With summer comes the wedding season every year. Perhaps you have already received an invitation to one. If you are wondering what to wear on the big day, now is the time to master formal elegance while choosing pieces that reflect your style. Whether groom, best man or guest, Hast offers look ideas as an alternative to the traditional suit, even in the heat of July. Original, bold looks that always give pride of place to our favourite piece, the shirt. How to dress smartly without overheating at a wedding this summer? Here, in no particular order, are a few of our ideas.
Look 1: Mismatched jacket and trousers, the new chic
A wedding naturally seems to be the perfect occasion to wear a suit. But we must admit we have grown a little tired of the overly classic, much-seen navy blue cotton suit and white shirt combination. This season, we are opting for pieces that are just as sophisticated, but slightly bolder.
Pairing a sport jacket or a blue hopsack work jacket in linen and cotton with a shirt and pleated trousers makes a clever alternative to the classic suit, allowing you to stand out discreetly from your table neighbour.
The sport jacket and the work jacket are both made from cotton hopsack, a particularly breathable fabric that guarantees you stay cool. You can match them with a tie in similar shades. A guaranteed wow effect.
Look 2: The head-to-toe seersucker look
With its subtly puckered texture, seersucker instantly brings elegance to an outfit while keeping you cool. "Seersucker" does not refer to a material, but to the texture achieved through a raised weave technique that promotes heat dissipation. In a head-to-toe navy blue look, shirt and trousers, this silhouette combines the drape of the fabric with tasteful originality. Pair it with a fine pair of leather loafers.
To refine your look, before considering colours, choose lightweight pieces crafted from quality materials that hold their shape throughout the day. Nothing is worse than an overly tight jacket or a shirt in poor cotton—causing you to break a sweat from the very first dance steps.
Look 3: Linen shirt, jacket and chinos, the perfect middle ground
Your choice of outfit naturally depends on the type of wedding you are attending. For less traditional celebrations, dare to wear a slightly more relaxed and perhaps mismatched outfit. If you feel comfortable with the look, you can try pairing a jacket, like the sport jacket, with a handsome white linen shirt and coloured chinos.
Linen is breathable, temperature-regulating and exceptionally comfortable to wear, whether you are dancing the night away or enjoying a cigar in the shade of a pine tree. For trousers, go for coloured chinos—choose between plum, ochre or, more classically, navy. Needless to say, this look is worn without a tie and preferably with a pair of loafers or derbies.
Look 4: Relaxed… but not too casual
In hot weather—as unfortunately expected this summer—it is not always easy to wear a traditional long-sleeved shirt throughout this day of celebration. Our alternative, decadent as it may be, is to opt for a short-sleeved shirt. Far from the stereotype of the Hawaiian shirt meant only for sipping a coconut on the beach, our short-sleeved seersucker shirt is both elegant and lightweight. Its fabric is airy and light. Its Cuban collar, inspired by bowling shirts, is rare on this type of garment, allowing you to stand out subtly amidst the chic crowd.
The short-sleeved shirt, a true statement piece of the outfit, pairs ideally with ecru pleated trousers in a hemp and cotton blend. Hemp offers numerous benefits when temperatures rise: it is an insulating, breathable fabric that absorbs moisture and even protects against UV rays.
And for accessories? Standing out with understated elegance
Another wedding staple, of course, is the tie. It instantly brings colour or a pattern to your look. Choose the colour of your tie to match your outfit. If you are wearing neutral tones (navy blue), a colourful tie will lift the whole ensemble. Conversely, if you are already mixing colours, opt for a tie in shades that coordinate with your shirt and/or jacket.
Last but not least. There is one summer wedding essential that is all too often overlooked: sunglasses. We recommend keeping the style understated, in solid black or tortoiseshell.
