Groom Style Tip #9: Mad About Cultural Affairs

A few weeks ago I had the pleasure of attending my cousin's wedding in Malaysia. The ceremony and reception were beautiful. Malay, Indian, Chinese, Muslim, Hindu influences were nicely woven into all elements of the wedding. It was truly a multi-cultural event!

After my cousin's wedding, I concluded the following: First, it IS possible to infuse multi-cultural attire, foods, traditions, etc. into a wedding. Second, it IS possible to outfit your groom into non-Western suit attire. See image below.

Even if you aren't Malaysian, here are some some great style takeaways:

1. Grooms can wear color. My cousin chose to wear pink and orange. The key is that you don't always have to default to the basic black suit/tux. There are so many beautiful options from gray to khaki to seersucker to baby blue.
   
2. Accessories are key. Your accessories will personalize the outfit. My cousin-in-law decided to don traditional Malay accessories, such as headdress, jewelry and wooden dagger. I'm not suggesting that your groom carry weapons to the wedding. BUT, you can still use wedding appropriate accessories to play up your wedding colors, show off your heritage, and embrace your groom's personal style (my fiance wants to wear an ascot...hmmm). Colorful socks, unique neck wear, quirky boutonnieres, and sophisticated pocket squares, etc., are great places to start when personalizing your groom's outfit.
3. Make sure your groom is comfortable. It is so important to take your groom's feelings, personal style and comfort into consideration. My cousin-in-law loves to wear a ring on each finger, so he wore lots of man-jewelry at the wedding. However, if your groom is not comfortable wearing pink or ruffles or flip flops, it's important not to force him into it.
   

Need help styling your groom? E-mail us at weddings@9tailors.com.

Sneak Peak: Pool Blues

Dress Inspiration? Custom Couture

How much do you love that necklace?

Find out what he's going to wear tomorrow.

9tailors Custom Clothing Event in Boston

After a week of traveling (Hong Kong - Shanghai - Hong Kong - Boston), I'm finally home with my fiance and kitty (yes, my cat has his own blog). Now, back to B&BT work!

Anyway, just wanted to share some news. 9tailors will be hosting its 3rd Custom Clothing Event in Boston on Saturday, August 29! Details here.

9tailors has been dressing wedding after wedding after wedding this season. One reason is that brides and grooms can design affordable, one-of-a-kind custom dress shirts for the guys! This event will be a fantastic opportunity for couples to see what 9tailors has to offer.

Here's what one groom had to say about his experience:

“9 Tailors made the shirts for the my groomsmen in my wedding. Not only were the shirts exactly what I asked for (cuffs, collar, color were just as I envisioned), the fit was amazing. All four of my guys raved that their shirts were the best fitted shirts they've ever had. Sam and her crew go through the whole process with you, from choosing the design, to the final fitting. We all loved the shirts as soon as we put them on. But since Sam was so diligent about following up and insisting on quality and the right fit, I know that if we had had an issue she would have fixed it to our liking. I know that I'll be going back to 9 Tailors! And I have a feeling I've won over a few groomsmen and many guests at my wedding as we got many compliments!”

Max, Somerville, MA

Max chose some unique accents that complemented his wedding colors and style for him and his groomsmen. Below are the shirting fabrics that Max chose.

Max chose a beautiful 100% white twill for the shirt.

Max also went with a white, green and blue twill - colors that complemented his wedding theme - to go inside the collar and cuff.

I'll be back tomorrow with more weddings!

Want to style your groom? E-mail us at weddings@9tailors.com.

Groom Style Tip #8: Mad About HK Wedding Mags

So, the last few weeks while I've been visiting my family in Hong Kong, I've been flipping through some local wedding magazines. Here are some pages ripped from my favorite, Cosmopolitan Bride.

Three notes:

First, I apologize for the quality of the images as I am working with less technology (no real PhotoShop) at my disposal (I should really convince my parents to invest in the program).

Second, the prices you see below are in Hong Kong dollars. I don't want anyone to freak out because a pair of YSL shoes cost $5,200. Don't worry. Just divide by 7.8...

Third, pardon the small typo below. When Cosmo Bride says, "Gloom's Style," I think they really mean "Groom's Style."

Hong Kong weddings tend to be more formal occasions, thus grooms like to wear full-on tuxes to weddings. It's also not uncommon to have the groom change outfits 2, 3, 5 or more times during the 12-course Chinese wedding banquet. This magazine recommends, "While grooms tend to choose more popular colors, such as black, white and gray...they can use boutonnieres, bow ties and cummerbunds to add a hint of color." Personally, I really like the chic, monochromatic look (to the left) myself. Very modern.

Hong Kong guys are very serious about their accessories. They like bracelets, watches, rings... you name it. They also like to wear things with more flair to them. Take a look at the angles on the rings above; they're a bit rocker-ish. But, they still have a beautiful, yet very masculine quality to them.

Hong Kong guys also love their shoes (brand name ones, especially). Quality dress shoes can definitely put a dent in your budget, but your groom won't be wearing them every day. So, they will last you for many years to come, making the investment seem somewhat reasonable. I particularly like the Louis Vuitton dress boot on the lower right side. It's perforated all around, giving it a slightly textured touch.

Need help styling your groom? E-mail us at weddings@9tailors.com.

