What to Wear to a Spring or Summer Wedding – On The Casual Side (2022)

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: Bonobos Tech Short Sleeve Shirt in Stone Blue Dot – $89. Made from wicking fabric (93% Nylon / 7% Spandex) and available in multiple fits, sizes, and lengths, this shirt is perfect for the type of situation a warm weather casual wedding can present. Because of the fit options you can ensure that although this is a short sleeve shirt, you can keep a tailored, put together look, worthy of the occasion. The more affordable alternative: $89 is STEEP for a short sleeve shirt. Acknowledged. Those on a tighter budget can try this seersucker option from Amazon’s goodthreads for $25. Seersucker is, well let’s just call it a “heritage” warm weather fabric. It’s cotton, but the puckering of the fabric creates air channels against your skin to help keep you cool. 

The Pants: Spier and Mackay Olive Cotton Linen Dress Trousers – $148. Here’s a casual, cooling fabric cut and sewn into dress pants. If you know there could be some sweltering temps at that casual wedding you’re attending, linen is most definitely your friend, and these are blended with cotton to give these trousers a bit more structure. Side tabs help cinch the waist down, so no belt is needed to keep these pants up and tailored looking. A true old-school-cool pair of trousers, which is perfect for the occasion.

The Watch: Timex Navi XL 41mm Fabric Strap Watch – $129. Want to be fully engaged and present at the nuptials you’re attending? Ditch your phone (gasp!), and use a watch to tell the time. A fabric strap will keep your wrist cooler, and the tan strap and contrasting face of this watch are a handsome combination.

The Sunglasses: WMP Drift Grey Abner Square Sunglasses – $28. 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? Guess not, because we featured these last year, and they’ve only continued to get stellar reviews. (And they’ve only minimally increased in price.)

The Socks: Smartwool Everyday Diamond Jim Crew Socks – $22. Feel free to go with a no-show sock here, but when going with a shoe a bit more structured like you’ll see below, unless you’ve really broken them in, regular socks can save you from the pain of blisters and hot spots. And these made in the USA merino socks are made to breathe.

The Shoes: Banana Republic Reace Suede Shoes – $160. Recently reviewed by our man Adam, and were deemed worthy of purchase for a warm weather dress shoe. They have recently been up for discount codes, so there’s really no need to pay full price if you have the option to wait a little while.

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.

The Money Clip: Satchel & Page Money Clip – $75. We recommend a money clip because having some cash on hand to tip at the open bar will win your points with the reception staff. They might just be happy to top your beverage off a bit more, or make it a stiffer pour. Italian, vegetable tanned leather. And no plastic ID window on this one.

And there you have it. All three levels of dress for a spring or summer wedding. Check out all three scenarios here:

• What to Wear to a Spring or Summer Wedding – Dressed Up (2022)
• What to Wear to a Spring or Summer Wedding – Smart but not Stuffy (2022)
• What to Wear to a Spring or Summer Wedding – On The Casual Side (2022)

And remember, don’t lock your knees!