The wedding guest outfit when it is 30 degrees
How to dress properly for a summer wedding without roasting: fabric, jacket choices, colours to avoid and how to keep the line crisp.
In short
- Fabric does the work: tropical wool, a linen blend or a fine cotton keep you cool and crisp.
- An unlined, soft-shouldered jacket looks smart and weighs almost nothing.
- Avoid white and black, and check the dress code before choosing a shoe.
The aim at a summer wedding is to look sharp when you arrive and still look sharp at the end of the speeches. That depends far more on cloth and cut than on colour.
Start with the jacket
Choose an unstructured jacket: no padding in the shoulder, no heavy lining. It should weigh a few hundred grams, not a kilo. Tropical wool, a linen-wool blend or a fine cotton all work. Light grey, sand and soft navy are the safest colours.
The shirt
A white or pale blue shirt in a fine cotton or a light linen blend is correct. Long sleeves look smarter and, counter-intuitively, protect you from the sun. Roll them once you take the jacket off. If you wear a tie, choose a knitted or linen one.
The trousers
Go for a matching or complementary colour in a breathable cloth. Light grey tropical wool with a navy jacket is classic. Make sure the hem sits cleanly on the shoe.
Shoes and socks
For a daytime garden wedding, suede loafers or lightweight leather lace-ups work. Wear fine, low socks if the dress code is formal. Without socks is fine for a relaxed, coastal event.
Colours to avoid
- White and cream head to toe: it competes with the couple.
- Black: heavy in the sun and too formal for daytime.
- Bright patterns that distract in photographs.
Keep cool, stay crisp
Carry the jacket between ceremony and reception. Hang it, do not drape it over a chair. Keep a small handkerchief for the neck, and drink water between glasses of anything else.