It takes more than a suit-and-tie to look stylish and classy at events. Some men look like they are dressed for the office when they dress up in suits, even if they’re dressed up for their wedding or other special occasions. But it doesn’t have to be so. Accessories can make a huge difference.
You need to know the types of accessories that can transform any suit, even a work-suit, to occasion-style suit. With the right set of men’s suit accessories, you can stand out and look like you’re dressed for an occasion (and not for office work). This post will show you the best wedding and occasion suit accessories every stylish man or groom should have. Read on to find out!
8 Essential Suit Accessories Every Fashionable Man Should Have
1. Long-Sleeved Shirt
You need a shirt (aka dress shirt) on which to wear your tie. A crisp and clean, plain white long-sleeved shirt in a solid colour is the most popular wedding dressing shirt among Nigerian grooms. Our wedding suit trend-spotting revealed that some grooms opt for off-white, cream or very light blue long-sleeved shirts for their weddings in Nigeria.
2. Regular Necktie or Bow Tie
You need a tie to jazz up your long-sleeved shirt for added style. If you’ll be wearing a tuxedo, your only option is a bow tie. That’s because men’s dress style etiquette demands that tuxedo and bow ties be worn together. For more tips on the rules of wearing a Tuxedo, check out our post on Tuxedo vs Suit and Must-Have Tuxedo Accessories).
However, for non-tuxedo suits, you’ll need a necktie. The type of necktie you choose depends on your preferences and the look you’re going for. Whether you choose a bow tie or regular tie, you’ll still look amazing.
Watch and Learn How to Tie a Tie Easily: Necktie Step by Step (Video Tutorial)
3. Tie Bar or Tie Clip
If you’re not wearing bow ties, you need to find a way to hold your tie in place, stylishly though. Nigerian grooms know how to literally bring the dance floor down during their wedding reception and we hate ties flying around, a tell-tale sign of a bad dresser.
To help your tie stay-put through any kind of Naija-Afro dancing, tie-clips or tie-bars do will the job but a tie-bar is the most stylish way to keep your tie in place and straight. Aside from that, a good tie bar shows others that you’re a man who knows how to put himself together.
4. Pocket Square or Flower Boutonniere
If you’re looking to upgrade the look of your suit, wear a pocket-handkerchief and/ or flower boutonniere on the lapel of your suit. The pocket square (also known as a pocket-handkerchief) is absolutely for swag and nothing else and the rule is that it should be in a contrasting colour to your tie (not a matching colour). This is that folded small handkerchief-like accessory that is placed in your jacket breast pocket.
Not every groom accessorizes their suits with a pocket-square, but this little thing adds a touch of elegance and style to a man’s wedding suit by tying in the rest of your attire. Pocket-squares for suits are available in silk, linen or cotton fabrics. Style rule for wearing pocket-square: it should not match your tie colour, rather it should be a contrast – because it’s meant to show-off.
How to Wear a Boutonniere
According to men’s styling experts, you can either wear a boutonniere alone or together with a pocket-handkerchief, the rule is to balance things out. The best way to know how to style your suit with either a pocket square only, a boutonniere only or both is to look at the latest photos of stylish grooms in wedding suits to see how they are wearing or combining these two accessories.
How to Fold a Pocket-Square Handkerchief
Don’t know how to fold a pocket-square handkerchief for a suit? The video tutorial below will show you easy ways to fold a pocket square.
Latest Wedding Suit Styles for Men: 15 Ideas to Dress Sharper
5. Leather Belt
It’s expected that your wedding suit should be the best-tailored piece you have ever owned, and that means the suit trousers should perfectly fit your waist size without a need for a belt. For special occasions like a wedding, men’s style etiquette considers suspenders the better option – not compulsory, though.
However, if for some reason your suit trousers are a bit loose, wear a belt to hold them in place. If you choose to wear a belt instead of suspenders, be sure to pick a simple black or brown leather belt with silver or brass buckle. The belt should be the right size and width (not too small, not too big) and should match the colour of your shoes.
Also ensure that when wearing the belt, your front waistline (where the belt buckles) should look neat, smooth and flat (no bulge).
Should You Wear Belts or Suspenders with a Wedding Suit?
Menswear experts agree that suspenders are better functionally and aesthetically. Both belts and suspenders do the same job of holding the trousers in place, but over time, suspenders became more than that, and now a fashion statement.
