Finding the right suit for a wedding can be a challenge at the best of times. Add in the unpredictable and cold winter weather and dressing appropriately can be even harder. Nonetheless, finding the perfect winter wedding suit needn’t be that mighty of a task.
Whether you’re a guest or the groom, the wedding’s location and styling themes can influence your outfit choice. A winter wedding suit needn’t be dreary or drab — and with a careful choice of colour, fit and fabric, you can easily find one that perfectly fits the theme.
Whether you’re just looking for some much-needed inspiration or want to learn which fabric will suit you best, our styling experts have rounded up their top tips on how to style a suit for a winter wedding.
The suit
Picking a suit is all down to personal preference. You’ll want to be in a suit that you’ll feel comfortable in — whether this is in size or picking a shade that you’re comfortable with. It is a suit you’ll be wearing all day, after all.
As a more general rule, deeper hues and heavier fabrics typically tend to rule a winter wedding.. To make sure your suit fits, you’ll need to consider how you want it to sit across the chest, arms and shoulders. Too tight and a suit can pull across the back and stomach, too loose and the oversized fit can appear to drown you.
Find your perfect suit with our expert guidance and explanation of suit fits and styles.
Tweed suit
Tweed Suits — From £135
Synonymous with all seasonal formal occasions, when you think of a winter wedding, you think tweed. A practical and highly sophisticated material, the finely woven strands act as a great insulator to keep you warm in the colder months. Not to mention, tweed creates a strong, bold and suave image that’s especially hard to beat.
Whether you’re wearing tweed as a groom, groomsman or guest, this hardwearing fabric can make a statement anywhere. As a groom, opting for a three-piece will have more of an impact — and it looks especially good when paired with complementary shades like black, grey, navy and brown.
Checked suit
Checked Suits — From £89
For timeless style combined with bold tailoring, checked suits are a must for the wedding season. Coming a long way from the traditional Scottish kilt, a check suit will never date no matter whether you opt for a Prince of Wales, Herringbone or windowpane design.
Choose a suit that’s rich with texture and pattern as it’ll not only help in making you stand out, but it’s also a dapper choice. Lean towards deep hues of dark grey, black and navy when choosing your palette; while pops of colour like maroon and khaki can be used for your tie and pocket square.
Wool suit
Suits — From £79
Quintessentially British, a wool suit can typically tend to rule a winter wedding. Many wool blend suits are made to be crease-resistant, which means that they will drape smoothly across the body and present a more streamlined silhouette.
Wool is a fabric that is renowned for its ability to maintain its form, and its versatility when spun to be as loose and breathable, or close-fitting and warm as necessary. A tight weave will keep you warm if you’re going to be staying in your suit for the entirety of the day.
Unless you’re attending a relaxed service, don’t forget about the tie. Something in a classic colour with a fine pattern will compliment almost any woollen suit and shirt you choose. Learn how to perfectly match your suit, shirt and tie with our handy guide.
Herringbone suit
Much like tweed, a herringbone suit is heavy, durable and warm. Herringbone suits are made from twilled yarn — which is typically materials like flannel or wool — and are distinguishable by their distinctive, thin zigzag pattern. Both tweed and herringbone fabrics consist of a tighter weave, which makes the suit more structured, giving way for a more signature look. The thickness of the fabric, as well as its subtle pattern, adds to the illusion of depth.
As a guest, wear a herringbone suit with matching suit trousers and a crisp shirt, perfectly finished by a muted tie and matching pocket square.
The colour
The colour scheme of a wedding can be crucial in deciding the colour of your suit. Traditionally, however, darker, deeper and more muted tones are more sought after for weddings that take place in the colder months.
Muted tones
Put simply, a muted tone is a subtle colour that has been dulled or greyed. Muted tones, like grey, black and cream work best when paired with crisp, block shades like white.
Perfect for almost any winter wedding, a muted tone can complement all colour schemes — from burgundy and navy to olive greens and brown — making it a true powerhouse item to have ready as a wedding guest.
Deep hues
Navy Suits — From £89
Taking a different route, deep and dark hues like burgundy, navy, khaki and black can help make your suit pop. Deep and dark colours are bold enough so that they make a statement while still making sure that you look dapper.
These deep hues have the ability to be paired and interchanged with a multitude of both other deep tones and muted shades. For a striking look, khaki paired with sand or cream tones is sure to garner attention, while colours deeper hues like burgundy paired with white will really make colours pop. If you’re unsure how to work out which colours are paired best together, read our guide to colour theory.
Two-piece or a three-piece?
Two-piece suit
Two-Piece Suits — From £159
Best for a wedding guest, a two-piece suit is largely more popular than its three-piece counterpart. A two-piece consists of a formal suit jacket teamed with a pair of matching suit trousers. The blazer jacket is usually single-breasted, so there’s less reach and potential pull across the chest. A two-piece is great for creating a clean and cohesive silhouette, simply by matching your tie to your pocket square.
Three-piece suit
Three-Piece Suits — From £110
Considered the more formal of the two, a three-piece suit should consist of a suit jacket, matching waistcoat and suit trousers. The added presence of a waistcoat adds structure and formality to the outfit — making this an expert choice for a groom and his groomsmen.
Draw the eye and break up a three-piece suit with a non-matching waistcoat in a striking print or contrasting colour.
How to style a suit for a winter wedding
Now that you have the ingredients to find the perfect suit for a winter wedding — whether you’re a groom, groomsman or guest — it’s time to put your newfound knowledge to the test. From opting for a two-piece suit over a three-piece or you’re more traditional tweed over wool, we’ve got you covered. At Slater Menswear, we have a huge selection of wedding suits that are suitable for any theme.
Head over to our style inspiration hub for more expert fashion advice.