Groom Style Tip #7: Mad About Mixing Patterns

A lovely bride recently asked me how to match her navy braces with pink polka dots. As I began to do research on this, I kept asking myself, "Should she go with a patterned tie or a solid tie?" I love to play with patterns and textures so, naturally I went with the former option. But, often times, pattern-on-pattern can end disastrously. So, what's the best way to mix and match? Here are a few tips.

All shirting fabrics available at 9tailors;

Top left: Gucci via Bluefly;
Top Right: Moss;
Bottom left: Armani via Bluefly
Bottom right: Ike Behar via Nordstroms

Rule #1: Mix subtle with subtle

The key here is to pick subtle patterns with other subtle patterns in complementary shades. This might be the easiest look to pull off. Look at the example on the upper left corner. Start off with neutral shades (black, gray, white, etc.). When I mean subtle, I mean small, thin, textured (e.g., gray on gray, black on gray) colors or patterns. In other words, nothing should jump out at you at all.


Rule #2: Mix similar shades and/or tones together

The key here is to pick colors that complement each other in shade or in tone. Look at example 2 on the upper right corner. Start off with your shirt. The shirt is primarily blue with a subtle white checkered pattern on it. Then, go with a tie that picks up the equally vibrant shade of blue. If you are having a hard time figuring out colors, use a color wheel. It's very helpful!


Rule #3: Vary the size of the patterns

The key here is to choose one larger sized pattern with a smaller sized pattern. Same sized patterns might be a little too busy or too crazy for some of you. So, this is a great option for you if you want a cleaner, more streamlined look. The lower left combination is a good example of this. The purple thin stripes in the shirt play off the lavender stripes in the tie. Also, notice how the space in between the stripes are also varied as well. This prevents the look from being too matchy.

Rule #4: Mix two different patterns

The key here is to mix a smaller pattern and a larger pattern. So, if you wear a tie with a larger pattern, then go with a smaller striped pattern shirt and vice versa. See the example on the lower right corner. The paisley in the tie is a much bolder print than the stripes in the shirt. the In this option, the pink of the shirt and the periwinkle in the tie still match.

The above rules will help you avoid making mixing mistakes. Your groom and your groomsmen will look quirky, yet sophisticated!

Need help styling your groom? E-mail us at weddings@9tailors.com.

Groom Perk #1: Free Customization from Blue Flourish

Our friends at Blue Flourish are giving BB&T readers free customization on all groom's boutonnieres.

Enjoy!



Just got back from my cousin's wedding in Malaysia! More fun groom stuff tomorrow!

Need help styling your groom? E-mail us at weddings@9tailors.com.

Groom Style Tip #6: Mad about Blue Flourish

The other day I was on one my favorite sites, Etsy, and I discovered one of the most lovely stores ever, Blue Flourish. If you're on Etsy, they are also known as Rationale. Whether flowery or feathery, these one-of-a-kind boutonnieres are crafted with love by head designer and owner, Queenie. Not only are these pieces beautiful, they're quite affordable as well with boutonnieres starting at $4.75 on her Etsy site. Spice up your groom and your wedding party's suits with pretty and perky boutonnieres from Blue Flourish! I'm so excited that I found them!

Here are some sample pieces from Queenie. Love them.

I'm going to be off for a few days. My cousin is getting married this weekend in Malaysia. I'll be back on Monday with more weddings and fun groom's stuff!

Need help with your groom's style? E-mail us at weddings@9tailors.com

Groom Style #28: Made in Manhattan

So, I finally got my act together (I've been traveling overseas). And, I'm ready to post this week. A beautiful bride, Sarah*, wrote to me last week about her wedding. She will be marrying her fiance, Robert, in November at a refurbished church turned recording studio turned club/lounge/restaurant called the Providence in Manhattan. Sarah* will be wearing this gorgeous tulle and lace gown from Sottero & Midgley. Their colors, pewter and blue, are based on the couple's birthstones (opal for Robert and Sapphire for Sarah*). From the pictures of Providence and from Sarah's explanation it looks like it will be a vibrant and festive affair! Let's see what he's going to wear.

Suit: Paul Smith; Shirt: Donald Trump via Macy's; Cuff links: ECufflink; Silk Tie: Georgio Armani via Bluefly; Watch: Great Timing; Knit Tie: Nick Bronson; Shoes: Kenneth Cole via Zappos; Blouson: Burberry; Undershirt: Thomas Pink

Sarah* wants to make sure that Robert is comfortable, yet polished. When I read this, I immediately thought of the late Paul Newman. He defines classic, American style with his slim-cut, charcoal suits, dark ties and cuff links. The gray suit is Paul Smith. The gray-striped shirt from Donald Trump. I love the gray striped dress shirt with a white collar - perfect for their semi-formal occassion. There are two tie options: a silk, patterned tie from Georgio Armani and a silk-knit black tie. Either would go well with the pewter and blue colors of their wedding. The opal cufflinks are a nod to Sarah* and Robert's style theme. The shoes are perfect for the casual guy - as this requires very little effort to put on or take off! I also love the modern take on the wing-tip detail. Lastly, Robert can sport the blouson and classic undershirt on his honeymoon - so Paul Newman. All he needs is a pair of jeans and brown loafers!

Don't forget to leave a comment!

E-mail us at weddings@9tailors.com if you need help styling your guy.

*Name has been changed.