Men with a sense of style choose suspenders the look it creates scream classic elegance, and there are more reasons (below) for you to choose suspenders over a belt with a suit. Like most men, you have been wearing your suit trousers and every trouser you own with a belt. Why not change things up for your special wedding day look by choosing to wear your trousers with suspenders (instead of a belt).
Suspenders will give you a more formal, put-together look, and will also make your entire wedding ensemble (outfit) appear posh. In addition, wearing a pair of suspenders prevents you from getting the occasional bulges that belts create on the front of trousers, under the suit – which is not classy.
Why Suspenders Are Better than Belts (for Suits)
Suspenders give a more polished look and are suitable for formal occasions, such as weddings. Belts are more common and everyday-wear but suspenders do more than what belts do. Suspenders perform the same function as belts, and in addition create a smart-casual look when the jacket is taken off.
Your wedding will be one of the most important and biggest events in your life, why not wear something special to stand out from the crowd of other male guests wearing suit-and-tie. Your wedding suit should not appear to guests like the suits you’ve been wearing to office or business meetings. Adding suspenders to your suit is a great way for a man to look sharp and sophisticated for his wedding.
Further Reading: Andrew Craig shares the pros and cons of wearing a belt with a suit and many reasons why you should not. There are more cons than pros.
Can You Wear Tuxedo with a Belt?
Men’s dressing etiquette considers it a grave fashion sin to wear a tux (i.e. tuxedo) with a belt. In fact, most ready-to-wear and designer tux trousers don’t even come with belt loops. Besides, men’s fine dressing experts say that every men’s suit looks better without belts.
6. Suspenders or Suit Braces
Suspenders play double duty menswear accessory – they keep your suit trousers in place, and also add more elegance to your wedding day look. Most modern suit trousers come ready-made with provisions for button-on suspenders. Also, there are clip-on suspenders for those whose suit trousers do not have button-holes. Let’s talk about the materials they are made from – you can find suspenders made with either fabric or leather.
Show Off Your Suspenders, Go Jacketless in Style! Want to rock a groom outfit change without having an outfit change? Wear your full-on suit during the church ceremony. During your wedding reception party, take off your suit jacket to look effortlessly posh and rock the smart casual, relaxed look, showing off your suspenders. We can’t deny that suspenders ooze of classy elegance and a sense of taste in the wearer’s fashion. Be that man!
Casual Elegance Look with Wedding Suspenders: Suspenders have a way of sprucing up the look of groomsmen at weddings. Some grooms gift each of their groomsmen a pair of suspenders and make them step out in style wearing them on your wedding day. The guys at JJ Suspenders have great tips on how to choose or wear suspenders stylishly, and on their Instagram page, they have loads of pictures of wedding parties and stylish men rocking suspenders.
7. Leather Shoes (and Socks, of course)
Another men’s wedding suit accessory that adds finesse to the overall look of a groom is a pair of quality leather shoes. Ensure that your wedding shoes closely match your belt and suit colour. It’s important to properly shine your shoes for your wedding day.
8. Wrist Watch
A dress-up wristwatch enhances your entire ensemble. Finish up your wedding suit look with a wristwatch. Wear your wristwatch on your wrist. The watch should fit you rightly (not too loosely-fit and not too big), and it should peek through your shirt cuff for that classic man effect. A man-bracelet is also a nice accessory that adds a touch of class to a man in a suit – it’s optional but nice to have.
MORE MEN’S WEDDING & OCCASION FASHION STYLES
- Latest Agbada Styles and Embroidery Designs for Men
- 5 Stunning Igbo Men’s Shirt and Wrapper Traditional Attire
Final Thoughts on Wedding Suit Accessories for Men
The goal of this post is to help you stylishly stand out in suits at special occasions and weddings (as a groom or one of groomsmen). If you’re a groom, your wedding will be one of the biggest events in your life, and your goal should be to look your absolute best. It’s going to be your day too, and so the attention will not be on only the bride – you too will share the spotlight.
Once you have your wedding reception suit sorted out, next is to get your men’s wedding suit accessories. Those are like the icing on the cake, or simply put, they are those tiny little details that make a big difference in your groom’s attire. Without these details, the groom would not stand out among his groomsmen or other guests who are wearing suits.
There you have it on the must-have suit accessories to elevate your look, whether you’re a groom or dressing up as a guest to a wedding or special occasion. Now that you know the essential suit accessories, you have no excuse to look ordinary or like you’re going to work in a suit. Incorporate the above suit accessories to your wedding or occasion wear to upgrade your look a notch higher.
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