What to Wear to a Spring or Summer Wedding – On The Casual Side (2021)

What are you going to wear? Sometimes it’s good to look at a few suggestions then add your own tweaks and ideas. That’s what these are for. Dressing for summer weddings can be tough. It’s warm, you want to look good, but you don’t want to treat someone else’s big day as your own personal fashion show (it’s seriously bad form). Today’s scenario features the most casual situation. The couple might go barefoot. The groom might skip a suit, and be in linen pants and an untucked shirt. This outfit respects the day, while still keeping it loose.

The Shirt: Banana Republic Untucked Slim-Fit Performance Seersucker Shirt – $50ish ($79.50). Super casual. Suuuuper casual. Usually we stay away from “untucked” button ups, but this might be just the ticket for this particular event. For a casual leaning, warm weather wedding, a light seersucker shirt will keep you cool while still keeping you looking appropriate. Feel free to roll up the sleeves. Kind of gets that breezy, Mediterranean feel going. If the untucked shirt thing just isn’t your thing? Try a popover. They’re back “in” (for now), and split the difference between button up and polo. And they can look terrific.

The Watch: Orient ‘2nd Gen Bambino Version I’ Japanese Automatic Watch – $110ish. In the automatic watch department, the Orient Bambino is one of the best bang for your buck offerings out there. Looks great dressed up, but can also be dressed down, so it can work in any type of wedding situation you’re attending this summer. For better sweat control, swap the leather band out for something more breathable. A solid NATO with a simple dress watch can make for a fun and unexpected summer combo.

The Sunglasses: WMP Drift Grey Abner Square Sunglasses – $25. Classic good looks, polarized lenses, and a claim of materials and components you don’t usually see at this price point? Sounds too good to be true, right? Yet Ledbury (they of $135 shirts, so they know something about quality) just recently started carrying these things. But they ship free direct through the brand. Sounds like a solid bet.

The Belt: Amazon Essentials Men’s Stretch Woven Braid Belt – $19.10. Woven belts are a little less waist-oppressive than a thick leather belt, especially when out of doors and in the heat for an extended period of time. This is a very affordable option from Amazon, but beware, belt length has been inconsistent for a few reviewers. Regardless, average reviews are consistently high.

The Pants: Goodthreads Men’s Athletic-Fit Wrinkle Free Dress Chino Pant – $30.90. We’re going with taupe here because a) they say it’s very soothing and b) it’s a classic combination with a white shirt, plus it creates a neutral canvas to throw a few splashes of color onto. Note that these are ATHLETIC-fit, so there’s going to be some room to the pant leg. Sounds kind of nice on a warm day though, doesn’t it?

The Money Clip: Cufflinks, Inc. Cutout Enterprise Money Clip – $55. Let your trekker flag fly in a very subtle way. Of course, if Star Trek isn’t your thing this is not the money clip for you. But if you hold a special place in your heart for the crew of the Enterprise this is a quiet way to show your love. Fascinating.

The Sweat/Skin Managers: Wallace & Barnes Organic Cotton Bandana – $19.50 | Supergoop! PLAY Everyday SPF 30 Lotion – $32 | Foot Powder – $6.99. Stick a bandana in your pocket for brow wiping. It’ll also come in handy if you’re seated next to a particularly weepy guest. There are a lot of moisturizers out there with SPF in them, but sometimes they can feel tacky and weird, or greasy and gross. Not Supergoop!. No artificial scents either. Smells light and clean. A new favorite for sure. Meanwhile, foot powder = a good idea even if you are wearing no-show socks. Which speaking of…

The Socks: Lululemon Power Stride with Active Grip and Performa Heel (3 pack) – $38. This suggestion is based on the “12 of the Best Men’s No-Show Socks” roundup/review/dissertation our man Ryan N. brought to us last week. Bad no-show socks are one of life’s little annoyances, and definitely not something you want to be worrying about when you’re supposed to be enjoying yourself. Lulu charges a premium, but they deliver on the promised results. 

The Shoes: Aston Grey Toldijk Penny Loafer in Navy – $79.99. Aston Grey is one of those DSW house brands that somehow almost always delivers on the bang-for-the-buck level. Well reviewed, including this one: “Bought these for a casual outside wedding. Great color and very comfortable.” Well there you go.

(and in case you didn’t read the first or second style scenario…) The obligatory we’re not done with the pandemic yet reminder: This mess isn’t over. If you’re inside, wear a mask (fingers crossed no one is having a wedding inside and inviting a bunch of elderly high-risk people). And remember that wearing a mask is hardly a 100% preventative measure. Masks knock down any coughing/sneezing/guffawing. They’re like the parachutes behind a drag racer. They help a lot, but they’re not foolproof. If you’re all up in somebody’s business shouting over the DJ, or doing a freaking conga line, and you’re inside a poorly ventilated church reception hall, a mask ain’t gonna be worth a damn if someone is shedding virus. Get out of each other’s jet wash. Outside > Inside. Mask + Social distancing > Just masked.