If you’re the groom, you might consider wearing a morning suit to your upcoming wedding. Or you might be a member of the wedding party who’s been told there’s a morning dress code. But what is a morning suit, and what are the rules about wearing one?
This ultimate guide will cover everything you need to know about morning suits so you can look your best at your wedding!
What is a morning suit?
Even if you have no idea what a morning suit is, you’ve almost definitely seen one before. A morning suit is the traditional outfit for gentlemen at formal events, such as weddings. You might have seen them at televised royal weddings or events like Ascot.
A morning suit features a formal jacket with peak lapels and tails, a waistcoat, and trousers. It’s sometimes called ‘tails’ due to its distinctive swallow-tail at the back of the jacket. The tail should hang perfectly and come just below the knees. If you’re the groom, you’ll likely have your back to your wedding guests during the ceremony, so your tails must look stunning.
Traditionally, morning coats were black or grey, but navy is a popular choice for more modern morning weddings. Herringbone is a popular material as it helps to add a bit of depth and texture.
What should you wear with a morning suit?
Trousers
Striped trousers are traditionally worn with a morning suit jacket. However, these aren’t compulsory. You might instead choose trousers in the same or similar colour as your jacket. For example, a black morning suit jacket paired with charcoal trousers is a popular choice.
Waistcoat
Traditionally morning suit jackets were paired with a double-breasted waistcoat, but nowadays, single-breasted waistcoats are just as common. Whatever waistcoat you choose, it should be slim fitting. Beige, grey, and cream are classic waistcoat colours.
Shirt
A morning suit should always be paired with a white dress shirt with a cutaway collar and French cuffs. The cufflinks should be subtle and tasteful to avoid drawing attention away from your elegant morning suit.
Shoes
Highly polished, non-patent leather Oxfords are considered the norm. You can’t go wrong with this classic option on your big day.
Tie
Ties are the most popular choice with morning suits, rather than cravats. You should choose a simple colour such as grey, light blue, or red. A bolder colour will help you stand out from the crowd at your wedding. A tie pin is considered traditional but not essential.
Accessories
You can also complement your morning suit with a subtle silk or linen pocket square. If you’re going for a traditional look, you can also wear a top hat.
When should you wear a morning suit?
There are some strict morning suit wedding rules about when you should wear one. Morning dress is designed for formal events held in the morning or afternoon. This makes them a popular choice for formal daytime weddings and highly formal social events. Morning suits should never be worn for formal evening events or for weddings that start after 6 pm.
How Phillip Alexander can help
Whether you’re the groom, a member of the wedding party, or a guest, we can help you find your perfect suit.
Philip Alexander Bespoke Tailors are experts at dressing gentlemen. We’ve been crafting stunning bespoke suits, from tuxedos to morning suits, since 1976. Based in Manchester and Cheshire, our master tailor can create a unique and personalised garment that fits perfectly.
We offer a range of tailoring services, including bespoke suits, semi-bespoke ‘made to measure’ suits, and tailored suit hire.
Bespoke suits
If you want an unparalleled experience and a completely unique suit handcrafted by our master bespoke tailor, consider our bespoke suit service. We have years of experience creating luxurious bespoke suits for weddings and other formal occasions. Our one-of-a-kind bespoke tailored wedding suits are perfect for an elegant and timeless look at your upcoming wedding.
At Philip Alexander, we always listen to our customers, and our master tailor will consider your style and preferences. We will craft an individual hand-cut garment made from your chosen cloth. Multiple fittings ensure that your luxury bespoke suit is a perfect fit!
Made to measure suits
If you need a luxury, high-quality suit quickly, then our made to measure suits might be a better option. These are ready in less than two months as they involve fewer fittings than our bespoke suits. Using a mixture of handcraft and machine work, we create a stunning and well-fitting suit on a tighter time and budget. You can choose your preferred cut, fabric, and style to create a unique made to measure wedding suit.
Luxury tailored suit hire
Our luxury tailored suit hire is perfect for weddings and other special occasions. You’ll benefit from our high-quality, luxury suits without the monetary investment of purchasing your own. We include several fitting sessions to ensure your hire suit fits perfectly and you look stunning on your wedding day. You’ll also get invaluable styling advice from our master tailor.
Get in contact with us today to request a short call and get one step closer to the luxury suit of your dreams!
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