Are you thinking of having a winter wedding? Then you’re in the right place! Because when it comes to dressing for a wedding at this time of year, the unforgiving weather must be a consideration. And finding the line between staying warm and looking stylish is a true balancing act. Luckily, the lovely guys and gals over at The Gentlemanual are here to help! Today they’re giving us the low down on just what to look for in a Winter suit for your big day, including some of the best fabrics, patterns and colors…..

“The fabric of the suits you choose for your special day can make all the difference. Luckily, looking sharp is even easier with those heavier winter fabrics. Here is our definitive guide on what to look for in a winter suit. You’re sure to look cool and stay warm when you say “I Do.””

Winter Suit Fabrics

If anyone tries to sell you a suit under the claim that it’s suitable for year-round wear, grab your money and run. A fabric that’s breathable and lightweight in the summer will make you miserable at your winter wedding, and vice versa. Unless you’re getting married in a very temperate climate, you should be focused on fabrics with a little more weight.

The optimal winter suits are made of a warmer, thicker fabric that’ll keep you nice and toasty while standing up at the altar. Stay away from lighter suit fabrics like cotton, polyester, linen, seersucker, chambray, and fresco, as these will induce endless shivering. Instead, these six fabrics are the way to go.

 The Wool Suit

Rebecca Hollis Photography via Chic Vintage Brides

To this day, wool remains the most popular suit fabric. Wool is a fabric renowned for its ability to drape nicely, maintain its form, and its versatility in how it’s woven. A tight weave will keep you warm if you’re going to be staying in a suit for the entirety of your wedding.

Worsted wool is the most popular wool used for suits, as it’s highly adaptable to temperature change. You never know what the weather could end up like on a wedding day, especially if it’s all outdoors. It wears well and gives off that slight shine that you find in most suits on the market. This type of suit will give you a more traditional and understated look, perfect for a traditional ceremony.

The Cashmere Suit

Photography – Lindsay Hackney via Chic Vintage Brides

Arguably one of the most coveted and luxurious suit fabrics on the market, cashmere is known for its unparalleled soft texture, comfort, and warmth. However, some of the biggest drawbacks for this fabric is its price tag, and lack of durability. If you’re on a budget for the wedding and want a suit that you could wear on multiple occasions, 100% cashmere might not be the way to go. Instead, opt for a blend of wool and cashmere or polyester and cashmere to keep prices lower while giving you the advantage of other fabrics’ durability.

Along with softness, cashmere’s also an amazing fabric for keeping you consistently warm, no matter how low the temperature drops. The fabric is highly adaptable to climate change and will insulate you very well. However, be very particular how you store your suit after the occasion because cashmere attracts moths. If you do decide on all cashmere or a cashmere blend, protect your purchase with a cedar closet or mothballs to preserve your special suit.

The Flannel Suit

Photography – Heather Roth via Chic Vintage Brides

Another winter suit fabric is flannel. Traditionally speaking, flannel suits are for more mature gentlemen, but recently flannel is reinventing itself.  It’s typically made out of worsted wool, and is similar to tweed and herringbone in terms of looks, but is softer to the touch. If you’re looking for an unconventional and bold wedding suit, this is the fabric.

Though these suits are weather appropriate, they may not always be comfortable when you’re dancing or moving around a lot, as the fabric tends to be quite heavy. Flannel makes for a hip or rustic look — if your reception is taking place at warehouse or barn, this may be the right style for you.

The Tweed Suit

Photography – Tyler Branch via Chic Vintage Brides

Tweed is a great winter suit fabric that’ll always give a timeless ease to the wearer. The fabric is made from wool and created by combining three differently colored yarns, which are then twilled.

Tweed makes a fine winter suit choice because it’s thick, warm, water resistant (no champagne stains on this suit) and durable. However, tweed suits are a little heavier compared to most suits, and the fabric is coarse to the touch. If the wedding is in a very cold winter climate and you don’t mind the feel of the fabric, a tweed suit is definitely the way to go to make a classic statement.

If your wedding has some 1940s touches, we especially encourage incorporating this fabric into your groom’s fashion.

The Herringbone Suit

Photography – Jarrod Reno via 100 Layer Cake

Much like tweed, the herringbone suit is heavy, warm and durable. What distinguishes herringbone from tweed is the distinctive thin zigzag pattern. Herringbone suits are made from twilled yarn, typically from materials like wool or flannel. Both tweed and herringbone fabrics consist of a tighter weave than most suits, making for a more structured and durable garment.

The thickness of the fabric paired with the subtle zigzag design gives this suit the illusion of depth, making this suit ideal for the groomsmen or groom on the slimmer side.

The Velvet Suit

Photography – Olga Siyanko via Chic Vintage Brides

Perhaps the boldest fabric on our list, one of our fabric winter fabrics is velvet. This luxurious fabric has made a huge comeback and will certainly make a statement on your big day. Velvet is made from a variety of different fabrics but is distinct in its short, dense pile that gives it a super soft feel.

This style is not for the faint of heart. Switch out a traditional jacket for a velvet one to stand out amongst your groomsmen. For extra style points, go for a suit jacket in your wedding’s color palette.

Oh and depending on how cold it gets where you’re getting married, be sure to stick to half or fully lined suit jackets. This will help resist wrinkles, retain warmth, and hold up better when you’re busting a move on the dance floor.

Photography – Manuela Kalupar via Chic Vintage Brides

Winter Suit Colors

If you have the flexibility in dress code, choosing a color outside the traditional grayscale or navy blues can make for a unique suit choice.

Oxblood

Greg Finck Photography via Style Me Pretty

Oxblood suits are popping up everywhere these days. It’s a deep shade of burgundy that commands presence and attention when you walk into a room while maintaining a suit’s formal essence — a color perfect for the bold groom. This color looks especially great when paired with gold accessories like a great tie bar or lapel pin.

Hunter Green

B. Matthews Photography via Chic Vintage Brides

Another great color that makes a statement is this particular shade of dark green. Slightly jewel-toned in hue, but still deep and reserved, you’d be hard-pressed not to consider this color for your wedding. We love this tone for a woodsy wedding or any other ceremony with rustic vibes.

Plum

Photography – Emma Case via Love My Dress

Deep, deep purple on a suit will be sure to give you an edge to stand out. We recommend this color only for the groom because it is quite eye-catching. This unexpected choice looks perfectly at home next to the dramatic clouds of a winter wedding.

A huge thankyou to the folks over at The Gentlemanual for sharing their style tips for a Winter groom, I love each and every one of them, don’t you? If you’ve enjoyed this post as much as I have, you may also want to take a look at their fabulous insights on the humble pocket square, the sartorial staple that is suspenders and the must have for creating a polished look on your big day (unless you’re wearing a bow tie of course) the tie bar!

Amy

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