Image by Christopher Robert. Via Vic and Ryan's relaxed Trofeo Estate wedding

Image by Christopher Robert. Via Vic and Ryan’s relaxed Trofeo Estate wedding

You’ve seen the photos, right? Those other weddings where the groom and groomsmen look too cool for school.

And you’re asking yourself: how the hell did they do that?

It can be difficult to choose a suit for yourself, let alone finding something that will look good on three or four others all with different body types.

Colour matching is essential to putting together a consistent bridal party look. But where to start?
Black suit? Brown shoes? And what are the bridesmaids wearing?

I spoke to three men in the know when it comes to groom fashion: Aussie model Sam Wines, Oscar Hunt Tailors General Manager Chris Edwards and Insitchu Weddings Manager Miles Ruge.

If you pay attention, you’ll notice there’s key themes throughout all their advice.

Sam Wines

You ever hear of the Newton disc? Me neither.

If you didn’t do physics in school, you may not have, but it’s basically a rotating disc with different coloured segments which appear white when spun extremely fast.

Sam says you can break fashion down to “scientific elements” using the disc.

Here are his three basic colour options:

Complimentary Colours:

“These colours are directly opposite each other on the colour wheel and when combined, will be completely contrasting, making both colours pop.”

What to wear:

Try orange and blue or yellow and violet.

Analogous Colours: 

“These are colours directly adjacent to one another on the colour wheel.

“It is softer and offers less contrast to that of the triad or complimentary colour schemes and is always a safe bet.”

What to wear:

Try violet and blue.

Triad Colours: 

“As the name suggests, these colours form three points of an equilateral triangle on the colour wheel.

“This is probably the most useful of the three for a groomsman, or anyone in a suit for that matter, as it allows you to balance the tie with the shirt and suit or any other element of the look.”

What to wear:

Try red, yellow and blue.

Image via Sam Wines

Image via Sam Wines

Sam says the navy DB pin stripe suit he made in collaboration with his local Hermen Menswear tailor (pictured above) is one of his “absolute favourites”.

“It’s a simple, classic suit that is timeless in my opinion,” Sam says.

“To keep things interesting, I opted for mother of pearl buttons which means I can wear black or brown shoes, increasing the versatility of the suit.

“I went for a yellow tie, a blue bankers collar shirt and red patterned pocket square.

“For anyone who noticed, it does follow the triad colour scheme.”

Chris Edwards

Chris says some grooms can get too hung up on colour matching their entire outfit – an easy trap to fall into.

“The idea is not to necessarily colour match across the board,” he says.

“Our key takeaway is to not to get hung up on trying to match everything perfectly but just focus on the colour pallet on the whole.

Make no mistake, Chris says it’s “important” that colours are “complimentary”, however, you don’t need to go overboard.

“We might do a groom in a midnight navy dinner suit and groomsmen in a black dinner suit, and that colour palette looks really good together.

“Or royal blue and charcoal to mid-grey – they are completely different colours but they work really well together.”

Image via Oscar Hunt

Image via Oscar Hunt

Miles Ruge

It’s all about versatility, Miles says.

“When building a matching outfit, the best option is to work with versatile pieces.

“Start with the shirt. A plain white, light blue or light pink button-down shirt will work with almost any suit.

“As for a versatile suit colour – navies and greys are your best bet.”

No that you’ve got the main elements sorted, it’s on to the lesser lights of the outfit, which can actually be your star attractions, Miles says.

“You don’t want to ignore the smaller details of your ensemble.

“Watch faces should work with your cuff-links, which should work with your belt buckle.

“Your belt should match your watch strap and your shoes, while your pocket-square should tie-in with minor details of your tie or shirt.”

Suit by InStitchu. Image by Ali Rasoul.

Suit by InStitchu. Image by Ali Rasoul.

Ms Zigzag says: There are so many more options than a black three-piece suit. The splash of colour adds unique style and some fun into the men’s outfits.

About Mr Houndstooth: I am a happily married man. I enjoy a fine whisky, a new suit and swashbuckling around town with my beautiful bride. Looking back on my wedding day always makes me smile, even though it began to rain just as I said ‘I do’.