve you wrong. Here are 20 groom’s parties who rocked their tropical look.

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Well Groomed: Smart Casual

Today’s trend roundup is all about the boys (hello, boys!). And one of the biggest trends in groomswear (and even more so for groomsmen) is smart casual wedding gear. Obviously this isn’t going to suit all weddings (you want your levels of formality to match, for example) or all grooms (this is his chance to dress up in a beautifully tailored suit, just as much as it’s yours to wear a fairytale dress) but if you’re planning a less formal occasion or if he’s the kind of guy who just isn’t going to feel like himself all stuffed up into a jacket and tie, then there are some other stylish options to consider. Debrett’s defines ‘formal’ smart casual as “a jacket or blazer, flannels, needlecord trousers, or chinos (not jeans), a shirt with a collar, not a t-shirt, and smart shoes, not necessarily lace-ups, but not trainers or sandals”. Where the look leans towards informal, Debrett’s allows for “jeans, but smart, clean, dark-coloured jeans… a shirt and tie can be worn but an open collar is also acceptable.” With these guidelines in mind, here’s a roundup of some of our favourite smart casual looks from real weddings. (Oh, and PS, one of them happens to be a sneak peek from tomorrow’s wedding, so be sure to stop in for more of the groom’s laid back jeans-wearing style!)Read More